5 Common SEO Myths
Every Business Owner Should Be Aware Of
Whether you’re just starting to build your online presence or are an established business looking to improve online engagement, there are numerous decisions to consider. In both scenarios, it may seem beneficial and cost-effective to skip SEO, but before you do, I encourage you to consider the following facts.
Myth #1: “Your website doesn’t need SEO.”
Fact: There are numerous misconceptions about what SEO is. It isn’t just about organic search ranking. SEO best practices ensure that your website contains the information your audience needs in a format that is easy to understand and engage with.
It’s a strategy that encompasses a comprehensive set of criteria for researching, planning, and creating your website's content, structure, and user experience. These criteria are the ranking factors that Google uses to evaluate the relevance of your content to your audience, the user experience on your website, and your subject matter authority. Beyond on-page best practices, optimization of website content also includes Technical and Off-Page SEO.
Technical SEO determines how users and search engines interact with your website, including site navigation, page load speed, and mobile responsiveness. It also enables search engine crawlers to index and rank your content in organic search results. (Source: Backlinko)
Off-Page SEO refers to the efforts you make to establish brand authority on external platforms. This most commonly refers to backlinks (when a website directly links to your site); however, it also includes social media, Google Business Profile, local search directories, public relations, guest blogging, and more (Source: Semrush)
Regardless of the size, stage, or industry of your business, your website needs SEO. Even if you think your ideal customer doesn’t search online for your business. SEO best practices ensure a quality experience for your audience, significantly increasing the likelihood of engagement.
Myth #2: “SEO is dead.”
Fact: SEO, as we know it, isn’t dead. It’s evolving.
The key here is “as we know it.”
On any given day, I can scroll through my LinkedIn feed and see multiple posts announcing the death of SEO due to the rise of AI, but, in reality, SEO and AI are two distinct approaches to search, each with its own pros and cons.
Google’s algorithm, frustrating though it can be, is grounded in providing the best quality results for a given search query. In fact, a March 2025 study of search engine traffic showed that Google dominates 87% of the organic search market.
AI-generated organic search results are given in a conversational format and are aggregated from multiple sources that reference the answer to a query. Current AI search models, such as Google AI Overviews, Perplexity, and ChatGPT, source their citations primarily from Google’s search results, underscoring the continued importance of SEO. (Source: Search Engine Land). That being said, Google’s Gemini 2.0 and Open ChatGPT currently have knowledge cutoffs of August 2024 and June 2024, respectively, so their search results should be used with caution.
I predict that as AI search tools advance and become more sophisticated, the Google algorithm will likely need to adapt accordingly to remain competitive for organic search rankings.
Myth #3: “You can just have AI create your content.”
Fact: Current AI models are not refined enough to ensure content accuracy or effectively differentiate your brand.
To be clear, I’m not anti-AI (really!), but I am opposed to AI being used to produce mediocre content just for the sake of creating content. The truth is, the internet doesn’t need more content. It needs better content. Better content demonstrates that you understand the pain points of your audience and positions you as a trustworthy source for the solution they’re seeking.
Current AI content creation tools based solely on LLMs (Large Language Models) cannot produce content of the same quality as a human writer with in-depth knowledge of your audience’s pain points and how your product or service addresses them.
Many businesses are beginning to incorporate customized in-house AI models that are trained to understand their solutions and replicate the tone of their brand. These tools are leaps and bounds ahead of the open AI sources, but are not foolproof. They still require human interaction for accuracy, empathy, and critical thinking.
Additionally, Google continues to downgrade content that's AI-generated. Therefore, if ranking in organic search results is your goal, it's best to avoid it.
The most effective way to leverage AI for content is to utilize it as a tool. Whether it's open-source ChatGPT or a customized tool, AI-generated content can be a great starting point; however, all AI content should be reviewed and edited for accuracy, brand voice, and adherence to on-page SEO best practices.
Myth #4: “SEO is just about your website content.”
Fact: Off-page SEO leverages your brand’s presence and authority beyond your website.
SEO isn’t a one-and-done tactic; it should be incorporated into all of your marketing content. Off-page SEO campaigns, such as link building, social media, public relations, and more, should include the same audience segmentation and keyword research used in your website development. This will ensure that all of your content and platforms are aligned with your brand, provide value to your target audience, and are optimized for organic search results.
Additionally, Zero-Click Search and Search Everywhere Optimization are gaining popularity, further underscoring the importance of having a robust off-page SEO strategy.
Zero-click search occurs when a user finds the answer they’re seeking directly on the search results page, eliminating the need to click through to the source. According to a 2024 study, 59.7% of European Union Google searches and 58.5% of American Google searches resulted in zero clicks. (Source: SparkToro, Datos)
Search Everywhere Optimization refers to optimizing your brand's presence and content on platforms where your audience prefers to be. Examples include social media sites such as TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest, as well as Amazon, ChatGPT, and YouTube. (Source: Search Engine Land) The key is knowing where your audience is and optimizing those platforms for your brand.
By leveraging SEO research in the content you create and publish across platforms, you increase the likelihood of engaging your ideal audience on their preferred platform.
Myth #5: “I can get your business ranked #1 on Google.”
Fact: There are too many variables at play to ensure that any content will achieve a specific rank in Google’s organic search results.
This statement, or any variation where a specific rank or conversion result is promised, is a big red flag for that agency or consultant. Here’s why
Google debunks this myth by directly stating that it is not possible to guarantee organic search result ranking, and brands should be cautious of consultants or agencies making such claims (Source: Google Search Central)
What SEO professionals, or website owners themselves, can proactively do is submit their sitemap for indexing. This will allow Google to crawl and index a website’s content, which is essential for content to have the opportunity to rank.
Google Search Console (GSC) is a free tool that allows you to submit your website's sitemaps for Google indexing. Additionally, GSC is an excellent tool for high-level analytics and monitoring and troubleshooting your website’s indexed content, as well as tracking your core web vitals, which include critical ranking factors such as website speed and mobile optimization.
There’s no silver bullet that will rank your content first in organic search results, so it’s essential that you carefully vet all SEO professionals you consider working with. Steer clear of anyone who promises any specific ranking, number of backlinks, or promises to create content for SEO quickly.
And there you have it. SEO is so much more than incorporating keywords into your content in hopes that it will rank in organic search results. It’s a proactive strategy that leverages data as a guide for creating content that provides value to your audience, in the format that they are seeking. Although AI is evolving, its current tools are not yet sophisticated or accurate enough to replace tried-and-true SEO tools and best practices.
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