There are hundreds of different SEO myths floating around out there. The problem is that for webmasters and small business owners looking to do things the right way, it can be hard to find factual information that can really pay dividends. When you want to be successful with SEO, you first have to become aware of these SEO myths so you can rid yourselves of them. Here are the 12 most common SEO myths that are still getting passed around.

1. All Links are Created Equally: Just because you have thousands of backlinks it doesn't mean that you are going to be successful. All links are not created equally, and poor quality links won't make any difference in your results. The highest quality of links are natural, one-way links from related sites which rank highly.

#2- Keyword Density is Important- Another one of the monumental SEO myths is that keyword density is the most important part to your success. The truth is you won't find any set of rules that guarantee success through a proper amount of usage. What it really comes down to is providing highly search and minimum competitive type keywords, and then placing them in the article appropriately.

#3- Meta Keywords Still Work- Okay, if you've been reading up on meta keywords you can stop wasting your time. Yes, they used to be extremely valuable, but after Google and Yahoo publicly announced they no longer use them in their algorithm calculations, it's pointless. Just remember to stick with the meta descriptions and titles because these still play a major role.

#4- Web Directories are Highly Valuable- Ah yes, back in the day web directories were extremely valuable, but one of the SEO myths is that they still are today. Granted, you can still achieve success with highly credible directories, but the general ones are pretty much useless anymore.

#5- Blackhat SEO Won't Get you Caught- The person who believes Blackhat SEO is nonpunishable is sadly mistaken. It doesn't matter if you're a huge company or have an individual platform, when the major search engines catch you they deny listing you in the search engines.

6. SEO Success Happens Overnight: Another one of the most common SEO myths that people believe in is that SEO success happens instantaneously. It just doesn't happen overnight. SEO is a process that works over a period of time, and the results gradually improve. It requires long term dedication and not a quick fix strategy.

7. Google is All That Matters: Obviously Google is the largest and most powerful search engine that's out there today. However, one of the most prevalent SEO myths is that it's all the matters for the success of your website. This can't be farther from the truth. With Yahoo!, Bing, other search engines, a slew of important social networking sites such as Facebook, YouTube and MySpace and various other tactics such as article marketing there are a variety of ways to drive traffic to your sites besides Google.

#8- PageRank is Everything- Again, back in the day everyone focused on their PageRank more than anything else. One of the SEO myths of today is that this is still the most important thing. Keep in mind it does help your website achieve higher rankings, but it's not the only factor. Since algorithms constantly change, your PR number will fluctuate throughout the year.

#9- Common Sense is More Important than Research- Just because you believe something works one way doesn't mean everyone else is in agreement. There really isn't one true path to success online. There are many variables that come into play and this especially holds true for keyword selection. If you assume you know what people are searching for, chances are you will lose out in the end. Utilizing the proper research will help to keep you from falling into this trap.

10. More Traffic is Always Better: Receiving a lot of traffic is generally great, but if all of your traffic is untargeted you won't be producing any results. Additionally, sites with high bounce rates can end up suffering in the search engines as a result because your site is viewed as having something wrong with it or being a mismatch. Therefore, first strive for highly targeted traffic and then work to increase and expand your base.

#11- Purchasing Links and Link Farms Always Work- Years ago this was extremely helpful, but Google has figured out the loophole and basically put an end to it. Yes, it's possible to receive a few benefits this way, but considering the money and time invested it's definitely not worth it. Plus, many of these situations are considered blackhat avenues which end up being penalized.

#12- Once you Achieve a Ranking, You're Done- Probably the biggest SEO myths out there revolve around the "one shot deal." Many marketers believe they can simply write up 10 articles, submit them to directories, provide a few backlinks, and the money will start rolling in everyday. The truth is you have to constantly maintain your SEO strategies in order to be successful. If the competition is still working, why should you stop?

You will find that all of these SEO myths are a big reason why most people fail at their marketing strategies. Whether it's the wrong information, it's outdated, or you're just being stubborn, each one of them could make your online success difficult to achieve. It's all about using your time efficiently and hopefully staying away from all the schemes and pitfalls that cause you to fail.