There are always business owners who feel that one marketing effort will change their fortunes overnight. Most know this not to be true, but some SEO myths still permeate. Search Engine Optimization is not a fast-acting medication for all that ails your site, it’s a process.
Let’s take a look at four common SEO misconceptions.
I’ll Get Results Right Away
The optimization process takes time and is wholly dependent on how large your site is. Unfurling an SEO plan on a more complex website can take hours of time to make sure keywords are not only present but make contextual sense.
Once you save and hit publish, it’s now up to search engine to crawl your site for these new changes and examine them following their latest algorithm. Days or even a couple weeks may go by before you start seeing the rankings move after the initial audit.
I Have to Use AdWords
Building organic rankings and buying AdWords are not the same. By purchasing a pack from Google, you may skip the lines but miss the point of a solid SEO plan. AdWords are only enforced when you’re paying for the service.
SEO can last far longer with the right setup, even after initial agency contracts expire. If leaping to the front page was as easy as buying an ad pack, wouldn’t all of your competitors do the same thing?
I Only Need Keywords
Keywords, both short and long tail, shape most of the SEO we see on the front-end of websites. But what we often miss are the spinning plates behind the curtain. ALT Image tags, meta descriptions, landing page slugs and search titles all play essential roles in determining whether or not your page is fully optimized.
Individually, these sources are not the be all end all for SEO, but together they produce more a more unified scent for Google and Bing to sniff out.
Once I Set It, I Can Forget It
SEO is constantly evolving. Algorithm updates, keyword research tools, and new ideas for online content are no longer unpredictable or unreliable. Unlike the old Ron Popeil line, however, you can’t just set up an SEO plan and forget about it. Your first optimization takes care of old pages and turns them into powerhouses for rankings.
Future optimizations include landing page design, forms, calls to action, updates to your media library, blog posts and testimonials.
