Search engine optimization (SEO) is an ever-changing process. It now involves building an honest website with well-written descriptions of your products or services. The right online marketing strategies can help potential customers find your website, but it it's important to have good SEO practices. Following are six myths regarding website SEO.
Myth #1: Domain age is important
Many domains have been around a long time without activity. A newer domain with higher quality content and backlinks will rank much higher than an inactive older domain. Concentrate on building high-quality backlinks instead of worrying about a newer domain name.
Myth #2: Bounce Rate is an important ranking factor
Entering and leaving a site quickly is not necessarily a negative. It could be that well-written copy quickly answered the reader's question. Bounce rate does not mean anything because search engines have no way of knowing why someone left your site. Instead, search engines are looking at how easy it is to navigate your website. For instance, they are looking for internal links that take readers seamlessly from one page to another. Be sure everything is reader friendly.
Myth #3: Links are the most important ranking factor
The link bank philosophy is not only not helpful, but it can open the door for penalties. Links are important if they cite authorities supporting your statements or link to businesses that offer related products or services. Make sure links go to legitimate sites. Also, do periodic reviews of the links on your site in case the source has removed that white paper or product from its site. Broken links will hurt you. Quality backlinks are also highly favored by search engines.
Myth #4: Meta tags are important in page rank
Google no longer considers meta tags. Search engines review the content of your site, not meta tags. Make sure the content is well written and not duplicative. Do not use the same text on every page. Repetitive use of keywords can also invite penalties. Only use keywords when and where they make sense in the context.
Myth #5: You can "trick" the robots into finding your site
Forget this tactic altogether. Google's algorithm is a combination of hundreds of criteria, and these criteria are always changing. You could not possibly figure out the algorithm in order to "trick" it. If you did, it would change before you were able to benefit from it. Put your time and effort into developing accurate and effective content.
Myth #6: Keywords should only be single words
There are now billions of websites, and no single word would make your site stand out from all of the others. Readers want to land on the specific page they requested, not a home page. Long-tail keywords are required for such accuracy. A long-tail keyword is a keyword used in combination with other terms. For instance, if a reader is looking for shoes, they might type "women's tennis shoes, size 9, Nike." If each of those words appears in the text on your site, the reader will be taken straight to the page that contains size 9 Nike women's tennis shoes.
While excellent web pages will attract readers, they can take more time than small business owners can invest. Experts may be able to suggest additional ways to build your reputation both locally and on the web. Work with a reputable Boise SEO company that can help with your rankings. Industry specialists can quickly and easily come up with on an online marketing plan that works for your business.