What to ignore, and who to avoid.
MYTHS
Meta keywords matter. They have been ignored for two decades. Keyword density has an optimal percentage. It does not. Submitting to hundreds of directories helps. It does not, and may harm. A dedicated IP improves rankings. It does not. Paid SSL ranks better than free. It does not. More pages is always better. Thin pages dilute rather than help. Social media shares directly boost rankings. The relationship is indirect.
SCAMS TO REFUSE
Guaranteed first-page rankings. Nobody can guarantee this. Anyone claiming a partnership with a search engine. Emails saying your site is not indexed and offering to fix it. Almost always unsolicited and worthless. Very cheap link building, which buys links that can harm you. Automated submission services.
WHAT LEGITIMATE WORK LOOKS LIKE
Auditing and fixing technical problems Improving content Earning links by being worth linking to Measuring and reporting honestly
IF SOMEONE PROMISES QUICK RESULTS
Ask what specifically they will do. Vagueness is the signal.
