SEO scares or confuses most bloggers and for very good reason.
Google makes it a challenge for you to understand what they are doing, and they keep changing the rules. If that were not enough, there is also a lot of half-baked information out there and blog posts filled with the wrong information.
So, in this post I want to highlight five ridiculous SEO myths you should ignore and, what you should do instead.
Only The Big Blogs Can Get Traffic From Google
It is true that bigger (more authoritative) websites often rank higher on Google. And naturally, you might take that as a sign that it is impossible to a piece of the Google pie.
Believe it or not, everyone has a chance to get lots of traffic from Google. In fact, most of my clients get the majority of their traffic from search because they understand how to play the game.
Now you are probably wondering:
“Ashley, how can I also get boat-loads of traffic from Google?”
There are two big things you need to do:
- Target keywords that are quite specific (ie. long tail keywords) instead of going for the high competition phrases
- Check how competitive the top 10 in Google are before you target a specific keyword term (just do a search and see who ranks)
In short, pick your battles before you create your content.
SEO Is Too Hard, Google Always Changes The Rules
Sure, Google does tweak their algorithm countless times a year. And, they introduce bigger changes all the time knocking many off their perch.
Do you want me to let you in on a little SEO secret?
If you are doing SEO the right way, none of that really matters!
Every time Google makes a change to their search engine, it’s the people who do the “wrong” thing that suffer.
That might be you if you trying to trick Google with:
- too many links from spammy sites
- too many keywords in your posts
- blog posts that are just not worth anyone’s time
However, if you stick to the following simple rules, you are always good to go:
- Only use your keywords 4-5 times (only)
- Write the best piece of content you can on your chosen topic
- Get links from quality websites in your niche
If you are keen for some more in-depth information on exactly how to write SEO optimized content, you can this more detailed post on the topic.
Keywords Are No Longer Relevant
A few years ago you could stuff your keywords into your blog posts dozens of times. That ensured Google understood the point of your post.
Today, that is no longer a good idea. And because of this, many people are claiming:
Keywords are no longer relevant
The truth is always more complicated that simple quotes.
Search engines still need to be given some hints to truly understand what your post is about. And those are your keywords.
Today, instead of sprinkling them all over your content like confetti, you only need to put them in a few key places.
Do you want to know what those places are?
Let me list them out for you:
- The URL
- The title of the post (SEO Title – ie. Yoast)
- The main heading
- The first paragraph (or 100 words)
- Once more in the content (a variation if possible)
That is all you need to get your content ranked for a particular keyword.
Guest Blogging Is Dead
It’s funny how Google always tells us to stop doing what works. And guest blogging is no exception.
Back in 2014, Matt Cutts scared everyone by stating that guest blogging was dead.
This stopped a lot of people in their tracks, and lead to a big decline in guest blogging.
But don’t let it stop you!
Matt was really saying that if you use guest blogging the wrong way (like anything in SEO) Google will punish or ignore you.
What is the right way to guest blog?
Write a relevant, helpful blog post for a fellow blogger in your niche.
That’s it.
Take this post as an example. I wrote this like I would any content on my own blog.
And the great news is, many top blogs are still accepting guest posts and it’s a great way to do SEO.
You also get a link to your website, exposure to a new audience and a chance to network with new people.
All great ideas in my book.
Google Will Automagically Find My New Post
For bigger and more well known websites, that is certainly true.
However, if you have a newer site or have not published something in a long time Google might ignore you for a while.
There are a range of ways you can solve this, however I want to bring only the best one to your attention.
Google has created Search Console (formerly Webmaster Tools) to help us connect to them, and monitor our websites from a search perspective.
There are so many advantages to setting this up, but one of the biggest is informing Google of each and every page and post you have. Including the brand new ones, when they are created.
There are a few steps involved in this process, but the basics go like this:
- Sign up for Search Console (with a gmail account)
- Connect your website (by adding a special code)
- Add an XML site map (use Yoast plugin on WordPress)
There are some nuances to it, but that is the basics.
Once you have it set up, not only will you be able to get your new content on Google faster, but they will keep you informed of all sorts of other useful things too!
This one is a must!
Ignore The Myths And Thrive With SEO
By doing a few simple things, and ignoring all the bad advice out there, you can quickly gain traffic from Google.
Take one or a few of the tips above, and you will soon be wondering how you ever lived with SEO in your life!
Ashley is an SEO and WordPress specialist, and founder of Mad Lemmings, who helps bloggers, solopreneurs and small business get more traffic from Google.
Loved this post. Simple things to get better results. You made some great points.
1. if you are doing it right, its not a problem when google changes.
2. if you are tricking the system that is what they are changing for.
3. best plug in ever yoast .
Thanks again
Hey Ashley,
From the past few years, people are trying to understand the concept of SEO but no one really got it.
The thing is Google keeps changing the rules and you can’t stick to the common concept.
Guest posting is still in the market. You can get more exposure than you think. Connect with more people, get more shares, boost the SEO.
The Search engine needs the hint about your post. Using the long tail keywords add the value to your article.
People should get rid of the SEO myths.
~Ravi
Excellent advice Ashley! I’ve see some of my pages on even my smallest sites get traffic from long tail keywords within a week of launching the site. Granted, it takes a while to work up to the top, but it’s possible!
Thanks for the great write-up. I’ve never thought much about SEO in the four years I’ve had my current blog, until the last month or so. I just wrote and hoped that people would show up. I’ve also been reluctant to guest post for whatever reasons. I’ve had one on a niche site (actually more of an interview), and it actually gave me quite a bit of a bump for a few days. Additionally, the site has had quite a bit more traffic in the past month after I started looking into these issues.
This Myth are great and helpful. Greetings from austria
I believed in guest post dead myth till reading lots of problogger and high blogging related blogs, why any one want to post on these blog if guest posting is dead. Now try to secure my spot on some reputable blogs.
Thanks for the info Ashley. I totally agree that guest posting will never be dead. There will always be an advantage to networking and reaching a bigger audience.
Hey Ashley,
Great post. Before, I was doing SEO the wrong way with keyword stuffing (to an extent) among other things. But now that I started a new site, I’m more careful and studying more seo to do it right this time.
Guest posting will always be strong way to reach new audiences. As long as you do it the smart way.
Great post once again.
– Andrew
Do you know what? I just stepped to this blog 10 minutes ago and I have already learned 2 things. Awesomely written. Thanks for making me aware of these ridiculous myth.
All I can say is THANK YOU to Darren for welcoming Ashley to your site, and for your endless SEO wisdom, Ashley.
Appreciate tips for including keywords in posts and using search console.
You’re right, Ashley there are a lot of SEO myths. Let’s keep reaching others with your education for better blogging results.
~Keri
Guest posting hasn’t slowed down any from my viewpoint; however, sites are being more cautious. Too many people are advertising on sites like PeoplePerHour, Fiverr, Upwork, etc. and naming sites and selling posts on our sites. We try to police it and make them stop, but we can’t know if they’re emailing price lists to anyone and everyone. This is what is going to cause sites to stop accepting guest posts.
Many people don’t realize they shouldn’t do it because so many others already are. You can’t go advertising that you want to be paid to contribute content on a site. And you should not be sending out emails with pricelists. You will end up getting your authorships deleted and possibly cause the sites kind enough to publish your content to be penalized or even de-indexed because of your actions.
Sites have to be vigilant about what they allow and publish. Writers should never link to sales pages or write content like an infomercial. You need to pitch an interesting topic that you can cover in-depth that will be valuable to a site’s audience.
If you want bloggers to answer you about guest posting, connect with them on social networks first. Share their content so they know who you are. Read their guest posting guidelines and follow them.
When you pitch, include examples of your work and what you want to write about. Many send 3 or more example titles. Let them know what you plan to link to in your post (if you know).
Because we are still concerned that Google may decide to come down on guest blogging no matter how careful we are, don’t email from a gmail or an email account that goes through Google if you want an answer. Use an email on your domain or at least something like yandex.
If the site you pitch has visible bios (look at their posts), be sure you have your email address connected to a square image at Gravatar. WordPress blogs pull your headshot or logo from there. They can’t be manually uploaded.
And one other thing. A “sponsored” post is marked sponsored and the links nofollowed. Many people are now asking to do a sponsored post, but that isn’t what they want.
thanks for that s update. I have just switched my dmain name. I am even following these myths.
Hi Ashley, great post. The keyword one always amazes me as you read it quite regularly on the internet. Given that Google is predominantly word based and ranks your site on the basis of the words that are on there it makes absolutely no sense for Google to move away from keywords. They have absolutely got cleverer in terms of how they deal with keywords however they don’t appear to have dropped them completely.
Hey Ashley,
SEO is all about getting our website to rank higher in organic search results for target keywords on the most important search engines such as Google, Yahoo, and Bing but we know very well at proper interval of time google always changes its SEO rules.
The major advantage of SEO is statistically it tends to bring us a better traffic and more trusting leads. Guest blogging is one of the powerful ways of building strong and high-quality relationships that may help you in multiple ways, including developing business opportunities and professional connections, setting brand value and, of course, acquisition of link juice.
Increased website traffic is one of the main reasons why many writers choose to begin guest blogging in the first place. Selecting SEO keywords is really considered as basic process and they are highly responsible for our business growth through online visibility. Eventually, thanks for sharing your valuable information with us.
With best regards,
Amar kumar
Hi Ashley!
I’ve just start a new blog about a month, your post really save me! and yeah! those myths can be very mislead, thanks for open my new perspective 🙂
Regards,
Hermansyah.
So helpful, thank you – particularly what you recommend with keywords. I didn’t realise that you shouldn’t over-use them through the post so this really helped :)
All very valid myths. The biggest IMHO is that Google will just automagically find your content or posts. This is so far from the truth. You have to let them know it’s there. Search console is great because your stuff will get found quickly but also, follow your posts up with links from your social media accounts, all of them. It’s how good content is found, by people and the search engines.
Hey Ashley,
it is Good Article & Informative, Every blogger should stick to the basics of Seo. it helps in getting Traffic. Selecting Long tail Keywords and Great Content is helps the Bloggers.
Ashley, agree with you, guest blogging is not dead, we just need to make sure we are doing it the correct way.
Automagically – For once I thought it is a spelling mistake, but then realised it was written on purpose.
Very valid points all these. Being a newbie even I look to create quality content for guest posting on other blogs/websites having higher DA than mine.
Guest blogging for sure is a major technique by which one can tell the world of his/her existence and simultaneously create quality backlinks.
Thanks for sharing this informative post Ashley.
Cheers!
Gaurav
Some useful points to think about. Thanks Ashley!
This was very useful to read and I took a lot from the guidance you provided.
I was starting to worry about guest blogging in particular but after reading your post I’ll certainly look to take this up again and aim to post quality content on relevant sites.
I have used guest blogging in the past as part of my SEO drive and I have had some success with this.
you can get your blog posts indexed faster if you use the submit url tool in google search console.
Well explained article, thank you very much
You can get fast indexing by submit your blog..
Thanks for sharing this article..