16/07/24

SEO Overheard: Marketing Experts De-Bunk Your Common Myths

Written by Caitlin Faulks

Have you heard these SEO Assumptions in 2024?

The SEO industry is complex.

If you’re new to marketing, Search Engine Optimisation is the key driver behind all organic traffic to your website.

Whereas other marketing channels like paid search offer clear metrics and relatively quick results, SEO is a longer-term, complicated tactic that aims to improve your business visibility on the search engine.

It’s that complicated marketing channel that often people reply with the reaction “oh gosh, I don’t understand how any of that works.”

With hidden algorithms for search engines changing all the time, and no one ever quite knowing the ‘secret’ to ranking #1 on Google – it’s no wonder that everyone has a theory on what works and what doesn’t.

With strategies evolving faster than ever before and lots of conflicting advice from your favourite SEO LinkedIn influencers, it can be difficult to throw something to the wall and see what actually sticks.

Maybe you’re a seasoned SEO expert or perhaps you’re a beginner, just starting out in your SEO journey.

With a lot of #fakenews, circulating the net about quick-win SEO tactics, it’s helpful for a trusted source to shed some light on some common SEO misassumptions.

Here at Talking Stick Digital, let’s debunk some common SEO myths we’ve overheard and how much this actually plays a role in getting onto the Top 10 Search Results.

1. “SEO is a backseat tactic”

Some businesses have a history of success in one specific marketing channel (for example, pay-per-click advertising) and throw in SEO as an ‘afterthought package.’ They use this tactic as a back-seat driver of traffic to the site, while other channels do the heavy work. Sounds ideal, right? Wrong.

SEO isn’t an afterthought – it’s a fundamental pillar of any successful digital marketing strategy.

The top organic search result receives an average of 19x more clicks than the top paid search result (First Page Sage, 2023)

More times than not, organic search attracts genuine, high-quality traffic. From the very beginning, your website’s structure, content and user experience (UX) should be optimised for search engines.

And what’s more – search engine ranking factors are constantly changing. If you think that SEO is low maintenance, think again. One minute you can feature in the top ten, and a week later you may have dropped 20 positions. Keyword movements, fluctuations in site health and keeping content fresh and up to date are all part of a great ongoing SEO strategy.

2. “Keywords are no longer an important ranking factor”

Contrary to popular belief about keywords, they still remain a crucial part of SEO, but not in the way you think.

While keyword ‘stuffing’ may be an outdated tactic, today search engines prioritise relevance and user intent. This means keywords aren’t dead – but rather the search engines favour content that naturally answers the queries people are searching for. In better terms ‘writing around a topic’ pays off rather than spamming your copy with obvious keywords.

Keywords that are roughly 10-15 words long get 1.76x more clicks than single-word terms (Backlinko, 2023)

Address search queries comprehensively by focusing on long-tail keywords, and specific phrases that users are likely to search for. Or focus on ‘topic clusters’ – creating content around a central theme using related keywords to establish expertise in your field, this ultimately will give you more authority as a site.

3. “Links aren’t as relevant as you think”

The SEO world was shocked when several documents were leaked from Google earlier this year detailing current and up-to-date ranking factors in 2024.

If there’s one takeaway from the leak – it’s that backlinks or incoming links from other websites are still a major ranking factor.

In a 13-month Semrush study, nearly all (92.3%) of the 100 top-ranking domains had at least one backlink (Semrush, 2023)

One of the most important things to Google is that your site is a valuable and trusted resource. After all, with misinformation about crucial topics like health and finance – Google has to make sure that the most prominent information displayed is factual, trusted and accurate. Other sites linking to you, signals to Google that you are trusted by other sources – giving you more authority.

Focus on acquiring links from high-authority websites relevant to your industry, websites with good organic traffic and contextually relevant links within the content itself.

4. “Content length will determine your success”

Okay, this one can be partially debunked.

Although in 2024, it is widely backed that larger content around the 2,200-word count mark is more likely to feature in the top 10 Google Search results, it’s not the sole determinant of success.

While it is true, that the longer a piece of content is, the more opportunity it has to rank for keywords and phrases – high-quality, informative content that addresses user search intent is key.

Have a look at your topic and think about what you’re trying to achieve. Make sure your content is substantial enough to cover the topic in detail – not everyone reading your article has the same specialism you do!

Remember – a 500-word long blog that delivers exceptional value is more impactful than a 2000-word piece that rambles.

average content length of top 10 results

5. “Social Media doesn’t affect SEO nor drive revenue.”

Social media plays a significant role in SEO. Here’s why.

Social Media although not a direct driver of conversions, is the ultimate brand awareness tactic (here’s the kicker – this actually influences conversion rates more than you may think).

Social signals in the form of followers, shares, likes and comments are kind of like backlinks for SEO – they are all signals from others that you are a trusted, valid and legit source. This drives others to your site – indirectly influencing search engine rankings.

In a study of 23 million social media shares, CognitiveSEO found a positive correlation between social media presence and organic ranking.

Put it this way, who would you rather purchase a corrective procedure from? A great ranking website on the SERP with overly SEO-optimised content and no registered address – or a modest local clinic with a great social media following, lots of testimonials and online reviews? Chances are, you’re seeing the local clinic first.

6. “A one-time SEO project will be enough to sustain revenue”

SEO is an ongoing process, not a one-time fix. For sure, you can see a great impact from a one-off project, and fundamental changes might make a core difference to your rank, site health and incoming traffic. However – the secret is maintaining it.

Think about it – imagine building a beautiful, well-maintained garden. You wouldn’t plant flowers, give them a good watering and expect a flourishing oasis forever, would you? SEO is similar. It’s the ongoing care that keeps things thriving and rankings high.

Keeping up to date with algorithm changes by regular monitoring, keeping content fresh and staying informed about competitors can make sure you are keeping up with the times.

Think of SEO as an investment, not a one-time expense. By putting time and effort into maintaining an ongoing SEO strategy, you can continue to reap the rewards of organic traffic, improved brand visibility and ultimately sustained revenue growth.

SEO is a marathon, not a sprint.

7. “Just chase the high search volumes”

We know what you’re thinking – the more people searching for this term, the more chance of getting my brand out there. Not always! While high search volumes can be attractive, targeting them can be challenging, especially for new websites.

A smarter approach would be to identify long-tail keywords with lower competition or keywords with high conversion intent.

ahref search volume

8. “User experience doesn’t impact SEO”

Some businesses are under the assumption that all you need is a well-optimised site and a decent amount of traffic and the conversions will come flooding in. The thing is – your customers aren’t robots. The Google crawlers may love your optimised site – but if it reads like you wrote the site for a machine – your customers won’t.

Search engines actually prioritise websites that offer a positive user experience (UX). This means clear navigation, a mobile-friendly design, engaging content and fast loading speeds.

If a website takes 10 or more seconds to load, the chance of a bounce increases by 123% (Think with Google, 2017).

Also in the Google Leak, it was found that the amount of time a user spends on a page was also a key ranking factor. Hence, bounce rate matters!

A positive UX benefits you in two ways: users stay longer and engage with your content, sending positive signals to search engines, and ultimately converting into customers.

9. “More pages = better SEO”

Again, another practice that makes sense in theory. But unfortunately, that’s not the reality. Creating a bunch of low-quality, thin content pages just to increase page count harms rather than helps your SEO.

A website with too many pages can become difficult to navigate for users and search engine crawlers. Your users want a clear journey, where they can easily access the information that they need.

Don’t forget content cannibalism too – when you have duplicate content across multiple pages on your website it can confuse search engines and dilute your ranking potential. In a way, the content essentially ‘eats itself,’ robbing the page of its value.

10. “I’m not seeing immediate results from SEO, I should stop it”

In marketing, instant gratification feels great. It’s a great feeling to invest spend and see an immediate return – however, SEO is an investment piece. Significant results take time and consistent effort.

The average page in the top 10 is 2+ years old (Ahrefs, 2024)

How long does SEO take to work? Honestly, it depends. Several factors can influence the timelines, including your industry’s competitiveness, the existing strength of your site and the scope of your SEO strategy. However, a general benchmark for the industry is 6 months to a year to see sustained improvements in organic traffic and rankings.

But, don’t be discouraged by the wait!

In the long run, 49% of marketers report that organic search has the best ROI of any marketing channel (Search Engine Journal), with more specifically, 61% of B2B marketers saying that SEO is their most effective lead-generating marketing channel (Pat Ahern, 2023).

Overall, SEO is complex but worthwhile. With the right team to help you keep up with the curve, you could unlock a significant amount of potential – and millions of users searching the web every day.

Need a hand from marketing experts within the field?

If you’re interested in how we run SEO at Talking Stick Digital or the services we provide, contact our team of organic search experts to find out about the transformative services we provide to our clients.

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