SEO Myths

Matt Cutts, head of Google’s spam team and one of the principal architects of Google’s proprietary search algorithms, periodically posts videos and articles on-line debunking myths about search engine optimization (“SEO”) and his latest four-minute clip (click here to see it) emphasizes some of the basic misconceptions about SEO.

Cutts emphasizes first and foremost that Google algorithms are based on one principle only: how to make search results better and more pertinent to users.

He adds that “fly-by-night churn-and-burn black hat tactics” might temporarily improve the ranking of your content on Google, but it will permanently penalize you after the Google system for detection of manipulative practices catches you in just a few weeks.

Cutts explicitly rejects popular notions that you can improve your search ranking by buying Google ads, by submitting articles to large content directories, or just by being a guest blogger on another person’s site. In previous publications, he has noted that Google’s search algorithms contain literally thousands of variables that are constantly being adjusted to improve the relevance and quality of search results.

What is the Webmaster’s bottom-line advice for enhancing search engine ranking?

Really simple: “Make sure you have quality content.”