Search engine optimization is one of those things that has created many different opinions on every single effort that is associated with the practice. Over the years there have been lots of different ideas and feeling surrounding the way people conduct search engine optimization but the reality is that there is more than one way to do.
Here is a list of 10 SEO facts that could blow your mind!
1. It is not invisible: You might not be able to put your hands on it right away but there are ways to physically see and feel movement. A search engine marketing company should be able to identify exactly what it is that they are doing each month. You should be able to physically see the efforts that have been conducted. If they tell you that it is their own secret recipe I would be very wary about this because there is no secret recipe when it comes to search engine marketing.
2. It takes time: Regardless of what you do or how much money you pour into your SEO efforts your rankings are not going to grow over night. Things take time and if you are in a competitive space things might take even longer. You will see some movement fairly soon but cold hard rankings really don’t happen right away. You need to be patient and wait your turn.
3. Trickery does not work: Try to get the idea of performing any trickery on your website out of your head because you could end up just landing yourself a penalty in the search engines. Black hat SEO only creates short winded rankings that never really stick around for the long term.
4. PPC does not help you rankings: If you are wondering if PPC advertising helps your organic rankings at all it doesn’t in any way. Even if you received a penalty on your website you can opt in to Google Adwords and fire of a PPC account.
5. You need millions of links: False, you need good solid one way links pointing to your website that occur naturally. The ones that occur naturally are usually telling the search engines that you are an awesome source of information and for that you will be rewarded…overtime.
6. Pagerank is everything: Another false here. Pagerank was created by Google to give a webpage power. That power does not mean you are going to rank or be successful. All it means is that you have received a high number in your toolbar for that particular page which ultimately really doesn’t mean anything to the outside world.
7. Nobody is partnered with Google: If anyone ever tells you over the phone that they have a direct relationship with Google they are most likely lying to get the business in through the door. Nobody has a relationship with Google and if they tell you they do I would run far away.
8. Buying links is bad: People out there still seem to think it is ok to purchase a link for their website. The search engines have come out repeatedly to let the industry know that buying a link is very frowned upon. Sometimes however you can’t avoid it. For example you want to be in the Business.com directory and that costs $299 per/year. In situations like this it is ok but going through a text broker is not good and should be avoided at all costs.
9. Google analytics gives Google too much info: Who cares if they know how many people clicked on your site? Google doesn’t care and they only use it to strengthen their search tool. If you are worried about them spying don’t be cutting corners on your website and everything will be hunky dory.
10. SEO is one time: SEO is a journey through the valleys and over mountains through the depths of the forests! No seriously it never stops. SEO is something that is constantly moving because it is the process of marketing your business online proactively.
There are many myths and legends about search engine optimization out there but you have to understand that not all of them are true or false. Your best bet is to read through credible sources online that are trusted and educate yourself as much as possible before you enter the world of SEO.
Thank you for an excellent article that reinforces that doing things the right way is a better option in the long term.
Thanks Marlene for reading and your comment!
Take Care,
Nick
Great job Nick! This article supports everything I tell my clients. There is no quick fix. Clients need to invest into their optimization for long term results, that is if that client plans on being in business for the long term.
You on-page SEO, and content creation are certainly not invisible to anyone. Link building is a little trickier. I set up a document for each of my clients and then log my link building efforts for them to see. Because in their eyes link building can be the “magical” or “invisible” part of SEO.
Nick-
Great points that really support effective and true SEO.
Your comment on PR was interesting. In Matt Cutt’s video blog on trends for 2011 one of the key elements he mentioned for SEO was page rank, which I thought was odd since they took it out of webmaster tools and told everyone to stop focusing on it.
Thanks-
K
Hi Boise SEO,
Thanks for reading…that is the exact process that we take too! Clients need to see the amount of work and items that going into it to see that it takes hours to execute the various aspects of link building…
Hi Kathy,
Thanks for your comment! So I think Google took it out of webmaster tools and to stop focusing on it because of the abuse that webmasters and SEO people used to pump up and increase their pagerank years ago (back in 2005 to 2007 range a few years ago)….
Thanks again for reading,
Nick
Thank you, Nick. Your tips help clear the air a little about SEO. It is still so mysterious.
Hi Nick, Awesome explanation of myth verses fact. If only more clients new the truth. There are so many SEO firms that are using negative sell tactics whereby they’re pitching the “set it and forget it” model from 5 years ago.
Most of these one time set up SEO firms are a part of link rings. Scary stuff for the unsuspecting client!
Great post!
Jim
Thanks for this reminder. It IS tempting to look for instant results when experience and reality tells us that the real answer is consistent application of practices over time. I do think that page rank is important if only because most people searching don’t look past the first page unless it’s a really specialized search. Same basic formula as gardening: prepare the soil, plant the seeds, fertilize and water as needed. Stay ahead of the weeding.
Thanks Steve for reading and your comment!
Great analogy for SEO to gardening!
Take Care,
Nick
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