SEO advice is everywhere. Most of it is wrong. Here are 4 myths we still hear in 2025 – and why they won’t die. 💀
1. “You Need 2,000+ Words to Rank”
The myth: Long-form content ranks better. Studies show top results average 1,800+ words.
The reality: Google’s bots don’t actually read all those words. We’ve tested this with 20,000+ word posts – roughly 90% of the content was never indexed. What matters is getting your key information in the first 200 words. Those “studies” measured correlation, not causation. Write what the topic needs, but front-load the important stuff.
2. “Page Speed Is a Major Ranking Factor”
The myth: Faster sites rank better. Speed is crucial for SEO.
The reality: Speed is a tiebreaker, not a major factor. A slow site with great content will outrank a fast site with mediocre content every time. Yes, extremely slow sites (10+ seconds) will hurt you. But we’ve seen plenty of sluggish sites ranking #1 for competitive terms. Optimize speed for users and conversions, not for rankings.
3. “Domain Authority Matters”
The myth: Higher DA/DR = better rankings. It’s a key metric to track.
The reality: DA and DR are made-up numbers invented by Moz and Ahrefs. Google doesn’t use them. They’re rough proxies at best. We’ve seen DR 20 sites outrank DR 70 sites constantly. Chasing these third-party metrics often leads to bad decisions. Use them for rough comparisons, not as goals.
4. “SEO Takes 6-12 Months”
The myth: It’s a long-term game. Don’t expect quick results.
The reality: Depends entirely on competition and what you’re doing. We’ve seen results in days for low-competition keywords on established sites. The “6-12 months” line is often used by agencies to manage expectations – or justify slow progress. Sometimes it’s accurate. Sometimes it’s an excuse.
Want the Full List? 📋
These 4 myths are just the start. We’ve tested 40 common SEO claims and documented what actually works versus what’s just echo chamber noise.
The full guide includes myths about:
- Backlinks and link building
- Technical SEO and Core Web Vitals
- User signals and bounce rates
- Google penalties and negative SEO
- What Google actually says vs. what they do
This article was originally published in 2012. It’s been completely rewritten for 2025 based on 30+ years of actual testing.