The Worst SEO Marketing Myths of 2015 (And Possibly of All Time)

Doesn’t it seem like search engine optimization experts are always changing their minds about the best SEO tips faster than your business is able to implement the strategies and see if they work at all?

The primary reason for this is that Google is always changing its algorithms, and an SEO strategy that worked three years ago just won’t have the same effect now; another reason is because there are so many businesses jumping online every single day that your business just has more competition than before!

Despite the ever-changing status of best SEO marketing practices, there are a few SEO mistakes that just never change. We’re not talking about forgetting meta tags or paying more attention to YouTube video content marketing — we’re talking about those terrible myths that are nearly as destructive to your online presence as your Aunt Karen’s fruitcake is to Christmas dinner.

Whatever you decide to do as you bring your business into the digital age, it’s imperative that you don’t fall victim to some of the most common mistakes and misconceptions that business owners have about SEO. Let’s take a quick look at just a few examples:

1. Myth: SEO should produce results for the keyword you’ve picked out
   It’s really important to do keyword research and figure out which keywords are the most pertinent to your business versus how much you can afford to pay. Keywords with a high search volume will take a lot of content produced over a long period of time. ‘Tis the nature of the Google beast.
2. Myth: “The Google” changes so quickly, paying for SEO is a waste of money
   Look, it’s getting harder to ignore that businesses are more successful if they can stay flexible and adjust to the times. Research shows that content marketing can help increase revenue by as much as 40%, and 67% of consumers are more willing to purchase something from a business with a good mobile site — probably because over half of all Americans today use their smartphones as their primary internet access points. It matters now and that won’t change.
3. Myth: Google’s robots are smart enough (and creepy enough) to find what they need to find on a webpage
   This myth is particularly damaging to local SEO results. Not only do you have to claim your business with Google, but you need to make sure that your business’s contact information is listed visibly on your website. On every single page. In the exact same place. Always.
4. Myth: Social media is the new SEO
   #Nope. Can Twitter and Facebook help out your SEO strategy? #MostDefinitely. But it’s better to think of social media as a way to build up your brand and share your content — i.e., the content that you’ve created because you have a great SEO marketing campaign.

Now we want to hear from you! You’ve heard our take on SEO marketing myths that ruffle our feathers, but what misconception bothers you the most?