Mythbusting SEO

 

The SEO world changes quickly. Many people are stuck using old practices and outdated strategies, putting off their users. The world of search engine optimisation can sometimes feel overwhelming, but fear nott! In this blog we've got the inside scoop from our SEO team to keep you updated with the basics. 

Keyword Stuffing

In the older days of SEO there were much more black hat techniques around, and whilst they may have worked before they definitely don’t now. Keyword stuffing involves repeating the same keyword or phrase excessively throughout your content in an attempt to manipulate search engine rankings. In older versions of Google’s search algorithm this tactic might have temporarily boosted a site's visibility, but those days are long gone.

Search engines have evolved, and now they penalise sites that engage in keyword stuffing, treating it as spammy behaviour. Instead of boosting your traffic, you'll end up penalising your site. Modern SEO is all about providing high-quality, relevant content and a positive user experience, so leave the keyword stuffing behind!

Backlink volume

Not all backlinks are created equal, and in the world of SEO, some can be more of a hinderance than a benefit. While it's true that quality backlinks can boost your site's authority and rankings, blindly collecting any and all links can actually harm your SEO efforts. Your backlink profile is made up of all links including both toxic and healthy ones, and you will want to make sure you hold on to the healthy and throw out anything that may cause trouble. 

A toxic backlink can take many different forms, but generally they are ones that are not relevant to your website's content and are not trustworthy (think http domains, scammers and hackers). This could include low-quality business directories or random foreign domains. If not managed properly, these could harm your SEO.

Regularly auditing your backlink profile and disavowing these spammy backlinks can help keep these levels in check, ensuring that your website isn’t haunted by harmful links that could drag it down. Remember: In backlinks, quality is better than quantity. Focus on building connections with reputable sites that boost your authority, organically.

Ignoring Mobile Users

In the modern age of SEO believing that mobile optimisation doesn’t matter is an extremely outdated mindset. More than half of all web traffic comes from mobile devices so ignoring the mobile experience is like shutting the door on a huge portion of your audience. Search engines prioritise mobile friendly websites, and failing to optimise for mobile can send your rankings plummeting. In fact today, Google operates on a 'mobile-first' basis, meaning even the search engine rankings favor positive mobile UX and engagement metrics. 

Keeping on top of your Core Web Vitals for both mobile and desktop is how we at Red Ant ensure that you have a smooth experience across all devices. Our consistent monitoring of these metrics, as well as our in house technical team ensures your website is always in top shape for mobile users.

With a focus on responsive design and fast loading times, we make sure your site performs smoothly across all devices, avoiding any drop-offs due to poor mobile experiences. By prioritising mobile-first strategies, we help keep your rankings strong and ensure your website doesn't become a ghost town for mobile visitors.

Instant SEO Results

In the world of SEO, expecting instant results is an unrealistic goal. In reality SEO requires a long term strategy which is consistently worked on over a period of months or years, but most certainly not just days. Search engines need time to crawl, index, and rank your content, and if you chase after quick fixes it can lead to scary consequences, like penalties that can derank your site for months.

But if you dedicate consistent focus to SEO the results will be more than worthwhile. Steady and sustainable growth is what you should be looking for, because in SEO patience and consistency are the real drivers.

Get in touch

At Red Ant we can help you with SEO services tailored to your business and its goals. Our campaign's always have a clear long term goal, as well as short term actionable steps which we regularly update you on the progress of. Contact us today to discover how we can help your website thrive.