Learn Effective SEO Techniques for 2015

Welcome back to my third and last installment of SEO myths in 2015 debunked! In 2015, we continue to see a definite shift in search engine optimization strategies and techniques. It is our job to provide you with the best up-to-date techniques and keep you informed on those strategies that will get you the results you’re looking for!

Myth 11: The more pages I have, the better my rankings will be!

To put this simply, the answer is no. Many people incorrectly believe that the larger their websites are, the higher their chances are to rank for a range of keywords. Of course, having a lot of pages does allow web designers and content writers the opportunity to apply more SEO techniques to help them rank for more than just a few keywords. However, the problem is that larger websites can quickly become outdated, less engaging, and difficult to manage as time moves on. Remember, content is king; if you’re not updating your content regularly and providing your users with relevant and useful information, all those pages can quickly become irrelevant. Providing content just to provide content is not going to get you very far.

Although having more pages does increase your chances in various search engine results, your end goal is not to simply have pages for keywords, but to have pages because they add value for your users. Having a successful website depends more on the value of your content than the quantity. Don’t worry about the amount of pages and the size of your website so much, what’s important is to always be relevant to your users.

Myth 12: Local SEO is not as important anymore.

If you actually believe this to be true, I’m nervous for you! Local SEO is very much alive and extremely important for businesses. Optimizing for local search is not only important but vital if you want to show up in local search results. Look at local SEO as votes; the more directories (Google+ Local, Yelp and Urbanspoon) that link to your website, the higher your site will rank in local search results. These “votes” from directories assure Google that you do have a local business in the area and make it more likely for them to reward you with local listings.

With local SEO, it’s very important to maintain your NAP consistency (Name, Address, Phone Number) and for good measure, your website URL. Remember, local listings are like votes, if you have a Yelp account with an outdated phone number, those reviews will no longer count as votes for you. Google reads this as a separate account, or a different business. Even small changes in address from “Street” to “St” are considered a different address in Google’s eyes.

At Intact Info, we use sophisticated directory software to ensure that our clients are getting correct and consistent citations. We take care of the headache of dealing with multiple citations so our clients can focus on doing what they do best: running their businesses.

Myth 13: Microsites and other domains I own that link to my site will help my SEO.

Microsites are basically a fancy word for keyword-focused domains. While not necessarily a bad thing, now in 2015 it just seems like wasted effort. Why build and manage several sites for the same business when you can put all your work and effort into building one outstanding website for users?

Search engines are a lot smarter and know who the registrants are for the domains, meaning, they won’t count links that connect 2 domains that you own. Even if you have 10 microsites pointing back to your main website, search engines will know what’s going on. In short, redirecting traffic from your microsites to your main site won’t help your SEO, so don’t waste your time and effort.

Myth 14: Google will not penalize my sites for bad links to my site.

Incoming links, commonly known as backlinks, are an integral part of Google’s method in determining website’s rankings. Backlinks from high authority sites are a great way to show Google that you are providing relevant and useful information to users because another website is vouching for your site.

Now, if you have bad sites linking to your site, Google can see that as well and it won’t be good. Using your webmaster tools account, if you click “links to your site”, you can view all the sites that have been indexed that are linking to your site. There may be a few sites linking to you that have not been indexed and therefore won’t appear, but that’s okay. You won’t get penalized for links Google doesn’t know about.

There are a few ways to get rid of bad backlinks, either by contacting the webmaster of that site directly (the best method) or by using Google’s disavow tool. In the age of Panda, Penguin, and Hummingbird updates, please clean up your links so you don’t continue to get penalized.

Myth 15: Search engine optimization is not about usability.

SEO is a lot more than simply getting you found online. It’s about creating a personalized and friendly online experience. If a website does not provide relevant content, is difficult to navigate through, or is unorganized, then it will require an SEO expert to make changes to the site and make it user friendly. SEO is about providing for the users first and search engines second.
SEO is an everchanging world, but don’t be discouraged! As SEO experts, it is our job to stay ahead of the curve and keep you informed about today’s best practices. And as we head into April, make sure your website is mobile friendly before you get knocked off mobile search results!

For more information on our best SEO practices or about making your website mobile friendly, contact us today.