SEO strategies have become a subject of constant speculation and misinformation. Over the past decade, numerous myths and misconceptions have emerged, misleading marketers, experienced SEO’s, and website owners alike.
Let’s explore what I believe to be the top five SEO myths that have dominated the discourse over the past decade on forums and SEO groups and shed a little light on the fictions behind them.
Outbound links increase rankings
This is not true and a myth that started from content that was taken out of context and delivered as fact by multiple major SEO outlets. However, outbound links are not a ranking factor of Google’s algorithm and should only be used when necessary, which is most likely when citing a source or using a quote. Why on earth would you want to rob all of your blog posts of their link flow and send your competitors and 3rd party websites all the love? Stop doing this! It is a complete myth that a simple outbound link makes your content more authoritative and makes the content you are linking to more authoritative. This myth has made getting links from novice SEOs and content writers easier.
You need to use a specific keyword density or length
This is not true. There is no ideal keyword density or length. The best keyword density will vary depending on your website, your target audience, and even your page architecture. For instance, an eCommerce category page can naturally have a massively different keyword density due to product titles. The length will depend on the breadth of the subject matter. A good rule of thumb is to see what types of content Google is favoring for the given query and check competing pages, but remember to be unique!
Content Cadence, or updating your website’s content daily
This is untrue. Google does not penalize websites that don’t update their content on a regular basis. While Google may prefer websites that are updating consistently for a particular query, it may also favor a website that has not been updated in 10 years over a competitor pumping out 15 blog posts per month if it knows the sources is relevant and utilized consistently as a source.
Backlink Cadence, or a steady flow of backlinks every month
This is not true; in fact, natural links in the wild often come in spurts around content being released or announcements being made. Five backlinks a month does not seem really natural with that in mind, and a good SEO will know how to build in variation to a planned link-building strategy.
You must have 100% accurate citations to rank
This is not true. Google understands that businesses may change their NAP information occasionally and that they do not control every website that mentions their NAP data. While it’s a good idea to keep your NAP information up-to-date everywhere you can, there is no penalty for an out-of-date phone number showing on 20% of your listings or an old address populating in search. While Yext and other directories would love this to be true, it simply is not the case.
There we have our top five SEO myths from the past decade debunked! At 39LINKS.COM, we aim to empower marketers, website owners, and SEO enthusiasts with accurate information and insights. Understanding the realities of modern search engine optimization will enable you to make informed decisions and implement effective strategies that yield tangible results. So, let’s embark on a journey of knowledge and dispel the myths that have plagued the SEO industry throughout this decade.