SEO (search engine optimization) can be a confusing world, especially for someone hearing about it for the first time. In fact, 25% of business owners are completely unaware of what SEO is or what it stands for.
But for the 75% who know it exists, there’s still a lot to understand about how it impacts a business’s success. At SJC Marketing, we’ve spent years helping small businesses improve their online visibility. Along the way, we’ve noticed a few common misconceptions that continue to hold businesses back.
Here are three SEO myths small business owners still believe:
Myth #1: Set It and Forget It
“We did SEO last year.”
That’s not a sentence you ever want to say.
The truth is, SEO isn’t something you do once and then move on to other tasks. It’s an ongoing effort. Publishing fresh content, optimizing your website, identifying new keyword opportunities and keeping up with search engine updates all play a role in maintaining and improving your rankings.
Myth #2: The More Keywords, the Better
Actually, almost the opposite is true.
You’re better off sticking to a few things done really well than trying to do everything. SEO isn’t about squeezing as many keywords onto a page as possible. It’s about targeting the right keywords and creating clear, helpful content that answers what your audience is searching for.
Myth #3: Ranking #1 Is Everything
Rankings alone don’t tell the whole story.
If you’re ranking well for an irrelevant keyword, you may be at the top of the search results, but are you attracting the right visitors? Instead of chasing the number one spot for every keyword, it’s far more valuable to attract qualified traffic that’s actually interested in your products or services.
SEO can seem overwhelming, but understanding the fundamentals can make a significant difference in how customers find your business online.
At SJC Marketing, we help businesses build long-term SEO strategies focused on attracting the right audience, not just higher rankings. If you’re wondering how your website is performing or where there may be opportunities to improve, we’d be happy to talk.