Top 5 SEO Myths
Properly done search engine optimization (SEO) will do a lot of things for you. It will get you to the first page of search engine results, it will create more exposure for your site and most importantly, it will bring good traffic. But to enjoy these and many other benefits of well-done SEO, you have to stop believing some of the myths about SEO.
1. SEO Does Not Work
Believe it or not, there are people who still believe that SEO is a big scam perhaps by marketers who want to keep earning money. But the evidence is there for everyone to see. 44% of customers start the buying process from a search engine, most often Google. Also, the use of search engines is the fourth highest activity online after email, social media, and video. The services we provide at Virtual Surge Baltimore SEO, has proven that SEO does work, and it has worked for hundreds of businesses. Our clients are enjoying higher traffic flow, improved lead conversion and better brand exposure.
2. I Did it Once and it Was Enough
At least you believe SEO works, but there is still a lot for you to do. Doing SEO once, may have increased the flow of inbound traffic but as you may have noticed, traffic falls over time in the absences of sustained SEO. Search engine optimization is a not a once-off project, it is a continuous part of marketing. You have to keep writing good content, using the right keywords and so on. Get up and pick up from where you left off.
3. For SEO to work, keyword obsession is a must
There was a time when keywords did carry a lot of weight. But sites gamed Google’s algorithms by spamming their content with keywords, thus lowering the value of the content. With several updates, keyword obsession will get you penalized. If you fill an article with “Maryland Dentist” 10 times, Google sees that as spamming.
While you still should target certain keywords – especially in important areas such as titles and meta tags – you will find more success in trying to determine what your visitors want from your site. When you write good content meant for your visitors, you will find that you have used many other keywords that you did not even intend. For example;
• Baltimore dentist (the main keyword)
• Affordable Baltimore dentist
• Family Dentist Baltimore
• Invisalign treatment Maryland
• Baltimore deep teeth cleaning
Eventually, you realize that the long tail keywords splattered in your content are bringing in much more traffic than the main keyword that you were tempted to spam. This is because you have targeted specific needs of potential customers.
4. SEO is Expensive
If you get an offer of $200 per month for full SEO services, that is something to be concerned about. The most reputable companies cost a lot more however, your ROI will surpass your initial investment.
You may wonder why the cost of SEO can be so high. There is a lot of work that needs to be done on the back end that most people do not know about. The work doesn’t stop there. It can take months for a site to rank to the front page of search engines which means it takes months of work to get your site there. SEO involves extensive continuous research, content creation, technical work, site optimization, link building and many other things. What you get is a constant inflow of leads that consistently build your customer base. SEO is not expensive; it is an investment.
5. I can achieve top rankings in 2 weeks
There are marketing techniques that can speed up the process a little; PPC and social media are some examples. But with SEO, patience is a must and success are not guaranteed. You have to work hard, smart and long to get on the first page of Google. Of course, having a team of experts like Virtual Surge Baltimore SEO to help you, means you can focus on your business while they do what’s necessary.