The term search engine optimization (SEO) has become synonymous with Google. 15 years ago when I started doing SEO not many people knew what it was.  Now with the popularity of Google and social media, everyone knows what is SEO – (Well almost everyone).  The problem is that many people have become overnight experts on search engine optimization techniques.  I have read numerous blog post and seen many videos that totally misinform people. Many people think that because it is written or there is a video about it, then it must be true. Social networks such as Facebook and Twitter do not help at all. Just go to Twitter and type the hashtag #seo and you will see tons of tips on proper SEO.

Below are the top 5 myths I heard via social media last week:

1. “The higher the PageRank the higher you will rank” – Years ago PageRank used to matter. Not anymore. PageRank is just one of over 200 algorithms that determine how a site is ranked by Google. I have clients ranking on Google with ZERO PageRank.
2. “Bolding all keywords on your page help your rankings” – Not true. As a matter of fact, bolding  keywords will make your site look spammy and ugly. Bolding does not increase your chances of ranking higher at all.
3. “Meta keywords will boost my rankings” – Using meta keywords is time wasted.  Google does not even factor it into their algorithm. Using meta descriptions helps but does not guarantee anything.
4. “Buying Links from a link broker will help my rankings” – On the contrary…Buying links can hurt you big time. If the websites you are linking to are not good quality sites or are not relevant to your website, you will drop in rankings…Hello panda Update…
5. “Update your website content regularly” – Again another big myth. This can actually hurt you big time. Google may spider your website just as you change your content. There are many websites with old content that rank really well. I have a client with a Hallmark store website that has never changed their content and they outrank just about every Hallmark store in the country. Save the fresh for your blog…

Unless you are an SEO professional and keep up with the current trends, there is no way to know for sure if these search engine optimization tips are fact or fiction. If you have any questions and are in doubt about any tip you receive about SEO, feel free to call me at 845-259-9396 or email me at amiranda@marknetgroup.com.

If you are interested in scheduling a FREE 15 minute SEO audit of your website, you can go to http://marknetgroup.com/services/free-15-minute-seo-website-review and fill out the form to schedule an appointment. You may even qualify for a $100 towards Google Adwords Express.