Three SEO Myths Debunked

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1. Natural Search Is Dead
There is nothing that could be further from the truth. Natural search engine optimization is still thriving. It is more difficult today than it was five or six years ago, but the core of search results are still free. Natural search engine optimization being dead is a popular myth because of the standardization of methodology that is now used. Each of the major search engines has released guidelines for webmasters that detail the dos and don'ts of website optimization. Since more of the online world is aware of successful optimization techniques, they do not work as well. In other words there is more competition from knowledgeable optimizers armed with the same tool sets.

Natural search optimization is not dead, but is certainly harder. Successful websites with strong natural traffic know that optimization is a continual process. The best and most relevant websites should work their way to the top of the search result pages. These websites have fresh, valuable, keyword-rich content, good linking, internal optimization, value propositions for visitors and good user experiences. Knowing all the pieces of the puzzle does not always mean it can be quickly put together. Natural SEO requires an ongoing commitment that can pay off through qualified and free traffic.

2. Paid Inclusion Is Dead
A few years ago almost every major search engine had a paid inclusion option. This was a service to guarantee that Web pages were included in a search engine's database for a fee. Through consolidation of some of the engines and the emergence of a few new ones, paid inclusion now means Yahoo Search Submit and Yahoo Search Submit Pro. There are still many reasons to use this service. While it is not a session topic at search engine conferences anymore, it can still be a powerful tool for those who use it. Online marketers who want to control their own destiny with Yahoo can use it. Online marketers who want to guarantee that all of their content and their freshest content are in Yahoo can use it. Online markets that want to tag URLs, optimize content, remove code bloat and have more reporting abilities from Yahoo use it. Paid inclusion is not dead; it is a tool for the advanced online marketer to use for success within Yahoo and their search partners.

3. Meta Tags Are a Waste of Time
The first search engines had to find ways to organize and rank the websites they found. They weighed heavily on meta tags and keyword frequency. Meta tags are parts of HTML coding that are not displayed by Web browsers (i.e., Internet Explorer, FireFox, Mozilla). If used properly they are a great way to tell a search engine more about a Web page. However, they have been abused in the past by spammers. Today's search engine algorithms are much more advanced. Meta tags' values have been lessened but not forgotten.

A strict definition of meta tags would be any tag used in the section of HTML coding that followed this format: "

The World Wide Web is this century's greatest source of data. It may also be its greatest medium for misinformation. There are few rules when it comes to online publishing, making some of the data's integrity questionable. MoreVisibility is a recognized leader in search engine optimization and a great resource of experts to answer your online marketing questions.

Laratro is chief technology officer at MoreVisibility.

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