Myths and outdated techniques fall into several broad categories:
- Keyword density: There are many number of magic formulas touted on the internet, claiming that if you reach the perfect number of keyword instances per page, your rankings will go up. While you do need to have the keyword somewhere in your text in order to have your stated keywords considered relevant, artificially inflating the number of instances is a bad plan. First, it simply decreases the quality of your content. Second, the search engines may begin classifying your site as too spammy, and actually downgrade your rating.
- Tags and META: Search engines used to use Meta-tags to rank sites – search engines now use 100’s of variables including title tags, content, freshness of content, keyphrase density and links. Meta-tags have little if any influence on rankings. Loading keywords into your page headers and the meta data of your site is also an old trick that’s now likely to get you classified as spammy. Only keywords that are relevant to your content and specific to what your users are searching for should be included.
- Links: Some fraudulent SEO services, and some outdated pieces of advice, will associate your website with link exchange systems and link farms. Since the search engines keep track of these farms and exchanges, and using them is considered trickery, being part of them can actually significantly downgrade your rating.
- Submission to search engines: Once upon a time, submitting your site to search engines was a long and arduous process, which was nonetheless necessary to get a good place in the rankings. These days, search engine submission is generally not needed at all, since the engines automatically search for new sites. If they don’t find yours quickly, manual submission is quite easy and there are a few top search engines that have most of the market share.
- Analytics is Free: Yes Google Analytics is free, but setting up an account, implementing the code correctly, building filters and profiles, creating custom reports, providing support, and more takes time and more importantly expertise. If you want to ensure that the data you are reviewing is complete and a true representation of what is happening on your site you should be using a Certified Google Analytics Consultant. In addition once you have the data, what does it mean and what should you do with it, are questions that are better answered by seasoned Internet Marketers.
Conversely, there are a few relevant and current strategies for climbing the ranks of search results. (It should come as no surprise that these are broader and more difficult or time-consuming to implement than the myths would suggest.)
- Unique content: Consistently offering high quality content that is valuable to your users, unique on the web, and from original sources is by far the best way to attract users – and search engines – to your site. If your site consists of copy, providing a unique value in information filtering, commentary and analysis, or other user-friendly services.
- Website-designers should know how to rank websites: Website-designers know how to create aesthetically pleasing websites – they want the website to look good. Many designers do not have the time, expertise or interest to be knowledgeable about Internet marketing techniques. Internet marketers are concerned with driving traffic to sites and ROI – designers are concerned with creating attractive sites.
- Voice of authority: Along with unique content, offering an authoritative voice is a good way to increase your links and therefore your page ranking. Either become an authority yourself or offer interviews, quotes, or guest content by noted authorities in your field. If well-respected people and organizations recommend or reference your site, your popularity will rise.
- Professional networking for link sharing: As a web master, blogger, marketer, or business owner, professional contacts matter for a wide range of activities. Additionally, you may ask these people to link their sites with yours, or to provide expert and authoritative content for your site.
- Crawler files: As robots. list file is updated, accurate and properly configured to make your site more easily in the catalog correctly. Site Build architecture in a robot-friendly way to give your site a slight advantage, which could be worth pursuing.
Remember that search engine developers are connected with their customers and serving them relevant content. They are smart enough to outsmart the most technical tricks.
