It’s no secret that search engine optimisation (SEO) should always be a top priority for business websites, but figuring it out is easier said than done. 

Whilst the internet is full of helpful tips and hints, the SEO game is constantly changing. In 2015 alone, Google announced two huge changes in its algorithm that affected millions of sites around the web. 

In other words, the SEO strategy a business may have had in early 2015 is already way behind where it should be.

So it is now time to put to rest some of the SEO myths that small businesses may hear constantly – those so-called strategies that will often find their way into website owners’ heads and end up staying there. 

Myth one: Having lots of links is the most important SEO practice

We can debunk this myth pretty easily by reaffirming that content is king when it comes to SEO. Whilst link building is still vital when it comes to SEO (it still sits in the top five most important SEO factors for most businesses), it doesn’t carry the weight that it did before.

With Google’s Penguin 2.0 update, the quality of links would far outweigh the number of links for rankings. Whether it’s through original content or link building, quality content is more important than the quantity of links.

The five-step beginner’s guide for SMEs to start mastering SEO

Myth two: Social media presence won’t affect my website’s SEO

Google doesn’t access Facebook and Twitter analytics to influence search engine rankings. However, social media does play a major role in today’s SEO because social media platforms can help both search engines and potential visitors find a business online.

Try Googling a business online and you will often find its Facebook page on the first page of the search engine results. That’s because Google has indexed that page and used it in rankings.

In addition to helping Google find a business’ website online, social media also helps with distributing the website’s content to a wider audience. For example, if an SME business owner writes an informative blog post for the company website, a tweet and a Facebook post linking to back to the original article would help boost SEO. 

This leads to new links being directed back to the company site, and can also get shared around social media, leading to a traffic boost. More traffic = improved SEO.

Continue reading on the next page for the true impact of mobile on your SEO – how you can test whether your site is mobile-friendly – and the other myths you may have been led to believe.

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