Don't believe in unicorns? Then stop believing these 10 SEO myths too!

SEO is an area that is notorious for misinformation and misconceptions. This is largely fostered by the fact that Google does not disclose how the algorithms work. SEO experts, therefore, act on their experience and analysis of hundreds of sites. They know the rules that Google gives to site owners and recognise certain trends in how the algorithms work, but ultimately do not know them. The existence of SEO myths and misconceptions is also unsurprising given the speed at which the world of digital marketing is changing. And while most myths are harmless, the same cannot be said when the issue is SEO. At their worst, they lead to the waste of valuable time, money and resources on activities that have no effect. Therefore, it's time to get to know the most common SEO myths and dispel them once and for all!

#1 SEO die/dead

Statements indicating that SEO is dying are nothing new - they have appeared regularly over the past decade or so. In a survey conducted by Search Engine Journal As many as 41.5% SEO experts indicated that this was the myth they heard most often!

Why is the slogan 'SEO is dead' so often repeated and is there a grain of truth in it? First of all, it should be pointed out that SEO is not dying at all, but is evolving. In this respect, the kind of SEO that was known a dozen years ago is indeed out of the question. However, the old practices have been replaced by new, effective strategies.

Some people's belief in the twilight of the SEO era is also influenced by recent changes introduced by Google, in particular the answer snippets in search results. These snippets are obviously meant to improve the user's experience with the search engine, as they get an instant answer to their query. Users often choose not to go to the site because they have already been given satisfactory information. But does this mean that SEO is dead? It's still possible to get clicks from that keyword, and Google only displays the answers in search results for certain keywords anyway. The truth is as long as search engines still exist, are used and show organic results that can be influenced, SEO is not dead.

#2 Positioning will guarantee you a high ranking in Google

The position of a website in Google search is influenced by many factors, some of which cannot be influenced even by the best-advertised SEO agency. Above all, we are talking about algorithm updates and the actions of competitors who, just like you, are lurking for a place in the TOP3 of search results. Although the agency will do its best, any website can fall in the rankings. The solution is one: continuous monitoring of the position and, in the event of a decline, a rapid response from specialists.

#3 All that matters in SEO is getting to the first position

Every website owner wants to rank number one in the search results. This is usually because they assume that number one generates the most traffic. However, this is not always the case. A study conducted by Ahrefs per 100,000 queries shows that the top-ranked site gets the most search traffic only in the 49% cases. Why? Because most sites generate traffic from multiple keywords, not just one. The lesson from this is that it's time to stop obsessing about first place and instead focus on traffic. Effective in this case is positioning broad, i.e. so as to get more phrases in the TOP10 than the competition, thus giving you more organic traffic.

#4 Payment by results is the only fair form of cooperation

If you have been looking for, or are in the process of looking for, an SEO agency, you have probably come across ones that offer 'positioning for effect' contracts. At first glance, this would seem to be the best model of cooperation with an agency from the client's point of view. The client pays when the website appears on the first page of search results for a set number of keywords. However, these phrases are most often the client's whim or phrases suggested by a dishonest agency, which nobody searches for. It is therefore easy for specialists to position a page for them. The SEO agency then invoices the client. Has it done its job? It did. Did the high positions for the chosen phrases bring any traffic and customers? No.

Billing an agency on a per-effect basis is a relic of the old approach to SEO activities. If you want long-term and visible results, opt for subscription-based SEO with fair rules and transparent reporting. And, above all, the possibility to influence the real effects of your actions! Because you care about your customers, not just about the numbers on the charts.

#5 Valuable content will defend itself

Of course - we all know that Content Is King and no one is going to deny this slogan. However, even the strongest king cannot cope without support. For content, linking is a necessary support. Even if you write a top-quality text in terms of content, it will be of no use to users... if they cannot find it in a search engine!

Attention: remember that content is not only the written word, but also graphics, audio and video, forms whose importance is constantly growing in online marketing.

Examples: podcasts, infographics and charts, vlogs and video instructions.

#6 Once results are achieved, they stay forever

Sometimes, after achieving a certain goal, a satisfied website owner ends the cooperation with an SEO agency. Unfortunately, then most often a competing website, takes advantage of the situation and becomes more successful in the search results. Positioning is a long-term, ongoing process. Regular attention to on-site technical optimisation, analysis, selection of new keywords and creation of fresh content. In a word, you need to be on your toes. As is often said - positioning is a marathon, not a sprint. You can imagine the snowball effect at work here!

#7 Keyword research is no longer relevant

Given that most pages display for hundreds or thousands of keywords, it's hardly surprising that some consider keyword research a dead tactic. What is the point of optimising for just one keyword when you are likely to get traffic from hundreds? However, this logic is flawed, as the popularity of a keyword is usually in line with the overall traffic potential of a topic. Keyword research also helps to ensure that you are optimising for the most popular search term for your topic. This is important if you want to attract as much organic traffic to their side.

#8 Linking in your content to other sites harms your website

Of course, linking to other blogs makes visitors move to them. However, as long as your content is useful and practical, readers will return to it, even if they click link and will leave the site. You must, however, remember to link to sites with authority, only from sites presenting high quality content and when it is necessary.

For external links leading to other domains that you do not want to position, it is a good idea to use nofollow links. The nofollow tag is information for search engines to ignore the link when evaluating links leading to your site. Remember, however, that Google better evaluates domains that have a diverse outbound link profile - confirmed by a Google specialist John Mueller. Therefore, do not go to extremes and mark all outbound links outside the site as nofollow. By doing so, you can damage your website.

#9 Social media has no impact on SEO

There is a correlation between social media and search. Both Google and Bing use social media data to determine how useful a site is and where to rank it. The impact of social media signals on rankings may not be noticeable because they do not directly communicate link juice to a particular page. However, when so-called power users share a page on social media platforms, you will experience a significant increase in traffic from the search engine, as the SEO guru, among others, has written about on his blog Neil Patel. So it works after all! It's fair to say that you're roaring to increase organic traffic.

#10 I don't need SEO because my customers are not online

Did you know that according to a survey conducted by CBOS in 2021 73% of adult Poles use the internet at least once a week, and 86% of consumers have made an online purchase at least once? These figures make it clear that the lack of online presence of customers is just another easily debunked myth about positioning. What's more, nowadays we have access to the web virtually anytime, at our fingertips, wherever we are - thanks to mobile devices. It is therefore imperative that you harness the potential of the internet and SEO when conducting marketing activities for your business.

Fairy tales are good, but not in SEO - rely on facts!

These are just some of the most common SEO myths I come across and are worth shelving among other tales. Remember to gain a basic understanding of internet marketing and SEO before working with an agency or freelancer. This will help you avoid unpleasant consequences, such as dishonest people taking advantage of your ignorance and naivety.