Some of the advice you read online about digital marketing is sound and should be put into practice, while other advice is a straight-up fallacy. As digital marketing experts, we get frustrated when we hear these SEO “rules” spoken as if they are truth, so we are here to set the record straight. Here is a look at four of the most common SEO myths that you should not believe.
When the saying, “Content is King!” became mainstream, it got misconstrued in a big way. Yes, content is absolutely important, but it is definitely not the only thing you need for a successful digital marketing campaign. Content alone does nothing unless you have quality links, an efficient, mobile-friendly design, and a smooth user experience. So while content is a key component of your Digital Marketing strategy, it is just a piece of the puzzle that makes up high rankings.
We can see how this one originated: When the Penguin algorithm hit in 2014, sites were penalized left and right for shoddy links. As a result, some people believed that all links should go away because they didn’t want to risk a penalty. However, when used correctly (i.e. on legitimate sites that are relevant to the content), links are one of your most powerful digital marketing tools. Inbound links to your site tell Google that you have authority on the subject matter, so they are more likely to show you on the SERPs.
It seems like the big brands have digital marketing down; after all, they make millions of dollars per year, so they must be doing something right. The problem with this is that each industry and niche is unique. Not only that, but unless you see their actual metrics, they may be exaggerating their success. Instead, take the time to develop your own buyer persona, and then do A/B testing to see what works the best for your specific audience.
Is duplicate content bad? Yes! Will it result in a penalty from Google? No, not exactly. When Google catches duplicate content, they only show one of the pages. In other words, you only have a 50/50 chance of showing up. On the contrary, if you rank for a query and you are the only one with your content, you will be the one to be shown. So while there is not a specific penalty, you could be seriously hurting yourself if you have duplicate content—and yes, this applies to title tags and meta descriptions as well.
This is just touching the surface of the many SEO Myths that are circulating through the digital marketing landscape. If you want to make sure your company doesn’t fall for any of the lies and only spends your time and budget on legit SEO strategies, contact Zero Gravity Marketing today.