Introduction

To say SEO has “changed a lot” would be the understatement of the decade. Just take a look at how Google’s Panda and Penguin algorithm updates shook the world of SEO professionals -- marketers and SEO agencies worldwide halted their link-building and keyword-obsessed ways and swapped them for a long overdue focus on quality content. But does that mean an SEO’s job is just to pump out high-quality, keyword-optimized content? Far from it. In fact, SEO has changed so much in the past several years that many marketers aren’t sure what’s outdated, what’s important, what will actually move the needle, and what’s simply wasted effort.

This guide is going to point out all of the most common myths and assumptions about how SEO works and debunk them for you, so you’re not wasting a single moment on things that simply don’t matter for SEO in 2014. Let’s get started.

Myth #1: I must submit my site to Google

The idea that you need to submit your website to Google in order to appear in search results (or rank) is nonsense. While a brand new site can submit its URL to Google directly, a search engine like Google can still find your site without you submitting it. And remember, a submission does not guarantee anything. Crawlers will find your site and index it in due time, so don’t worry about this idea of needing to “tell” Google about your site.

Myth #2: SEO is all about ranking.

While there’s a strong correlation between search results placement and clickthrough rates, ranking is not the supreme end goal that it used to be. Studies of clickthrough rates and user behavior have shown that searchers favor the top search results -- particularly the topthree listings. However, it’s also been shown that on subsequent pages, being listed toward the top of the page shows similar click behavior. And with search results now being appended with rich text/snippets and author tags, results that appear below the top-three search results are getting much higher clickthrough rates. Even before all of that was applied, rankings did not guarantee success. Theoretically, you could rank quite well for a term, get tons of traffic, and not make a dime from it. Is that what you really want? I don’t think so.

Myth #3: SEO is something I can hand off to IT

There seems to be a perception that SEO requires some technical expertise, and since it is technical, IT can just do the work. While there is a technical component to SEO, it requires way more than just technical chops, so I’d think long and hard before handing an entire project to IT or a web designer. Though you may need some of those individuals to assist you during the course of optimizing your website, it’s far from ideal to just give SEO duties to IT and expect best practices to be adhered to. While many IT professionals are adept in many technical areas -- for instance, making sure your website is crawlable and setting up redirects and XML sitemap files -- just remember that many IT personnel also work on things like setting up printers, which is … well ... a different skill set than what’s needed to effectively run an SEO strategy.

Myth #4: More links are better than more content

This is something that often comes along with the question, “Which should I invest in, link building or content generation?” Links are an important part of your website’s authority (even with the changing link landscape). However, if you have budget to invest in your website, I would say, “Hire someone to write for you.” Too often, when businesses hire someone to do link building, they focus on the quantity of links rather than their quality -- but linking is not a numbers game anymore (far from it, actually). You should focus on having relevant and diverse sources that link to relevant pages. When you invest in content, that content can be used for webpages, blog posts, lead generation offers, and guest posts on other sites -- all content types that will bring more links with them over time.

Myth #5: Meta descriptions have a huge impact on search rankings

Meta descriptions are HTML attributes that concisely explain the contents of webpages. You’ve seen them before on Google’s search engine results pages (SERPs), where they’re commonly used as preview snippets. So, it’d make sense that Google’s algorithm would take these meta descriptions into account when determining search rankings … right? Well, not so much. Google announced back in 2009 that meta descriptions (and meta keywords) have no bearing on search rankings. That’s not to say, however, that these descriptions aren’t important for SEO. On the contrary: Meta descriptions present a major opportunity to separate yourself from the riff-raff and convince searchers that your page is worth navigating to. Having a relevant, compelling meta description can be the difference between a searcher who clicks through to your page and one who clicks elsewhere.

Myth #6: Social media and SEO aren’t related at all

The intersection of SEO and social media is referred to as “social search.” Social search is very much a real thing -- an increasingly formal relationship between search and social has been evolving for years, and Google is working hard to prove this with Google+ and Author profiles. In social search, content is prioritized if it’s connected to you in some way -- this could be through a Facebook friend, Twitter follower, or connection on any other major social network. Alternatively, some forms of social search prioritize content that has been shared by social media influencers, even if those experts aren’t directly tied to you. The lesson, folks, is to make sure you have a social media strategy and to think of it as part of your search optimization efforts -- the two should not be working as silos.

Myth #7: On-page SEO is all I need to rank

Putting keywords on a page isn’t a magic bullet. Even with flawless on-page SEO, you’ve only tackled one part of the entire SEO equation. Your SEO efforts should be a holistic composite that focuses on quality throughout on-page optimization, off-page optimization, user experience, and conversions. So, be prepared to do more than just on-page SEO!

Myth #8: Keywords need to be an exact match

Keywords do not need to be repeated verbatim throughout a piece of content. In a headline, in particular, you want to use a keyword (or keywords) in a way that makes the most sense to your audience. The goal should be to write a stellar headline (somewhere between 4-9 words) that clearly explains what a piece of content is about. Nothing is more of a buzzkill than having a headline that’s awkwardly framed around one keyword phrase or, worse, that forcibly repeats a keyword phrase. This rule applies not only to headlines, but also the content on the page: the goal should be to inform the reader, not to inform the search engines.

Myth #9: There’s an ideal keyword density for my page

The truth is there is no magic number for keyword density. This myth is like a pesky, little cockroach that keeps coming back to life, no matter how many times you swat it. So, for everyone who still clings to this one: There is no ideal number of times that you should repeat a keyword on a page. Having said that, you should have your keyword(s) included in your page title -- how else will people know what your page is about? The keyword (or a variation of it) should also be included in a headline on the page, ideally in the URL, and at least once throughout the content. Again, the goal is to make your content clear and meet the expectations of the searcher -- that’s why they clicked through to your page, so don’t assault them with over-optimized content.

Myth #10: The H1 is the most important on-page element

Think of the content structure on your webpage as an outline. It’s a tiered approach to presenting information to users and search engines. What title tag your headline is wrapped in has little to no influence on your overall SEO -- that title tag (whether it’s an H1, H2, H3, etc.) is only used for styling purposes. The H1 is part of your CSS (custom style sheet) that a designer puts together to reference what font styling and size will be applied to a particular piece of content. This used to be more important, but search engines are smarter these days, and -- unfortunately -- people spammed this to death. So, it really doesn’t matter what header tag you use, as long as you present your most important concepts upfront and closer to the top of the page. Remember, you’re optimizing your page for users first and foremost, which means that you want to tell them ASAP what your page is about through a clear headline.

Myth #11: My homepage needs a lot of content

Have you ever come across a homepage littered with copy? Or, on the opposite spectrum, a homepage with barely any content at all? Think of your homepage as the gateway to your business. Visualize it! This is your chance to make a first impression and convey what you’re all about. Maybe your value proposition is simplicity -- in that case, just a single login makes sense (especially if your name is Dropbox). For most marketers, however, there is a need for a bit more content and context than that. Your homepage content should be long enough to clarify who you are, what you do, where you’re located (if you’re local), your value proposition, and what visitors should do next. These visitors should leave satisfied, not overwhelmed or underwhelmed -- and certainly not confused.

Myth #12: The more pages I have, the better

Logically, you would think that the larger the footprint of your website, the better you would do -- but it’s simply not true. First, not everything you publish gets indexed (and rightfully so). Second, sometimes, pages get indexed, but don’t remain in the index. And third, just because you have pages indexed doesn’t mean they will drive qualified traffic and leads. Unfortunately, those who strive to have lots of pages on their website also tend to overlook the quality of that content -- and realistically, it’s difficult to strive for both. The aim should be to publish what is most relevant. Have your content be at its best.

Myth #13: For local SEO, I only need to list my company’s city, state, and/or country on my pages

Alright, this is kind of a half-myth. You definitely need your city, state, and/or country on your pages if you’re a geo-targeted business. However, if you’re a U.S. business that’s only targeting U.S. cities, for instance, you don’t need “U.S.” on your pages. Search engines know where users are located, and they make an effort to more prominently show results that are specific to their location. With that said, title tags, links, reviews, on-page citations, and social media (particularly Google+ Local) should all still clearly state where you are located and be included as part of your local SEO.

Myth #14: Microsites and other domains I own that link or redirect back to my site will help my SEO

The chances of this doing much for your SEO are slim to none. It’s like having an election in which you vote for yourself a thousand times -- that still counts as one vote. Search engines are smart enough to know who the registrants are for a domain and can see if it’s the same person as your primary domain. (Note: If you are reading this and thinking, “Well, then I’ll just change my registration information,” you are clearly thinking like a spammer. Don’t be that person!) There is not much value in spreading your SEO thin, which is what you do by setting up domain after domain and optimizing each rather than putting all of that love into your primary domain. Why not just add the content to your primary domain or build a tool as an add-on to your website?

Myth #15: Google will never know if I have bad sites linking to me

Yes, they will! Just like Santa Claus knows if you’ve been good or bad. Just like the Tooth Fairy knows when you’ve lost a tooth. Just like your parents can sense when you’ve missed your curfew. The point is Google knows (everything). Don’t try to fool them -- especially post-Panda, -Penguin, and -Hummingbird, or you will be sent to your room (well, in this case, penalized).

Myth #16: SEO is not a usability issue

SEO has evolved from simply getting found to improving how users engage with your content. SEO is so much more than optimizing for search engines. You need to optimize for users first and foremost, so they actually click through your listing to your website and -- once they click through -- stay there. To keep visitors on your site, ensure you’re publishing content that’s personalized and relevant. You should also make sure your website is intuitive and easy to browse (in other words, accessible by both crawlers and users). Also, don’t make visitors look for what they need. Provide clear calls-to-action, and you’ll convert those visitors into contacts, leads, and -- eventually -- customers. “Search experience optimization” is what SEO should really stand for.

Myth #17: SEO and inbound marketing don’t mix

Au contraire, inbound marketing and SEO are inexorably linked. If you think of the former as a giant wheel, you can think of the latter as a spoke on that wheel. Inbound is a holistic philosophy that focuses on efficiently turning strangers into people who want to -- and should -- do business with you. This encompasses a wide array of tactics and best practices, including content creation, conversion optimization, and leveraging social channels, among other facets. SEO, in comparison, is a specific marketing tactic that focuses on improving a business’s visibility in -- and traffic from -- search engine results. Clearly, SEO can help you immensely with your inbound marketing. When we think about the four stages of the inbound methodology -- Attract, Convert, Close, and Delight -- SEO is especially relevant when it comes to that first stage: attracting the right people to your site.

Conclusion

Now that you know what the common SEO myths are, what are you doing that isn’t moving the needle? Or worse, what are you doing that’s making your SEO efforts worse? Understanding these SEO truths will make you both more effective and more efficient with your organic search strategy. If you can take one thing away from this guide, it’s this: More than anything else, SEO is about the overall experience for a searcher, and that experience starts the moment they enter a search query. The better their experience with you -- from your SERP listing, to the quality and relevancy of the content on your site, to the ease with which they can move through your site -- the better your SEO will be, too.