Search engine optimization remains a frenetic sport and webmasters, like always, are still chasing the Google search algorithm, which presumably has over 200 variables at the moment. The rampant increase in number of SEO webmasters across the globe has led to another disturbing situation – little or no background knowledge about how Google’s search algorithm works. Hence, we see an awful lot of futile discussions and banter over things which were considered great in the past, but have been recently addressed as search spam. Let’s unravel some SEO myths that you must forget ever existed.
Myth #1 No More Guest Blogging!
It is true that guest blogging has lost its respectable image since Matt Cutts, Head of Anti Spam with Google, publicly renounced low quality guest blogging as dead. Further, since Google started publicly penalizing obscure link exchange networks hidden under the facade of niche service blogs accepting guest posts, everybody is apprehensive of guest blogging. However, high quality guest blogging that serves its true purpose is still very much game, and that is what outreach marketing is all about.
Myth #2 No-Follow Links Aren’t Welcome
No-follow or do-follow, back links aren’t the same anymore and have evolved above the conspicuous SEO metrics, such as Domain Authority (DA) or Page Rank (PR). No-follow won’t the provide fawned upon linkjuice that your site desperately needs, but sometimes links give much more than just PR flow. For instance, higher inbound traffic, self branding and public opinions are at times more relevant than linkjuice, which is something some webmasters ignore. Blindly following do-follow links won’t work anymore, and it is about time that we start making full use of high quality no-follow links.
Myth #3 Social is the new SEO
Now I’m sure you must have read the phrase “Social is the new SEO” a lot, which was coined by Neil Patel, but that post itself had a different meaning and perception. First of all it meant that social media has become immensely important like SEO, which is undeniably true. However, it never said that conventional SEO is good and done for, and saying things like link building is dead is just stupid. Indeed social media has witnessed a phenomenal growth in the past few years, but SEO isn’t going anywhere too. It just got itself an extremely powerful counterpart.
Myth #4
Disavow Tool Fixes Everything
The Google disavow tool was designed by Google to see if a site owner / webmaster is actually working on getting its link structure back in place or not. However, webmasters hesitant over their love for the number of back links and linkjuice sometimes don’t appreciate getting those “hard earned” links (even though they are bad!) removed just because Google had said so. This is the real problem behind the popular idea that disavow doesn’t work. Further, the known link removal process has its faults at times, since webmasters fail to show Google their efforts were genuine.
In your disavow file, you must mention the number of times you approached a site owner to remove your link clearly. Further, quick and though provoked link audits don’t work, you need to use tools like Ahrefs, Open Site Explorer, amongst others to tone down the list segregated by bad, very bad and extremely bad links. The final part is up to Google, if your efforts are genuine, detailed and convincing, filing for disavow might become a success for your site.
Conclusion
SEO remains a vicious zone that is quickly converging with Google at the center of all internet related activity. The above mentioned myths may or may not survive this year, but regardless of their existence, the search engine landscape will continue to evolve, grow more complex and become more uncomprehensible. And if you allow myths to cloud your judgment and decision making ability, then understanding new algorithmic updates and the idea behind them will become immensely tough. Moz has a fantastic take on this issue as well, please do check their check piece on breaking SEO myths.
