A lot of people will tell you that SEO is dead, but whether we like it or not, SEO is alive and well. However, SEO has evolved tremendously over the last decade and continues to change every year.
Of all the various aspects of digital marketing, SEO continues to be the most misunderstood subject. That’s why I’ve decided to put together a quick guide of the best SEO resources available—from beginner to advanced.
Everything you’ll ever need to know about getting found in search can be learned in the following 27 SEO resources.
Enjoy!
1. The Beginner’s Guide to SEO by Moz
Key takeaways:
- How search engines operate and how people interact with them
- Why SEO is necessary
- The basics of design, user experience, and content creation for SEO
- Keyword research
- Useful tools for SEO
- Common myths and misconceptions about SEO
2. The Advanced Guide to SEO by QuickSprout
Key takeaways:
- Indexation and accessibility
- Site speed and performance as relative to SEO
- Keyword research and advanced data research
- Link building techniques
- Search verticals
3. The Beginner’s Guide to Link Building by Moz
Key takeaways:
- What is link building and why it’s important
- Understanding good vs bad links
- How to start a link building campaign
- Link building metrics
- Advanced link building tips and tricks
4. Cracking the SEO Code: Tricks and Tactics to Magnify Search Visibility(Video) by Rand Fishkin
Key takeaways:
- Understanding ranking algorithms
- Google’s policies and approach
- How disappearing data makes SEO more challenging
- Keyword research and content creation
- The truth about link building
- Social media and SEO
5. Why Content Marketing is the New SEO by Quick Sprout
Key takeaways:
- Content marketing by the numbers
- The difference between content marketing and paid SEO
- The best types of content for SEO
6. Search Engine Optimization Starter Guide by Google
Key takeaways:
- SEO basics
- Improving site structure
- Optimizing content
- Dealing with web crawlers
- SEO for mobile
7. Actionable SEO Steps That Aren’t as Scary as You Think by Twoodo
Key takeaways:
- Google keyword research
- How to identify the popularity of the keyword
- Where to include the keyword
- How to read your page as Google bots do
- Submitting your URL to Google
- Externally improving your SEO
8. The Complete 2015 Guide to Local SEO For Insurance Agents by Agency Nation
Although this guide is written for insurance agents, the advice is applicable for all local businesses that want to get found in search engines.
Key takeaways:
- Understanding on-site SEO indicators
- Internal linking for SEO
- Setup and use of Google Plus and Google Local
- Leveraging client reviews
- Social media and local SEO
- How to get backlinks
- Understanding the impact of visitor behavior on SEO
- Building local citations
- How to use location-based landing pages
- Mobile Marketing
9. Local SEO Checklist by Synup
This is a web-based checklist that helps you stay organized as you go through the various steps for local search engine optimization. For each item on the checklist they also provide a valuable resource, so you know why that step matters and how to do it.
10. The 2015 Local Search Ranking Factors by Moz
Key takeaways:
- Overall ranking factors
- Top 50 localized organic factors
- Top 50 local pack factors
- Negative ranking factors
- Top 30 difference-making factors in competitive markets
- Factors that matter more with recent changes to local pack
- Commentary from local SEO experts
11. How to Not Suck at Local SEO(Slideshare) by Darren Shaw
Key takeaways:
- How the impact of reviews varies by industry
- User experience and SEO
- How to increase brand awareness on Yelp
- Why keyword stuffing sucks
- Embedding a Google map in landing pages for SEO
- How to clean up directory listings
- How to build citations and why they matter
- Cleaning up spammy links
- How to get at least one super link
12. Designing Business Location Website Pages by Local University
Key takeaways:
- Common landing page pitfalls for a one location business
- Creating the best single location business web page
- Location page SEO and technical enhancements
- Good examples of a single location web page
13. Bring Your Local Business Online #1 (Video series) by Google Webmasters
Key takeaways:
- Determining your business’ value proposition and online goal
- How to find potential customers
- Basic implementation and best practices
- How to differentiate your brand from the competition
- Engaging customers with a holistic online identity
14. 10 Smart Tips to Leverage Google+ for Increased Web Traffic by Moz
Key takeaways:
- Writing headlines for engagement
- Formatting tricks to create eye-catching posts
- Sharing the smart way
- How to use hashtags
- Leveraging Google+ comments
15. How to Use Google+ for Social SEO by Plus Your Business
Key takeaways:
- An introduction to Social SEO
- Social SEO vs traditional SEO
- How to gain authority using Google+
- Building your profile and optimizing posts
- How to build a community around your Google+ page
16. 12 Powerful Ways to Use Pinterest for SEO by Epreneur TV
Key takeaways:
- How to optimize your profile
- Maximizing social signals and creating more backlinks
- Using keyword-rich captions
- How to optimize your images
17. Keyword Research: The Definitive Guide by Backlinko
Key takeaways:
- Using Google Keyword Planner
- Understanding long tail keywords
- Identifying keyword competition
- Valuable keyword research tools
- How to create SEO content
18. The Web Developer’s SEO Cheat Sheet by Moz
Key takeaways:
- Understanding important HTML elements
- URL best practices for SEO
- Creating sitemaps
- Important social metadata
- Rich snippets and structured data
- Targeting multiple languages
- Web development for mobile SEO
19. Link Building Methods That Work Right Now by Matthew Barby
Key takeaways:
- Common SEO myths debunked
- How to build evergreen content pillars
- PR commenting
- How to create thought leadership personas for your clients
- Building partnerships
20. 21 Actionable SEO Techniques You Can Use Right Now by Backlinko
Key takeaways:
- How to find broken link building opportunities on Wikipedia
- Using benefit-focused content curation
- Why content length matters
- Using expert roundups to generate links and social shares
- How to do keyword research with Facebook ads
21. Get Hundreds of Links to Your Next Blog Post, Guaranteed by ViperChill
Key takeaways:
- Creating post titles that hype themselves
- Examples of headlines that get more links
22. A Step-by-Step Guide for On-Page SEO Management by HubSpot
Key takeaways:
- How to do an SEO audit and define your site architecture
- Defining your target audience
- Panning new page titles and updating meta descriptions
- Incorporating visual content for SEO
23. How To Increase Qualified B2B SEO Traffic In 2016 & Beyond by Search Engine Land
Key takeaways:
- Putting people ahead of keywords in your content marketing
- How to use forums, support content, and Q&A websites for a boost in SEO
- How to get more out of what’s already working
24. SEO Copywriting: A Complete Guide For Beginners by SEOPressor
Key takeaways:
- Writing headlines for SEO
- How to optimize keywords in your content
- How to write reader-friendly content
25. How a 3 Month Old Website Received 958,373 Visits From Googleby ViperChill
Key takeaways:
- How to leverage trending events for SEO
- Getting featured in Google News
26. YouTube Ranking Factors: Getting Ranked In The Second Largest Search Engine by Search Engine Land
Key takeaways:
- An overview of the YouTube search results page
- How to establish your brand on YouTube
- The YouTube video ranking factors
27. The Essential Guide to Creating an SEO-Friendly Customer Journeyby HubSpot
Key takeaways:
- An overview of the customer journey
- How to implement SEO along the customer journey
- Mapping out your own customer journey
The Rub
The most effective way to use these resources is one-by-one, a little at a time. Search engine optimization is an expertise built over years of practice. Even then, measuring the success of your efforts takes more time and effort.
But if you persist, over time, greater search visibility will grow your business.
[“source-searchenginejournal”]
