SEO – Fact or Fiction?

Last week I touched on SEO Keywords and Phrases and provided a little bit of information on how and why this content is used on blogging sites.  Today, I would like to touch briefly on some of the myths associated with SEO content.

Most people who are not aware of how indexing works believe that the more keywords and links in each article or blog, the higher their site will be indexed.  This is False!  Sites are indexing using a combination of information and not just SEO content.

As a reader of last week’s column pointed out, there can also be detrimental affects to your website or blog when using SEO content.  This is especially true when you stuff your keywords and phrases or oversaturate the content and if you use too many hidden outbound links.  These actions are more likely to get you “Blacklisted” as a spammer than anything else.

To get around being “Blacklisted” as a spammer, I would recommend your keyword density in any article or blog not be greater than 6 to 8%, although depending on the size of the article, it could be as high as 10%, but this must be handled correctly.  If you stick pretty close to these numbers or even a little on the lower side of these numbers, you can achieve a higher indexing without triggering warning flags with the search engines.

Another trick is to make sure you have as many inbound links as you have outbound links.  Basically, most people who work in SEO content believe that by doing this you do not send out any warning signals or trigger the search engines “search and destroy” features.  Personally, I would generally suggest that there should be more incoming links than outgoing links, as this seems to trigger the algorithms in the search engines and will provide you higher placement.

Search engine optimization takes place on a regular basis is another falsehood.  Around 65% are never optimized properly so to gain a higher ranking, go to any free optimization site, select your keywords and phrases and optimize your website or blog site.  This, by itself, will move your website or blog up in placement.

Strangely, for a long time we all beleived that putting keywords into Meta Tags meant the search engine spiders would automatically index our websites and blogs but we have since learned that the majority of the search engines don’t index Meta Tag keywords.  For those few search engines that do, and yes there are some, I would suggest that you be sure that your page content contains the keywords you choose to place in your website or blog Meta Tags.  If the keyword only appears in your Meta Tags and not in your page content you will likely trigger the spam controls.

One of the best ways to receive a higher indexing is to design a clear, easy to navigate website or blog.  Once you have completed the design be sure to place well developed content that is unique, current and strong and is keyword rich, not saturated and helps to build your online brand or content.  Search Engines still believe content is “King” so creating a vast knowledge base is essential to optimization using SEO.

Another way to gain higher indexing is to build and exchange links with friends, colleagues and other website and blog site owners. Do this personally and do not spam others with email requests : good relationships can go along way in this business.  These types of links are valuable and can can easily move you up in the rankings. 

Besides doing all the above things, take the time to submit your website or blog site to as many directories as possible. This takes a little time and effort on your part but the results will beworth it.

So, as you can see, it is not just SEO content that will promote your website or blog site, it also involves following quality content rules, various strategies and an assortment of techniques to draw the search engine spiders to your blog, which is where you wish them to be.

Written by Trish MacQueen from The Shoppe
Posted on April 6th, 2009 and filed under Search Engine Optimisation
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