5 SEO Myths De-bunked!

If you are responsible for the SEO of your Toronto business website, it’s essential that you stay current with the latest changes in internet marketing; however, this can be difficult when you become overwhelmed with information, not all of it reliable.

To help stay on track with your SEO in Toronto we have compiled a list of the most commonly believed SEO myths. Becoming familiar with them will help avoid traps that could otherwise negatively affect the SEO of your Toronto company.

1. Google Search Results

Myth: Google search results almost never change meaning you rarely need to tweak or update your blog

Google rankings change far more often than you may think. In fact, 78 percent of pages change position every day, reports Social Media Today. So, hand-in-hand with keeping your website current, is checking to make sure your pages are always optimized. 

Photo courtesy of VASCO SOLUTIONS(CC Attribution)

2. Great SEO in Toronto doesn’t mean piling on the content

Myth: Just keep creating more content — quality and keywords are less important than quantity

Although the classic saying “content is king” is undeniably true and it is essential to always be blogging, keep in mind that there is a huge amount of content on the Internet. If users find your posts dull, boring or repetitive, they will simply turn to something else.

Keyword-rich content may improve the SEO for your Toronto business, but it defeats the purpose if you aren’t connecting with your readers because the content is either dull or irrelevant. Instead of releasing a huge amount of content filled with keywords, create a few pieces every week that grab users’ attention. Only good content is really king. 

3. Anchor Text: Use them effectively

Myth: It is best to turn your keywords into links

Since the introduction of Hummingbird, Google has been working harder to understand what users are looking for by considering context. Rather than turning just your keywords into links, use complete phrases that contain keywords for anchor text. This makes the context more obvious and, in turn, can improve Toronto website SEO.

4. Meta Tags aren’t for stuffing

Myth: Your meta tags should be keyword rich yes, stuffed no. 

This myth ceased to be true when Google released its Penguin algorithm back in 2012. Nowadays, Google considers stuffing meta tags with keywords to be a black-hat SEO technique. Toronto websites that turn to this SEO tactic will be penalized. And Google has no quams about penalizing your entire website, not just the one page. A much better way to handle meta tags is to keep them short, original, and semantically correct.

5. Google regularly updates its algorithm

Myth: Google updates its algorithm around once a year, usually when you least expect it

Although only big updates like Panda, Penguin, and Hummingbird make the news, Google actually adjusts its search algorithm around 500 to 600 annually according to Moz. Even these small changes can affect your SEO in Toronto, which is why it is so important you receive frequent SEO audits.

The above is just a short list of myths surrounding SEO — more are cropping up all the time. In order to avoid making serious mistakes that could negatively impact the SEO of your Toronto business, always check your facts, and, if you are ever in doubt, consult with a marketing professional, who will be able to give you further advice on how to handle the SEO for your Toronto-based company.