5 SEO Myths

5 Misconceptions About SEO

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It’s hard to find a subject that’s as controversial as “SEO,” even though it seems like Search Engine Optimization should be a reasonable one to discuss. After all, the discipline is partly a science. Certainly, there must be universal issues that everyone can agree about, right? The reality is, very few consensus agreements ever exist about how to implement SEO practices correctly.

#1. Content Is King

For years, the very existence of top web content was thought to be the primary driver of search engine traffic. If your site had copious amounts of “high-quality content” you would miraculously rank for every keyword around. This perception changed when Google began to focus on many other factors in their calculations. They have no true way to determine how well-written a piece is, or how much research went into creating it. They can only guess when they look at a range of signals.

In the last few years, pieces of content that are popular tend to rank well in search. These articles or videos tend to go viral on the popular social networks, and the search engines take notice. Video quality is highly subjective, so it’s safe to say that the content may not appeal to everyone. It may not even earn the high-quality distinction. However, it’s popularity tells the search engines that people engage with the content and they rank it based on its usefulness.

#2. The More Backlinks the Better

For a long time, online marketers built as many links to their websites as they could muster. They would buy, rent, or create them everywhere they went online. The strategy was excellent in its effectiveness, and the backlink rental business boomed. However, Google quickly caught on to the tricks and began to take a closer look at links. They started to penalize site owners for links to their sites and from their sites and backlinks turn extremely dangerous instead of beneficial! The change in perception of the efficacy of these linking tactics transformed the game overnight. Suddenly people who spend their days optimizing for SEO had to take a whole new approach to their day to day business.

Now the jobs for search engine optimizers are more involved. There are no longer any quick fixes to create surges of traffic. In fact, the websites that gorged on too many links have all but disappeared from the SERPS. A new generation of authority sites now rule most keyword categories these days. They rank because they are useful and used by a wide swath of the population. These websites tend to follow the pattern of “the rich get richer” while it’s much tougher for new sites to establish themselves as leading authorities.

#3. SEO Is a Primary Driver of Business

Companies that rely on search engine traffic face a tough road. They suffer whenever a change in ranking happens. This uncertainty makes it difficult to forecast their sales, which is a big problem for a fast-growing firm. Many businesses now use PPC and other forms of paid ads to smooth out the rough edges. SEO still drives quality traffic to a website, but most companies want a well-balanced mix of marketing tactics to ensure their strategy stays afloat.

SEO will continue to be a concern for most businesses who compete online, but many of them have shifted budgets to other areas like digital marketing, mobile apps, and email marketing.

#4. Keywords Rule

Keywords were once the “big thing” in SEO. That statement is not as true as it once was. For the most part, Google and other engines don’t place the emphasis they once did on keywords. That means website authors have become less mechanical in their work. There’s no point in stuffing keywords just to face a stiff penalty from Google. Now, most content producers spend their time writing competent articles that rely heavily on research.

Keyword research is still an important discipline, but it’s not the sole driving force behind why a firm produces content. Once a writer finishes that initial research, it’s crucial to create content that covers a subject well.

#5. Site Owners Can Safely Ignore Technical Issues

Too many webmasters and site owners think they can get away with ignoring technological aspects of managing web content. Nothing could be further from the truth. Any problems that prevent usability or indexing can cost dearly. Websites need to function properly and operate fast. The average web user won’t stick around for mistakes, and search engines downgrade any website that malfunctions.

It’s crucial that the site owners ensure all website basics work from the beginning. The site structure, the type of architecture and the infrastructure all determine performance. Top search engine optimizers guarantee all the elements are in place for a website before they attempt to boost rankings. Google has always loved state of the art websites, so many companies pay a lot to ensure they are running in modern datacenters. However, you can’t just pay your way to the top. One of the most important elements to maintaining a top performing site is constant monitoring. Optimization is an ongoing process of tweaks.

If you’re in it for the long-term, SEO is a rewarding endeavor. There’s no reason to ignore the benefits of gaining organic traffic. However, you have to maintain a wide-angle view of many other moving parts at the same time. In the “old days,” it would pay to focus on search engines only. They were paramount to all your efforts. These days, the wider the approach you take, the better. There are many useful apps and websites to work. You do not have to focus on your site only. You may as well represent your business across the full spectrum of social networks to ensure the widest possible audience. SEO is still a potent weapon, what’s different now is how to wield it! Now’s an ideal time to speak to an SEO expert who can guide you through the process. If you want the benefits of search engine optimization, a professional is always a good idea.

The Evolution of SEO

How SEO Tactics and Strategies Have Evolved Over The Years

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Any seasoned marketing professional understands the importance of implementing a fruitful and productive SEO strategy when working with their clients. In years past, having a properly optimized website played a significant role in the success of many online and offline businesses. The ultimate goal of SEO was to secure top listings in search engine rankings. Once these rankings got achieved, sales and conversions inevitably followed.

In the early days of SEO, updates to search engine results was done regularly, so website owners and Internet Marketers could see almost immediate returns from the SEO work they completed on the site.

At the time, Google – the Granddaddy of Search Engines – relied heavily on a “Page Rank” (or PR) system that delegated authority to websites or web pages based on a number of ranking factors. The higher the PR a site or web page had, the more domination it had in search results. A few well-placed links with optimized keywords in the anchor text from high PR pages or websites could be the difference between being on Page 10 or Page 1.

In the hyperactive environment of quick rankings, it was hard not to enjoy the benefits of nearly instant results for all SEO and marketing efforts. Search engine optimization was a potent way to influence search engine algorithms and get impressive results.

However, like all things in life, the only thing that remains constant is change. SEO has evolved over the years.

SEO’s Evolution

Widespread use of these tactics to manipulate search results was met with opposition from webspam teams. These webspam teams were tasked with identifying and closing the loopholes that webmasters and some marketing companies were using to manipulate the search results.

When search engines were still fresh and new on the Internet scene, it is true that it didn’t take a lot of effort to rank highly in their search results. A few minor changes here and there really could change your position in search. A little bit of “on-page” optimization combined with some “off-page” factors was often enough to gain traction in results.

Over time, the technology that powered the search engines improved and measures were put in place to slow the roll on savvy optimizers and SEO companies who discovered the loophole in their algorithm and took advantage where they could.

Keep in mind the impact of a Google algorithm update was significant because popular social media platforms weren’t a significant alternative at that time.

Updates occurred less frequently and when they did, an unfavorable algorithm or a penalty was like a hurricane hitting your business. With no easy fix, the SEO tactics that once proved fruitful in achieving the desired results were no longer the “one-two” punch to number one. Instead, these tactics were viewed as “toxic.”

SEO Companies and webmasters were then forced to try and undo all the original work done to rank highly in the first place. A “Link Disavow” tool was added to allow people to let the search engine know what links from ‘bad neighborhoods’ should be dropped from their profiles. Suddenly the golden currency of the Internet soured.

In worst case scenarios, entire sites were removed from the search index entirely. As you can imagine, this had a chilling effect on many companies who were taking shortcuts to get their client’s websites to rank highly. It is like the old fable about Icarus. He flew too close to the sun and had his wings burned off.

SEO Companies and independent webmasters who were winning on the old search paradigm were forced to rethink and regroup their strategies to remain competitive in online search.

In today’s day and age, search engine optimization is still important and social media plays a larger role in rankings. Social media platforms with SEO, are part of a broader marketing strategy that reaches into social circles, search, AMP friendly pages, and third-party sites. These broaden your overall audience.

Instead of relying merely on links to judge the worthiness of a website, other technical factors including site speed, TLS security, having established conversion goals, social signals, and other credible references are more likely to help build the trust you need to rank in your desired keyword division. References, including links, from related sites such as Yelp, the Better Business Bureau, and your Local Chamber of Commerce are more meaningful than 1,000 links from unrelated sites.

Social Signals is another influential factor, so you’ll want to be confident that your business is making regular updates to your Facebook and LinkedIn pages to make sure that you’re connecting with your audience on these platforms. Your social channels support your primary website, so you can always use these channels to share relevant content, to make offers, and to build a strong, loyal fan base. Additionally, recent changes to these growing platforms have made them more business-friendly. Which is excellent news for Small and Medium-sized businesses with a favorable profile.

Another factor to consider is the impact that mobile users have made on the Internet. For the first time in history, the number of people using mobile devices (smartphones, tablets. etc.) surpassed the number of people using desktops to access the Internet. If you don’t have a mobile-friendly website, you are substantially reducing your chances of coming up in any search queries generated from mobile phones.

In SEO and Internet Marketing, you have to stay abreast of changes so you can adapt to them quickly. You have to stay nimble so that when a good opportunity presents itself, you’re able to take advantage of the situation. That’s why it is always a brilliant idea to work with a marketing professional who is ‘in the know’ about the trends and strategies that are needed to excel online.

If you’d like to learn how we can help you optimize your site for better results, all you need to do is contact us to begin the conversation!

Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) Strategies for Small Businesses

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As a business owner, digital marketer, or website operator, one of the biggest indicators that you’re effectively managing your digital assets is how high or low your conversion rate optimization numbers are.

It isn’t surprising that everyone wants to drive more value from the traffic and visitors that their site generates, but if you aren’t earning enough sales and revenue, you’re left wondering what you could – or should – do to improve your conversion rate optimization metrics.

While the premise of making a conversion (sale) from your site seems relatively straightforward, there are a lot of technical details that go into creating an effective conversion funnel. Just because you have a trendy website with products available for sale does not guarantee that fresh, hot leads and sales are going to pile up on “Autopilot.”

Factors including your site design, website load times, and “Calls To Action” on your site all impact the number of times one of your visitors complete a desired action – or a Conversion.

One thing to remember is that for the highest conversion rates, having your website pages targeted for your desired end-result is a surefire way to rev up your results. These are known as Landing Pages. Professional Landing Pages are effective and are commonly used to gather information for List Building, Lead Generation, and Direct Sales.

For the most part, Landing Pages are created with one specific “Goal” in mind. Often, extraneous navigation and unimportant links get eliminated from these type of pages so that that site visitors will complete the desired page action instead of ‘surfing’ your site and leaving without taking the action you seek. Someone who fills out the information you ask for is considered a successful conversion.

If your website or your individual pages are underperforming, it is worth your time to review the Conversion Goals you have in place. By using data, you can pinpoint where the problem exists and take proactive steps to fix the issue.

Don’t be afraid to test and analyze to recognize bottlenecks or other obstacles that stand in the way of a customer conversion. Sometimes one of the best methods to test your site is by having someone who is not familiar with your site use it. By observing their Click Paths through your Analytics Programs, you can get a better understanding of how people navigate your site. If you find that your site visitors are making the same navigational mistakes over and over, you can make adjustments to address these missteps.

Another invaluable resource for data concerning visitor behavior is Google Analytics. This robust platform gives you access to all of the data associated with your website, giving you clues to errors or flaws that affect your conversion rate.

Here are a few finer points to investigate when examining your Website Analytics:

Most Viewed Pages – Your most viewed (or visited pages) are likely to be your most profitable pages. If your conversion rate is low on your high traffic pages, invest some time to ensure that your page has adequate Calls To Action, so your visitors have an idea of what they’re supposed to do next.

Similarly, if your pages have a high “Bounce Rate” (People only visit one page and leave), you’ll want to make adjustments to reduce the overall Bounce and retain the visitor. The simple addition of an Email Opt-In Pop-Up could be the difference between letting a visitor slip away for forever or adding them to your ongoing Email Marketing List.

Traffic Sources – It’s critical to know where your website traffic is originating. A healthy site should have a variety of traffic sources including major Search Engines, Social Media Platforms, and Direct Links. Free organic traffic is increasingly harder to cultivate, so you want to be sure that your site is optimized to turn free website visitors into new leads or sales.

User Devices – Now more than ever, people are using more types of devices than ever before to access the Internet. A mobile-friendly or Responsive website design helps ensure that every site visitor gets an optimized version of your site for their viewing screen or display, regardless of whether they’re on a Samsung Smart Phone or a Smart TV.

Website Response Speed – Think about the last time you visited a really slow site. How willing were you to stick around while waiting for the site to load? If you answered ‘not very,’ you are among the many who would respond to this question the same way. Site speed matters – especially when working with Conversion Traffic. Any unexplained delays give your visitors reason to leave as quickly as they arrived, which is no good! In other words, the faster your site is, the better.

Test Multiple Versions Of Your Conversion Pages – A/B Testing is one way to determine which of your sales pages outperforms the other. After this initial testing, you can advertise and promote with more confidence that you’re leading with a winning offer.

Split Test Email Opt-In Forms and Pop-Up Boxes – The ultimate goal of Email Opt-Ins and Pop-Up Boxes is to collect information from your website visitors so that you can market to them again later. By Split Testing, you can determine which form or landing page works best for your site demographics.

Establish Your Conversion Goals In Google Analytics – This one is important because every Conversion Goal must be setup in Google Analytics to track them properly. If you haven’t setup conversion goal tracking, there is no truly accurate way to track your progress and conversions, which offers you no competitive advantage whatsoever!

Document Any Changes You’ve Made For Reference – Should you decide to make any significant changes to your site, be sure that you document them. By doing so, you’ll more easily be able to analyze whether the adjustments you made are working or not.

Conversion Rate Optimization [infographic]

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Denese EakinsDenese is a lover of knowledge and puts her research skills and creative eye to good use with her infographics. When she’s not researching and designing visuals to present data, she spends time volunteering in her other passion–health education.

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Why Your Conversion Rate Matters and What You Can Do To Improve It

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When conducting business online, the more you understand about your website metrics and conversion rates, the more equipped you are to make improvements and adjustments to optimize your results.

One of the most relevant metrics to most website owners is their “Conversion Rate.” If you aren’t familiar with what this term means, simply put, it is the total number of visitors at your site who complete a desired action while on your pages

Classic examples of a successful “Conversion” include getting someone to sign up for your newsletter, buying products or services from your website, finishing a lead capture or generation form, or even sending a message via your Contact Page

Conversion rates are calculated by taking the total number of conversions and dividing it by the number of total clicks or website visits that logged a conversion during any given time frame.

The ultimate goal of every website owner and business person is to have as high of a conversion rate as possible – regardless of whether you are building a mailing list or selling items online

Conversion Rate Optimization Explained

Now that we’ve discussed what a Conversion Rate is, we’re going to discuss “Conversion Rate Optimization.”

While every Conversion is a ‘win’ for you, some Conversions are more valuable than others. For instance, getting someone to sign up for occasional newsletter updates may not have the immediate monetary return that a direct sale has. However, since your visitor opted into further marketing messages, you get the opportunity to connect with them via Email or SMS for future promos, special offers, or new product and service launches.

It goes without saying that setting up Conversion rate optimization strategies on your most lucrative pages is the most straightforward way to increase your conversion figures. Keep in mind how much differently your results will be, based on your offer. If you have a ‘free’ offer, the chances are good that you’ll have a higher Conversion rate than if you have a ‘paid’ offer that requires the visitor to buy something from you. Giving up an Email address is a lot less of a commitment than making a purchase.

The trick is to make sure that you’re tracking all of the different actions that are taking place on your pages.

Many web developers choose Google Analytics and Webmaster Tools to establish Conversion Goals for their personal and client projects.

Setting up Conversion Tracking takes a bit of time and planning since each Goal must get setup separately. Once the Conversion Tracking is set up and properly installed on your website, any site visitor who completes the desired action for the conversion gets counted in your statistics. These statistics are helpful for conducting A/B Testing to establish which pages are most effective at creating a Conversion for you through Organic or Paid website traffic campaigns. By running a campaign for your A/B test, you’ll quickly find out which version of your web page is helping you meet your sales goals and objectives the fastest. In the interest of running very targeted marketing campaigns, choosing the best version of your conversion page returns the best Return On Investment for your campaign, which is always smart business! (If you are unsure of how to setup Conversion Tracking for yourself, the professionals at Colleen Eakins Design are happy to help!)

Double Check Your Website For Navigational Obstructions

No one likes to run into difficulties when they visit a website. In today’s day and age, site visitors can be fickle. Many seemingly small issues could be the difference in making a sale or losing the attention of your site visitors forever. Before proceeding with a Paid Advertising Campaign to increase your overall Conversion rate, it is always a smart idea to review your site with a ‘fine tooth comb’ to make sure that everything operates as expected.

Always make certain to double check that your CTA’s (Call to Action) are clearly visible to your site visitors. Think of your CTA’s like a Road Sign that direct your visitors to complete your desired action. If these ‘Road Signs’ aren’t present, you can’t be too surprised if people leave your site quickly and without taking any action whatsoever. (This is known as your “Bounce Rate.”)

If you are selling products or services, answering any questions and addressing concerns that would interest a potential customer is a shrewd business move. Not only does this help increase sales, but it also makes your company or Organization more efficient by removing the need for an employee or staff member to have to answer common questions as a part of the sales process.

Providing information regarding your Shipping Policies, Return Policies, Money Back Guarantees, or other Terms and Services helps protect both you and your customer. You want your client to feel comfortable in their decision to do business with you, so the more pertinent information you provide online, the better. You don’t want to take the chance that they’ll leave your site to search for a competitor who has taken the time and made the investment in providing a better User Experience. Responsive or Mobile-Friendly design facilitates a streamlined user experience regardless of whether the end user is surfing your site on a mobile device or a large flat-screen TV.

Credibility is critical, so all steps you take to establish trust and authority on your site are worth exploring. Don’t overlook how important TLS/SSL Security, Security Seals, Customer Reviews, and references from respected Organizations like your Local Chamber of Commerce or the Better Business Bureau are beneficial in building your credibility and consumer confidence.