SEO Basics: SEO fact or fiction?
The origin of this reputation A lifetime ago, when Google’s algorithm wasn’t that good, you could trick your way into the search results. Putting keywords in white (so nobody would see, but Google would crawl it) was an effective strategy back then, as was buying bulks of links from questionable sites. As Google evolved, these kinds of dirty SEO tricks started to backfire.
If you’re wondering whether specific tactics of old school or black hat SEO still pay off, just think: does it give the user a better experience on your site? Does your website have a better result? If you can answer these questions with yes, it’s probably a good SEO strategy. Anything that feels like a trick, though, probably won’t be a good SEO strategy in the long run. So, let’s look at some SEO statements and determine whether they’re fact or fiction!
SEO Basics: Historically accurate or simply an urban myth?
SEO or search engine optimization is a significant factor for any enterprise that wants to be seen on search engine results, such as Google. There are so many myths and misconceptions surrounding SEO; therefore, it may be challenging to determine the real deal regarding SEO practices. This article will argue with some of the most popular SEO myths and tell the truth about what is true and what is not about the SEO tips that circulate the internet.
High search rankings: Importance and relevance
Fact. High ranking on search engines can provide millions of traffic clicks from people interested in the site’s information. It has been identified that the sites ranked on the first page of Google search results receive more than 90% of all the traffic from searchers. Therefore, if you have a site that is well-positioned in a highly competitive keyword, you will be a leader in the market. This is why it is essential that SEO has to play a pivotal role in visibility.
High search rankings are essential; nonetheless, in isolation, high search rankings are not sufficient to ensure success. Your website must also include good textual and graphical content and a straightforward navigation layout to help persuade visitors to buy your products once they get to your website. However, a good SEO strategy creates the foundation that allows you to get that traffic to your site first.
Content is King
Fact. Originality, quality, and the connection of the content to the query are some of the most potent factors that search engine algorithms can focus on while ranking. It means the more exciting material you create based on target keywords, the higher your chances of ranking in SERPs (search engine result pages).
This means that you cannot afford to try and get away with something shoddy when it comes to content creation. Even worse, it is possible to write low-value blog posts that contain frequent repetitions of the keywords or keyword stuffing that hurts your ranking. Today’s search engines have become wiser and rank these websites that post fresh, relevant, and valuable information for visitors.
Meta Descriptions Impact Rankings
Fiction. Meta descriptions refer to short descriptions that search engines use and display below the blue highlighted links in SERPs. Some people believe using keywords to create meta descriptions will effectively increase a website’s rank. But that’s not true. In general, it is essential to know that the content in meta descriptions does not help or harm ranking in search engine results.
But, well-written and attractive meta descriptions enhance the click-through rates (CTR). When the description of a search result looks rather interesting, users tend to go to the webpage rather than choose other results. Therefore, meta descriptions are invaluable in directing more traffic and clicks to your site, even though they do not affect the SEO ranking.
The Benefits of Backlinks: Backlinks or what can be referred to as the SEO Silver Bullet
Fiction. It will be said quite frequently that the link-building method is the most crucial factor in the success of SEO. Although backlinks are still among the critical ranking factors, your position on the SERPs will not skyrocket solely based on them. The quality of the linking website is also another factor that significantly influences the recommendations.
Social networks and other web platforms have realized that link building is artificial and has reduced the value of links from websites with thin or low domain scores. Today, “Link Building” is the most effective method of obtaining authoritative backlinks over time through producing outstanding content for influential market players to endorse. Backlinks are the most rewarding of patience and are therefore advisable to be gotten through patience.
URLs and Domain Names
Fact. It is worth pointing out that having target keywords incorporated in the URLs and domain names of web pages positively impacts rankings. Consequently, it is easier for search bots to learn what that particular page is all about depending on the words used in the URL and domain, thus enabling them to index and rank such pages faster relative to any search that has been made.
For example, a page on your site that reviews the “Amana ASX14 Air Conditioner” will have a better chance ranking for that search if the URL is:
www[. ]yourwebsite[. ]com/amana-asx14-air-conditioner-review
Rather than something generic like:
www[. ]yourwebsite[. ]com/reviews/product21
While it may still be relatively simple to ensure that page URLs/domain names contain relevant keywords to the page’s topic, it is still a tried and tested method of establishing the site’s SEO authority on the specific subject.
Image File Names and Alt Text for search engine optimization
Fact. In the same way that the names of URLs and domains containing target keyword phrases can help increase rankings, so can names of image files and alt text. When crawling a page, search bots also incorporate any word in descriptions from file names and alt text in the determination process of what topic the page addresses.
Therefore, utilizing keywords in the image names such as amana-asx14-air-conditioner. Jpg and appropriate description in alt text can help the search bots identify relevancy, thus unlocking the potential for better ranking of the page with regard to those terms. This is one of the most straightforward SEO strategies, which may take up to a minute and will bring the result in the future.
Meta Keywords Boost Rankings
Fiction. Meta keywords are tags that website managers can type in behind the curtain within the page’s HTML to explain the keywords to the spider. It was not long ago, and people used to stuff meta keywords with terms that were informative to the search engines about the pages. That is not true and has not been so for over a decade now.
Search engines in the modern world do not take into consideration meta keywords simply because webmasters used to stuff these sections with keywords. The meta keywords tag has no SEO importance and is an old SEO technique that was popular in the early 1990s. What was once hidden beneath the hood is now read accessibly by human visitors and is the basis of all the ranking signals search engines look at now.
Popularity Contests No More
Fact. When SEO started, one could, to some extent, ‘game’ the rankings and land on what used to be the top of the SERPs through manipulation, such as purchasing links from irrelevant websites. This worked because, at the time, the search algorithms used what is commonly known as “popularity voting” to rank the pages. The site with the most significant overall popularity, in terms of the total number of link votes, was ranked as the most popular.
But, the updates by Google have become socially aware of these strategies. Today, search bots have the ability to study the quality and relevance of each inbound link that comes to pass. This means two links from sites within a specific industry will be more effective in improving the ranking than over 50 links that are from generic blogs. The only difference is that SEO is no longer about how many people are searching for something but who among them is considered necessary.
Length Equals Rankings
Fiction. Some SEO tutorials still suggest creating posts that should be 3,000+ words long because “search engines love long posts!” However, if length is combined with quality, it can work perfectly well for the complete coverage of some topics; otherwise, mere length is not an SEO factor.
An average 400-word blog post that contains information with actual value will be way better than a 3,000-word article that has so much unnecessary information and redundancy. Long-form pieces should only be used when developing massive guides, and little to no long-form content should be used with regular content. Give the reader more than he or she wants, and page rankings will be extremely high.
SEO Delivers Immediate Results
Fiction. Some black SEO providers even offer upfront placement on the first page within days if clients hire their services. But do not fall for over-hyped promises of instant SEO success within the shortest period. It may take months to get a site to a high level of stability, and high search engine visibility never happens overnight. Search bots require some time to index and rank new content, and if the competition is stiff, then it may take a long time for the latest content to appear on the first page.
Claims that some of the pages can shift from the third to the first pages of Google can take months depending on the keyword’s competitiveness, even with all the practices of SEO. SEO is not a one-time thing; it is still done even after the site has been launched. Be patient; your rankings will climb the charts one rung at a time.
The Future of SEO
Even though it is pretty sure that SEO best practices will change again in the future, practicing the facts rather than believing in fiction mentioned in this post will guide any Website to the right track regarding search visibility. Concentrate on product content quality, authoritative web references, and exceptional on-page SEO for long-term search positioning that generates results.
Conclusion
It means avoiding myths about what may never work for SEO and focusing on the necessities that help algorithms find value, links, and pages. As observed, trends will shift in the future. At the same time, content and authority will always be fundamental to gaining visibility in search engines. Rather than doing what has been marketed as a myth, one should stick to what is still effective after the search engines have made their changes. SEO is important to note that it is not a quick process and does not require rushed actions; with an analytical and thoughtful approach, your website can take its fair share in targeted search traffic for the long term.