The “SEO Mythbusting” video series is set to debut on Google’s Webmaster YouTube channel.
Despite the trailer being released, Google remains tight-lipped about the specific subjects that will be addressed in each episode. Nevertheless, the video description already outlines that “SEO is often shrouded in mystery” and that it can be a challenge for web developers and SEOs to collaborate.
Martin Splitt of Google’s Webmaster Trends Team will hold discussions with experts from the developer and SEO field to pinpoint prevalent errors and address common queries, owing to this exact reason.
Myths about SEO that are commonly believed
1. Google Penalizes Duplicate Content
Duplicate content is content that is identical or very similar and can be found in more than one place on the internet. It’s common to come across information stating that Google imposes a penalty for duplicate content when learning about website optimization.
There is no such thing as a penalty for duplicate content.
Google acknowledges that the majority of duplicate content is not intended to mislead, citing instances like products in online stores that are accessible via different links or versions of web pages designed only for printing.
In case you are facing difficulties with these concerns, it is advisable to implement canonicals, internal links, and sitemaps to inform Google about your preferred URLs. Nonetheless, if none of your duplicate pages are obstructed by the noindex meta tag, Google will select one of those pages for indexing.
Google’s objective is to detect instances of duplicated content being generated for the purpose of tampering with rankings. When such situations arise, these websites may either experience a decrease in their ranking or be entirely excluded from Google’s index.
2. A Link in Blog Comments Counts as an Inbound Link
In recent years, the process of link building has undergone a transformation, shifting from traditional methods to a focus on link earning. This means that the key to success lies in providing value to the online community and gaining recognition from respected individuals within your field, who will then link back to your site. The presence of high-quality inbound links serves as a sign of the legitimacy and pertinence of your website.
In addition, to avoid spam, the comments section of most reputable blogs employs the use of rel=’nofollow’. Essentially, the links shared in comments marked as nofollow instruct search engine crawlers not to track them.
One effective strategy to gain recognition from a blogger is by offering informative insights, statistics, and advice. This will increase their familiarity with you, making it easier to pitch your guest post proposition later on.
Strategically sharing a link to your website can potentially boost your organic traffic. However, this does not imply spamming blogs with links to your homepage or product pages. Instead, if your blog post addresses a specific query or relates to a blogger’s topic, you can reference your content and offer a link to it for interested readers.
It is important to remember that relying solely on blog comments for link building is not a recommended strategy. According to Matt Cutts in 2013, using blog comments for spamming purposes indicates to Google that your website lacks genuine and trustworthy sources of backlinks. Consequently, such links may be considered as a form of unethical link manipulation by the search engine.
3. SEO is a Joke and Anyone Can Do It
It is intriguing how numerous individuals hold this perspective. How frequently have you come across an individual stating phrases such as “We enlisted an individual to handle our SEO a week back and we haven’t noticed any outcomes yet” or “I executed SEO previously?”
It is important to understand that SEO does not provide instantaneous outcomes. There is no single miraculous keyword that can guarantee a first-page position on Google. SEO requires a prolonged approach. Achieving better rankings, increased traffic, and enhanced conversions necessitates weeks or even months of preparation, experimentation, assessment, and documentation.
There are various choices available when it comes to recruiting experts for SEO, which is a second crucial aspect.
SEO is a reliable and established method for facilitating the discovery of your online content by users. While some strategies may be effective while others may not, it does not imply that SEO is entirely futile (unfortunately).
It is important to realize that there are numerous examples of companies and bloggers who have utilized SEO to transform their careers. If these individuals had believed untrue rumors about SEO, they would not have accomplished the significant enhancements to their websites and rankings on Google.
Search Engine Land shared a specific case study that demonstrated the successful utilization of SEO to boost search traffic from no visitors to 100,000 in just 12 months. It is important to note that this was a deliberate experiment conducted by experienced web experts, meaning that achieving such results may not be simple. Nonetheless, this case study presents evidence of the advantageous impact SEO can have on websites and blogs.
An option for you is to employ an SEO group to work on site. Various employers assume that SEO necessitates certain technical abilities, which their IT personnel can handle. Regrettably, it is not as simple as that.
To establish a competent in-house marketing team, it is essential to recruit a complete SEO team comprising a project manager, on-site and off-site SEOs, technical SEOs, copywriters, and a content marketing strategist, and provide them with the necessary resources. This is why the cost to build such a team exceeds $68,000.
Regardless of their size, numerous businesses opt for a digital marketing company to manage their SEO strategy. All you have to do is select a competent agency equipped with the necessary tools, expertise, and personnel to realize desirable outcomes.
It is crucial for a credible SEO company to maintain complete transparency and furnish lucid and exhaustive weekly or monthly reports. This will not just aid in accomplishing the desired outcomes expeditiously but also curtail costs on personnel recruitment, selection, and training.
4. HTTPS Is not that Important
You may have observed that certain websites start with http://, while others start with https://. What is the reason for this? HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) is a version of the regular Hypertext Transfer Protocol.
The SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) technology is what drives HTTPS, guaranteeing that the communication between a user’s browser and your servers is encrypted. As a result, even if a hacker intercepts the user’s data, it will be useless.
It is understood by Google that SSL is crucial and their aim is to encourage websites to adopt it promptly.
In 2014, it was declared that HTTPS would be implemented as a small ranking factor, indicating that utilizing HTTP in your website’s domain could damage your rankings. In addition, websites utilizing HTTPS are identified as “Secure” and display a green padlock. Starting in 2018, sites utilizing HTTP are recognized as “Not Secure” within Google Chrome’s browser.
HTTP can affect people’s perception of your brand beyond just rankings, which could ultimately impact lead generation and conversion rates. If your website is marked as untrustworthy, visitors may quickly leave without offering any information.
5. SEO is as Magical as a Mermaid Riding a Unicorn Through a Sparkly Rainbow
Our response to this SEO myth is a firm and definite negative. We have a great deal of appreciation for SEO, perhaps even more than the average person, but it is not a short-cut or a workaround. It cannot transform low-quality content into high-quality content.
Although a powerful tool, search engine optimization requires effort to be effective. It must be continuously worked on, and even the most potent SEO tactics may not yield instant results. According to Google Webmasters, results may take anywhere from 4 to 12 months to be seen.
Even the best SEO cannot improve poorly written or irrelevant content that does not cater to the intended readers. SEO is not a mere set of tactics and techniques, and the power to produce captivating content lies within the writer. (Cue inspirational music)
Produce creative extended content that your audience will value. Ensure that your website’s backend is current and organized by using optimal methods. Apply search engine optimization (SEO) in all posts consistently to achieve phenomenal results.
Similar to how fairytales end, it is YOU who plays the role of your own Fairy Godmother. Relying solely on SEO will not be sufficient to achieve great success. To do so requires dedication, resourcefulness, and courage from a skilled, clever, and shrewd content producer. Who cares about having a unicorn when you can become the protagonist of your own story!
6. You Must Pay Money to Get Google to Crawl Your Site
Wait a minute! In the words of the popular musical band ABBA, “Money, money, money / Must be funny.” If anybody asks for payment for their “Google indexing services,” make sure you only give them Monopoly money! This SEO misconception is completely false.
It is crucial to index your website for increased blog traffic, but Google provides this tool for free to everyone. Any entity that charges you for indexing is a fraud and taking advantage of you.
Fortunately, it’s unnecessary to rely on untrustworthy individuals as learning to index your own blog is uncomplicated. Countless articles and resources are accessible on the internet, making it more convenient than ever to educate yourself on the significance and procedure of site indexing.
Asking Google to crawl your website is akin to getting someone’s attention by tapping them and saying, “Hey, notice me!”
Although indexing holds importance, the misconception here is that payment is necessary to achieve it in terms of SEO. According to Neil Patel, indexation is crucial for achieving high rankings, increasing traffic, and meeting your website’s objectives. Keep in mind that all of these benefits can be acquired without spending any money.
According to BRIGHTEDGE’s research, search alone accounts for 65% of website traffic. “Organic search continues to be the primary means of generating traceable web traffic and holds an almost unbeatable position as a channel.” Therefore, for a blogger to succeed, SEO activities such as indexing are essential.
7. Google is a Genius
Do you feel prepared for what I’m about to reveal? A recent test of the artificial IQ intelligence of Google, Siri, and Bing resulted in Google receiving the highest score (cue the drum roll). However, there’s a surprising twist: Google’s score was only 47.3.
To give you an idea, most 18-year-olds have an IQ of 97, whereas Google’s intelligence level is equivalent to that of a typical 6-year-old. Therefore, it can be inferred that Google’s intelligence is not as impressive as commonly believed. In terms of human development stages, Google is currently at a first-grade level, where it is still acquiring fundamental abilities such as reading comprehension, basic math, and socializing with peers.
However, we depend on this search engine to function flawlessly and effectively at all times. When we need information, our go-to solution is a quick Google search.
Despite what people commonly think, Google is not infallible and is continuously gaining knowledge. Google functions at high speed as a search engine and continuously adapts and advances to increase its intelligence and responsiveness. Programmers make approximately 500-600 algorithm adjustments annually to enhance the search engine’s effectiveness.
Sorting through websites and content involves taking into account numerous ranking factors. Despite Google’s intelligence, it is unlikely to become a Mensa member anytime soon.
Bloggers who trust that Google can instantly search, locate, and acknowledge a remarkable website or content fall prey to SEO misconceptions. In fact, it is your wit regarding SEO strategies and commendable content production techniques that are critical. You hold the power to establish a successful blog, with Google only providing a supplementary role.
