Whenever the subject of link building comes up in a conversation, it is always intermingled with facts and myths. In this post, we’re going to dispel four common myths that every business owner and SEO consultant should know. 

Myth #1: Guest blogging is dead.

Truth: Google isn’t 100% against guest blogging. What they are concerned about is people using guest blogging for the purpose of building fast links. 

Note:  If you guest blog, make sure you create great content that is well written and informative on high quality websites.  Guest bloggers should focus on generating quality content first and links second. These days, anyone can guest blog. The key to successful guest blogging is to stand out from the myriad of guest bloggers on the Web.  

You can separate yourself from the pack when you get your content posted on websites that your competitors aren’t published on; for example, a popular publication like Entrepreneur Magazine or even a notable local newspaper site. This is a great way to boost your online visibility while playing by the rules.

Myth #2: It is not necessary to mark press releases as “nofollow”.

Truth: Google’s policies clearly state that Press Release links should be marked as nofollow. 

Note: Obviously a press release should contain links so that readers can confirm what you’re discussing within your content.  The links that you post within your press releases should not be used to gain link equity – according to Google. People who ignore this important note could run the risk of receiving an influx of links from poor quality websites that copy and paste press releases to their websites. As a result, your website could be penalized by Google. 

Myth #3: Google AuthorRank (or Author Rank) will help your SEO to rank better.

Truth: There is no living proof that Google’s search results has helped ‘author’ rank higher than a post that does not contain authorship. 

Note: Google has removed authorship photos from the SERP. However, it is beneficial for CTR to include the author mark-up when appropriate. It still adds an author byline within your content.  As a result, people who are logged into Google who +1 your content or Google+ profile are more likely to view your content higher up in the search results. 

Myth #4: Nofollow links = no value.

Nofollow links do have value within the Google search engine even though they do not provide the same level of value that dofollow links provide. 

Note: A link profile that doesn’t contain any nofollow links could raise suspicion with Google because it makes a website appear that it may be building links that are questionable. What Google wants to see is high-quality content that is building links naturally.

What link building myth have you heard about lately? Please share. We would love to hear.