Is search engine optimization really one of the most cost-effective, straightforward, and efficient ways to attract attention to your company’s web pages? In particular, you might be wondering whether SEO for pest control companies helps newcomers stand out in this booming industry.
Unfortunately, many pest control company owners are still buying into a number of SEO myths, wasting time and money on marketing campaigns that lead nowhere. So, is there still value in SEO campaigns? It promises any size business inroads into fantastic new opportunities and platforms to build brand awareness, but only if you get it right.
Don’t worry; optimizing your website and its content is still worth your time. Here, MarketingPests debunks the eight most common myths about SEO so that you have all the tools you need to optimize your pest control company’s SEO processes.
Myth #1 More Keywords = Better Ranking
SEO does not revolve solely around maximizing the number of keywords in your content. Instead, this “keyword stuffing” will hurt your content’s ranking on search engines. Reputable platforms like Google will actively filter out any blog posts or other content that contains overused keywords and invisible text (purposefully hidden keywords on a web page).
A better approach is to balance the right words or phrases just enough times to capture a reader’s attention but not enough to trigger the algorithm’s automatic filter.
Myth #2 Blogs Require 2500+ Words To Rank
Few topics inspire debate among SEO writers like the ideal word length for posts. Is it 3000 words, or will shorter blogs work just fine? A common number floating around as a purported benchmark for content efficacy is 2500 words, with the premise that any article this length needs high-quality, research-backed writing.
This is a myth. Shorter articles can still meet or even surpass long-form pieces in both quality and good research. Why push longer articles with fluff words and phrases when concise, beautifully written content will add more value?
Myth #3 Meta Descriptions Don’t Matter
After recovering from a serious illness, Mark Twain apparently told a reporter that “the reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.” While he probably didn’t use these exact words, the sentiment stands, especially for meta descriptions. Google started cutting low-quality or spammy meta descriptions and title tags, and SEO writers everywhere started claiming that the end was nigh for these little text blurbs.
Don’t believe it; meta descriptions still play a huge role in driving traffic to your business’s website! Even Google displays title tags and meta descriptions around 90% of the time, which boosts your page’s search engine results considerably. When it comes to SEO myths, this one is completely false.
Myth #4 Social Media Doesn’t Impact SEO
SEO writers frequently argue about whether social media impacts search engine results. Doesn’t SEO concern itself with search engine results rather than trolling hundreds of social media platforms? The truth is that social media likes, follows, and shares don’t necessarily impact your content visibility, but they absolutely do matter in bringing traffic and backlinks to your web page.
It’s best to update your company’s social media profiles. Twitter and LinkedIn still perform well in Google searches, so what’s the harm in keeping these kinds of platforms in tip-top shape?
Myth #5 Links Aren’t Relevant Anymore
Another of those SEO myths that simply aren’t helpful involves a dismissive attitude toward internal links. Don’t be fooled; internal links are still essential for a website that wants to rank highly. And high-quality backlinks help too.
Why create low-quality links that have nothing to do with keywords and then wonder why the links aren’t driving the clicks your business needs? A coherent, unified linking strategy is far more efficient. Clearly match your keywords in both your internal links and backlinks, and you’ll see things start to move!
Myth #6 If You Don’t Hit The First Page, It’s Over
It’s certainly not a bad thing to have an article show up on the first page of a search result. But you shouldn’t lose sleep over it. Keep a realistic perspective–it is exceedingly challenging to reach the first page among millions of hits!
Remember, you are competing against all other businesses leveraging SEO to their advantage. You’re also battling it out with other parties, such as:
- Government agencies
- Journalists
- Academia
- Companies
- Independent bloggers and others who share an interest in your topic
Just stay calm, and continue to optimize your content while building your brand.
Myth #7 Domain Age Affects Ranking
Newer pest companies often despair when entering the SEO space for the first time. Competing against rivals with years or decades in the fray can be overwhelming. But in SEO, age is just a number.
Yes, older sites have had some time to earn backlinks and rise through the search engine. But with quality copy that outshines an older webpage on both a creative and technical level, you could get ahead of them on your click-through rate with ease. Relevance is everything since dead links often feature out-of-date information that consumers aren’t interested in, anyway.
Myth #8 SEO is Dead
The last of the SEO myths is that this vital internet marketing practice is dead. This industry has heard from naysayers for decades now, especially as search engine algorithms incorporate AI. So, is SEO outdated or incapable of keeping up with new technologies?
While it’s an ever-changing and evolving field, your pest control company will still benefit from a targeted SEO marketing campaign with AI or any other new technology running the show. There’s simply no replacement for human-generated, quality content that your pest control customers can trust to bring them the solutions they need.
Professional Digital Marketing for Pest Control Companies
MarketingPests is your best bet for a thorough and efficient SEO digital marketing campaign to boost your pest control company’s online visibility. Forget the SEO myths—we know how to do keyword research for your pest control business and can help you reach countless new customers with ease. Contact MarketingPests online or call us at 732-497-8463 today!
