In today’s digital era, almost every business knows the need to boost its online presence. One of the many ways to achieve that is through search engine optimization (SEO). However, in SEO, change is the only thing that is constant. Trends are hot one minute and cold the next. What works today may not necessarily be applicable tomorrow.
It is because of these constant changes and updates that several misconceptions arise. These sometimes lead to the companies’ disappointment in seeing their respective SEO campaigns failing to yield the expected results.
So, how do we separate myths from actual facts? Here are some of the most common examples:
Myth #1: Keyword Stuffing is the Key
Years ago, the thought was, the more you use a keyword, the greater your chances are of ranking high in the search engine results pages (SERPs). Digital marketers would use this tactic before in boosting their SERP rankings, utilizing the same keyword repeatedly throughout a page to signal Google that their website provides relevant content on that term. However, this practice of keyword stuffing only lasted a short time.
Debunking the Myth
While incorporating keywords does help, stuffing lots of them into your content may not. Google’s crawl bots can pick up web pages that do not read naturally due to jam-packed keywords. Even the actual people reading your content may find the umpteen keyword insertions annoying to read, urging them to click away from your website.
So, Should You Do It?
There’s no harm in stuffing your web page with keywords, only if you maintain an acceptable keyword density that doesn’t ruin the readability and grammar of your content.
How should you do this exactly? The best way to practice natural keyword stuffing is by increasing your content’s word count. If you write 800 words instead of 500, you can add more keywords in the extra 300. As a standard rule of thumb, keep your keyword usage to around 2-3%.
Remember, though, that your content should remain informative and valuable to your readers no matter the article’s length. Avoid adding only fluff to increase your word count, and keep the sentences grammatically correct even with the insertion of keywords.
Myth #2: User Experience (UX) is Not Important in SEO
To boost their website’s SERP performance, most web designers in the past focused on developing sites for search engines instead of users. Adding keywords and integrating backlinks were their focus then. Today, however, focusing only on these factors may not be that effective in your SEO campaign.
Debunking the Myth
SEO and UX may be two entirely different concepts. However, with search engines now shifting their attention to user behavior, these two now go hand-in-hand when it comes to boosting your SERP ranking. After all, both SEO and UX have the same goal: to provide the visitors with the most valuable information and experience.
Good UX makes it easy for your visitors to navigate your site, find the information they need, and keep them interested and engaged with your page. If your website has a high dwell time, it sends a positive signal to Google that your page has valuable and relevant content to your audience.
What Makes an SEO-Friendly UX Design?
When it comes to a good UX design, mobile optimization, seamless navigation, and fast site speed are already a given. However, a good UX design that is also SEO-friendly can be a different topic altogether.
Optimized title tags make it easier for search engines bots known as crawlers or spiders to search through your site’s content and see what your page is about. This crawling process assists Google in finding new pages to add to their index, which is a massive database of URLs. These pages are then retrieved when a user searches for information that matches the site’s content.
Incorporating calls to action (CTAs) also help guide your audience to the next step. Common samples of website CTAs are “get started,” “learn more,” “sign up,” and others.
Myth #3: SEO Is a One-Time Task
Many people think that SEO is a one-time thing they need to do only once and never have to think about again later in life. However, like virtually anything else in the digital marketing landscape, search engines are constantly evolving, and it says a lot about the process and how long you should be doing your SEO.
Debunking the Myth
In 2020 alone, there were nearly a dozen or so Google algorithm updates. The top search engine continues to make tweaks and refine its system according to the changing user behaviors as well as technologies.
All these constant changes in the system tell us that SEO, like any other form of marketing and advertising, requires ongoing effort. Yes, you may attempt performing one-time SEO for your website, but if you’re looking for results that last, then it most likely isn’t the best option for your business.
How Long Does SEO Take to Show Results?
SEO takes time to yield results, unlike paid advertising, where results can be seen almost as soon as the ads are boosted. According to Semrush, it should take 6 to 12 months for SEO to show results; and by results, it means a measurable increase in website traffic as well as leads or conversions.
This time frame, however, doesn’t apply to all websites. There are also several factors that determine the length of time it takes to see effects from an ongoing SEO campaign, like your website’s history, competition, and resources.
However, with the right strategy in place, this 6- to 12-month period is long enough to see the impact of your SEO efforts. The more resources you allocate toward your campaign, the faster you’ll be able to see results. Just make sure to continuously monitor not only your website’s performance but also Google algorithm updates to make any adjustments to your strategy when necessary.
The power SEO holds in strengthening your business’s online presence is undeniable. However, winning your SEO campaign isn’t done easily. You should know which areas you need to focus your attention on, research what “facts” are indeed accurate and still applicable to your strategy, and invest time and resources for the long haul. This way, you’re not putting time into something that’s not worth the effort and overall ensures the success of your ongoing project.
Omni Channel Solutions offers a wide array of services that can help establish your business’s online presence and strengthen your brand awareness. With our team’s expertise and experience in digital advertising, we can assist you in implementing programs and providing insights on Search, Programmatic, SEO, and PPC campaigns across multiple platforms.
See your business grow to its fullest potential with us. Reach out to Omni Channel Solutions today.
