Common SEO Misconceptions

Nov 02, 2012 articles, seo

Is everyone a SEO expert?

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is beginning to become a house hold service for web design companies as an add on. Hell even Godaddy is throwing around the SEO term. Companies seem to know what words to use for selling SEO services. Keywords, backlinks, onsite optimization. They list big names like Google, Yahoo, and Bing. But in the end is it all smoke and mirrors? Is Godaddy’s SEO service really SEO? Probably not! Just a fancy word that they use to tacked on a monthly fee.

And what about other companies pushing the very hyped SEO services and are nowhere to be found for specific keywords for their industry. If a company is selling you on Search Engine Optimization as a selling point to building you a website, shouldn’t they at least be within the first 3 pages of Google for their city plus the term web design or SEO/Search Engine Optimization? In the end the people who know exactly what they are doing are the ones on top. But there is more to online marketing than ranking number 1 on Google. Traffic is great but conversion is the ultimate goal. So if you sacrifice your design for SEO you are doomed to fail. As a business owner you need to try and find a company that are true SEO experts and real web designers. In this digital age anyone can give themselves a title, but doesn’t make them an expert.

I find it strange that there are still companies out there saying that part of their SEO is to submit your site to search engines. Back in the day you did have to submit your site to search engines like Google, Yahoo, AltaVista, AOL, Excite(remember that one?). But now Google scouwers the web for sites to index and it doesn’t take very long before they index your site and put you in their search engine. And let’s face it Google is all that matters.

My advice, steer clear of big name hosting companies pushing SEO as an additional services. From my experience of talking to big name hosting companies for my clients, big name hosting companies’ Search Engine Optimization knowledge is very minimal and you are wasting your money.

Second, don’t sacrifice design over SEO.

And third, don’t sacrifice brand for SEO, i.e. getting a domain name for www.bestsodapop.com Build your brand the right way. You can still rank for best soda pop without the URL bestsodapop.com. What would you think if you found Coca-Cola with the url bestsodapop.com, you would question their brand and integrity. Same rings true for your company.