Some statistics:

  • 80% of a site's visitors get there from a search engine
  • 42% click on the website in the first position of the search engine
  • 90% click on page on the first page of the search engine

This data proves that if you have an internet presence, a high ranking is essential to get traffic. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the process of maximizing the number of visitors to a website by getting the website high in the list of results returned by a search engine. It is the single, most measurable, profitable activity a business can pursue in digital marketing. Many are fooled into thinking that to get to the top, they need to know the right tools, tricks and the right people. You don't have to be one of them to get fooled.

Read 11 myths about Search Engine Optimization (SEO):

  • A GOOD WEB DESIGNER IS ALSO AN SEO EXPERT: This is usually not true because SEO starts with discovering the most effective keywords for your brand based on insights and numerical analysis of data from search volume, competitiveness and your contribution. As it turns out, building a beautiful website and getting your site to the top of the search engines are two very different skills.
  • SEO CONSISTS OF META TAGS , META DATA AND WRITING CODE: Once upon a time, meta tags, the HTML tag that provides information about a website keyword, were an important part of the SEO process. This process became so spammed that it quickly met its demise. As a result, its importance diminished. Today, it is of relatively low importance for effective SEO.
  • SEO IS MAINLY ACHIEVED WITH ON-SITE MODIFICATIONS: Content with keywords plays a big role, but off-site factors such as how many high-quality or authoritative websites have a link to your site are equally important.
  • SEO INCLUDES SEARCH ENGINE REPRESENTATION: The opposite is true. SEO is about creating web pages and writing copy that is understandable by search engines, but also creates an experience for visitors that makes them want to come back to your website..
  • GOOGLE IS THE ONLY SEARCH ENGINE THAT MATTERS: It is true that Google accounts for 70% of all searches and this percentage is constantly increasing. But last year, Bing set a record with 16%.
  • PAYED RESULTS HELP THE SITES: This has never been proven to be the case, and there are countless examples of sites that are low in the rankings that have never paid for results (adwords etc.)
  • SEO GETS RESULTS IMMEDIATELY: SEO is a time-consuming process and can take 2 to 4 months to see results. Of course there are sites that have gone up in much faster times but these are considered the exception.
  • WHEN A SITE HAS BEEN IMPROVED, YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING ELSE: Although the results of a good SEO campaign last, rankings can start to drop if you don't update content and there are no new inbound links. However, if you continue to create good content, the site will stay "fresh" and continue to gain links from people who find your site useful.
  • THERE IS SOFTWARE THAT AUTOMATES EVERYTHING: The biggest mistake our competitors make is using automated programs to do the job, these programs usually use some of the so-called "black hat" techniques that end up hurting the site instead of helping it.
  • SOCIAL NETWORKS HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH SEO: Social networks have everything to do with SEO. They are a source for keywords, content, and links. It helps your business get to a top position, helps your business get multiple rankings on a search page, and builds 1-to-1 relationships.
  • A TOP BUSINESS GUARANTEES RANKING: A top ranking behind keywords that matter drives visitors to a web site. What they do once they get there depends on how you guide them and create a good experience. For examples of brands that do this well, see here 10 case studies that prove the ROI of SEO.