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Myth #1 - Links, links, and more links
Another common myth involves website links. When considering ways to acquire
and share links with other websites, as with all things SEO, relevance is
the name of the game. Links that are related and relevant to the content of
your website will provide the greatest value to site visitors and better
ranking from search engines. Whether inbound, outbound, or reciprocal, links
that are pertinent to your content will always offer the best results.
Myth #2 - The more keywords you have, the
better
Several years ago, it may have been true that using more keywords generated
better positioning, but that’s not the case anymore. When you see how easily
someone can edit or add keywords to a web page, even words that are
irrelevant to the content of the page, it’s easy to see why. Today, search
engines are relying less on keywords for search engine placement, and more
on content within the website itself.
That doesn't mean that keywords aren't
important though. They still play a vital role if used correctly. Their true
use is to help you accurately target the search words that you want to be
found in. If your niche market is luxury homes, then by all means, “luxury
homes” should be a keyword on your page, and used throughout that page’s
content. But remember, if a search engine sees your site with tons of
irrelevant keywords, they’ll think you’re trying to trick them. The results
of overloading keywords, a practice called “stuffing,” can be disastrous,
and may result in reduced page rank, or even removal from a search engine's
index.
Myth #3 - “Guaranteed” rankings with paid
services
Self-proclaimed experts have flocked to the SEO debate, enticing website
owners into spending thousands of dollars with promises of guaranteed
rankings, by claiming partnerships with various search engines, or by
identifying themselves as search engine “insiders.” Such claims are
baseless, and the individuals that make them are typically nothing more than
opportunists looking to make a quick buck.
That is not to say that there are no credible,
trustworthy search engine optimization companies out there. In fact there
are many well established, credible sources for SEO or Search Engine
Marketing (SEM) advice and assistance. But how can you tell the difference
between a credible SEO company and one that might leave you high and dry?
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Do they offer guaranteed ranking?
No one can guarantee ranking due to the secretive nature of search
ranking algorithms. Providing accurate and relevant search results is a
search engine's stock in trade, and they do not disseminate their
ranking formulas.
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What proof can they offer?
Some companies try to lure you to pay for their services through the use
of pay per click (PPC) search engines as “proof” of their effectiveness.
Certain search engines (Overture, Lycos, Google's AdWords) offer
services that allow website owners to place bids on specific search
terms. The highest bid gets the best SERP ranking. Since these bids can
be changed at any time, SEO companies that use PPC's as evidence are
questionable at best.
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Do they claim a partnership with a
search engine?
Most search engines adamantly deny partnerships with search engine
optimization companies due to the simple fact that such a relationship
would most certainly be a conflict of interest on the part of the search
engine. If an SEO company claims a special or privileged relationship
with a search engine, you should probably look elsewhere.
Myth #4 - SEO marketing isn’t as effective
as traditional forms of marketing
The benefits of Internet marketing are readily apparent. Imagine removing
all restrictions associated with advertising locally, the costs of placing
advertisements in national publications, and instead being able to market
your company and the services you offer to anyone. Anywhere. Advertising
your services to anyone across the world doesn't have to cost much at all.
Optimizing your website for better search ranking can be done effectively
without having to hire a third party. That's more money in your pocket.
Finally, search engine marketing allows you target specific consumer needs
that your company handles day in and day out, rather than indiscriminately
sending tons of expensive mailers to “John Doe or Current Resident”.
Need more information on optimization?
If so, we recommend you use:
Get advise on everything from search engine
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