SEO Myths vs. Realities in 2016

Search engine optimization is a never-ending game with constantly changing rules — so much so, that eventually old rules become blurred or obsolete. But old habits are hard to break, and many SEO experts are guilty of pressing forward with less-effective strategies. It's understandable, given the monumental shifts taking place in the SEO world. Just a few years ago, few people imagined that mobile websites, social media and smartphone apps would make such a big impact on the SEO landscape. And yet here we are, and these emerging technologies have already changed the game. Building a good SEO strategy in 2016 means dispelling myths and accepting new realities. The way people interact with the Internet has evolved, and SEO experts who don't adjust accordingly will eventually be riding the bench. Myth: Written content is still the most important kind of content. Reality: Video content has pulled even with text. If written content is still more important, then it's hanging on by a fingernail. The truth is that video content may have already pulled even with text content in terms of overall importance to SEO efforts, and it won't be long until engaging video content dethrones written content. The simple truth is that video content is far more engaging and is more likely to be shared on forums, on websites and in social media. As search engines shift to reflect the kinds of user experiences that people want — and as social media posts become part of Google's organic search rankings — the importance of quality video content will be undebatable. Myth: My desktop site is more important than my mobile site. Reality: Mobile websites are more important than desktop sites in some industries. Most people now use the Internet more via mobile devices than desktop PCs. In April 2015, Google unleashed an update known by SEO experts as "Mobilegeddon" that gave priority to websites with suitable mobile versions — so we already know this is one of Google's top priorities. In the past, it was easy to view mobile sites as optional novelties that accompanied desktop sites. That's no longer the case. The way people interact with websites changes significantly when viewing the Internet through smartphones and tablets. Google is already embracing this reality, and SEO experts must do the same. Myth: Building inbound links to my website is no longer important. Reality: Inbound links never went out of style. It's easy to think that, with the growing importance of mobile websites and social media, perhaps the tried-and-true practice of link-building is no longer a necessity. Turns out, that couldn't be more false. While backlinks aren't as critical now as they were a few years ago, they're still highly important and will help your site's SEO ranking. If anything, the popularity of sharable content on social media has allowed opportunistic SEO experts to expand their networks of backlinks even further. Myth: Social media marketing isn't relevant to my SEO efforts. Reality: Social media marketing is not only important, but it's becoming vital. This can't be said enough — social media is dramatically changing people's relationships with the Internet. An increasing number of people use Facebook and Twitter as their jumping-off points to other types of content. If you impress people on social media with engaging articles, videos or infographics, the result could be scores of new links being pointed back at your website. More links and more traffic means a better SEO ranking. Also, Google now has a contract with Twitter to display tweets in the search rankings. Google is also indexing Facebook pages — this started last year — and it's not uncommon for Facebook pages to be returned as search results to people's queries. Going forward, social media marketing is only going to become more entwined with winning SEO strategies. Myth: I only need to worry about SEO every couple of years. Reality: You always need to worry about SEO. The game of SEO is changing at breakneck speed. Gone are the days when you only needed to worry about your desktop site; now you need to optimize your mobile site and your social media pages. Google made two huge upgrades to its algorithms last year, and the search giant might roll out real-time algorithm updates throughout 2016. You're either letting your competition catch up or pass you by if you're not actively keeping up with the latest SEO trends. Myth: You don't need to worry about how mobile apps affect SEO Reality: You should prepare for mobile apps to be as important as mobile websites. Most people view the Internet through their smartphones, and mobile apps are tailor-made to outperform websites on mobile devices. That's why many SEO experts are already predicting that mobile apps will soon be just as important as mobile websites. Google has already started indexing apps, and SEO experts can get a jump on this trend by filling their apps with deep links that can be easily viewed and shared. Deep links on websites are great for SEO, and as apps grow more important their deep links will be equally meaningful. Myth: SEO can be something that my Webmaster can handle. Reality: SEO is a skill that needs to be taken seriously. Occasionally updating your blog or website is no longer good enough if you want to keep your search ranking. The rate of content consumption is up and the demands of Web users are changing. Being competitive in SEO today means constantly developing new, engaging content that can help you build audiences and improve your website's reach. It means investing in mobile, and making sure your website displays and functions properly on all kinds of devices and mobile operating systems. It means integrating your SEO and social media marketing efforts, and being ready to cope with real-time updates to Google's algorithms. It means letting go of old habits and focusing energy where it's needed. All of that could easily be a full-time job; in fact, SEO is becoming a task that's better suited for a team, not a person. The SEO game is changing. That isn't exactly new, because the rules have always changed. But the changes are coming at an accelerated rate, and SEO experts who can anticipate the turns are bound to come out on top. Want more SEO tips for 2016? Click here to get the Ultimate SEO checklist

Search Engine Optimization

SEO Myths vs. Realities in 2016

Phil Frost

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Phil Frost