SEO is still the undisputed King
Most business owners will be familiar with the concept of search engine optimization (SEO) for their company’s website. However, many may not know exactly what it means or what it entails. Indeed, there are a number of common misconceptions and misunderstandings surrounding SEO, such as:
1) The SEO process always remains the same.
One of the most common misconceptions about SEO is that there is some step by step process that a company or marketer can take in order to push that website right to the top of the Google results. However, this is simply not the case. A good marketer will alter their steps and strategies across locations, industries, and businesses – so no two SEO campaigns will be alike.
2) High keyword rankings are the only result that matters.
While most people learn about SEO as a method of ranking a website at the top of Google’s results for certain keywords, this is certainly not the only metric by which you should judge an SEO campaign. Instead, you should be looking at analytics such as bounce rate, sales conversions, landing pages, and exit pages. In other words, you may be able to get a nail bar in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to rank highly for the search term “bars in Tulsa” but since the consumer is looking for a drink and not a manicure, they are likely to immediately bounce from your website once they click into it.
3) If you mess up, Google will punish you severely
It is not uncommon to hear people claim that if you follow a specific SEO technique Google will come down hard on you and your website will never be seen again. This thought can terrify those who are new to SEO. However, the reality is that Google penalties are usually fairly small and uncommon. As long as you aren’t doing anything untoward, you’ll be fine.
4) SEO is easy / SEO is too hard
A common refrain heard from business owners is that, “SEO is too hard.” In turn, this is often met with others saying that, “SEO is easy.” In truth, neither is the case. It is entirely possible to learn the basics of SEO by spending a few hours on YouTube. By the end of the afternoon you will have enough knowledge to get your site some attention from Google. However, in order to maximize your returns from SEO you will need to spend years studying it. Essentially, it is easy to become good at SEO – it is very, very difficult to become great at SEO.
Though the world of SEO is still shrouded in mystery for a lot of people, it doesn’t need to be. By understanding these common misconceptions about SEO you are well on your way to being a knowledgeable search engine optimizer.
