SEO Mythbusters
One of my favorite shows is Mythbusters (yes, I am a nerd). The recent duct tape episode left me enlightened and wanting to bust a few myths of my own. Unfortunately, I barely passed my high school physics class. But never fear! Instead, I am here today to bust five myths about Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for you, my dear readers:
Myth #1 - You can always handle optimization in-house. Maybe. But not always - and certainly not unless you either a) have an employee whose sole job is SEO or b) are one of those lucky people who just have wayyyyyy too much time on your hands. And my guess is, if you ARE one of those people, you are probably too busy trying to figure out how to turn binder clips into an iPhone dock to even worry about SEO. As well-known SEO expert Bruce Clay points out, organic SEO takes a lot of time and involves constant monitoring - and even then, it's not always enough. Sometimes you still need to invest in other options, or perhaps even an official SEO Training Course (yes, they have those). If you're still wanting to give it a try in-house, I recommend reading over some of the information on Bruce's site. It's a great starting point.
Myth #2 - We bought software that does it all for us, so we don't have to worry about anything else. Ah, yes, SEO software. There are certainly plenty of options out there if you're trying to save yourself some time - but please understand that not all software is created equal. For instance, many of the options are limited only to Windows (sorry Mac and Linux users). SEO software has been around since the mid- to late-nineties, and does work to a certain extent but it shouldn't be the only tool you use in the metaphorical toolbox. Look at it this way: if you are busy dealing with customers and simply don't have time for SEO (or don't want to pay someone to do it for you) then SEO software may be the right choice for you. But if you can make enough time to at least do some of it yourself, or use a combination of methods, that would be the best way to go.
Myth #3 - Optimization experts are too expensive. I'll just go ahead and debunk that one. The market is now so saturated with Search Engine Optimization (SEO) experts that you have a wide variety of pricing levels to choose from. Many of them are reasonably affordable. Here at Pixels and Media, we'd be happy to either do the optimization for you, or teach you a few tips and tricks so you can do it yourself. Just contact us for more information and pricing details!
Myth #4 - You can’t calculate the ROI of optimization. One reason business owners struggle with calculating the return of investment for search engine optimization is because there are so many factors involved - and not everyone knows what to look for. Should SEO ROI be limited to just the ranking on the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs)? If so, which search engines? Just Google, or do the others matter at all? How do you track conversions? Are factors other than optimization taken into account - such as usability or layout? How do you track these results? These are all things that business owners need to take into consideration before determining if their SEO efforts were a success or a huge flop. Luckily, there are now programs available that will do the math for you. Just do a search for Search Engine Marketing ROI Calculator and see what comes up.
Myth #5 - Search Engine traffic isn’t as good as visitors from other sources. False. More and more people are using search engines to find content and to make purchases. The single best way to get traffic these days is from search engines, and unless you already have a well-established brand with a loyal customer base who know the URL to your website, you are going to need to optimize your site, get some inbound links, and do some sort of marketing to spread the word. If search engine traffic were unimportant, there wouldn't be such a huge market for SEO professionals out there.
What are some other rumors and "myths" you've heard about SEO? Any questions you still have, or any tips you can provide from your own personal experience? We'd love to hear your stories so feel free to share your comments here!
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