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6 Common Search Engine Marketing Myths: Myth #3

By March 22, 2010January 1st, 2015Search Marketing
6 Common Search Engine Marketing Myths: Myth #3

Ok, so you’re not going to fall for big promises or small prices, but are you out of the woods yet, ready to square up against those spammers and scammers who will prey on your eagerness for search engine success?

If you promise to avoid the temptation to sign up for one of those cheap SEO offers, you already took the biggest step. But it always helps to have a little bit of ammunition to fight with. After all, some of the things they promise sound really great, so what’s the problem? This next myth is exactly the problem.

Myth #3: The Automated Submission Myth

So what’s wrong with automated submissions?

First, automated submissions exclude directories (like Yahoo! and the Open Directory, just two directories that also supply results to a number of other engines) that require hand submission and human interaction. It also excludes engines that require a user to enter a specific access code before submitting a site, you know, those little “enter code here” boxes designed to prevent spammers and scammers? Some search engines require you to enter an access code specifically to prevent submission via automated programs. Plus it opens you up to the danger of being blocked or penalized by engines that frown upon these methods (think Google).

Besides, haven’t we mentioned that randomly submitting your site to many (or any) search engines doesn’t constitute a search marketing program? If your site doesn’t contain meaningful, quality content based on strong design principles and a well-planned business strategy, then the actual submission process is virtually pointless.

Search engines these days are smart enough to find your site on their own, and with the advent of social media and the endless opportunities you have to get your site out there in front of not only search engines, but people, even one tiny submission is pointless.

Instead of wasting time, energy and even a small amount of financial resources on tired methods, focus on what does work, and take our word for it: Any offer that sounds too good to be true is too good to be true.

Have you tried a search marketing strategy that’s yielded results? Or are you still stuck submitting your site to search engines and need some help figuring out what to do next?

Read more in the “Search Engine Marketing Myths” series