A quick search of Google SEO resources will reveal just how much content there is out there full of advice. For a lot of small and medium size businesses, this is already massively overwhelming. As digital marketing experts, we’re able to pinpoint beginner-friendly SEO articles to those wanting to learn more.
The top 10 list
I wouldn’t call this a definitive top 10 list, but several of these sites are big names in content marketing and SEO. These websites have great resources for those learning SEO, as well as those who work in SEO day in, day out. You’ll learn not just how get on the first page of Google but also how to convert those views into new customers.
Neil Patel is an iconic name in SEO, starting his own business more than a decade ago. He learned SEO in the trenches doing it himself for his businesses, and is now committed to helping others do the same through his blog and courses. Just reading his blog will be a valuable insight into how to use SEO to help your business grow.
https://www.searchenginejournal.com
The Search Engine Journal is a daily catalogue on the latest updates in the world of SEO, search, and content marketing. It features some great resources for beginners and is wonderful way of staying up to date on the SEO industry.
Moz is one of those websites where industry experts constantly offer up advice and best practices in the ever-changing SEO marketplace. Although their business is to help you drive more traffic and or convert those leads their resources are informative and will set you on the right path in your SEO journey.
The Google algorithm changes hundreds of times a year – keep up with it all thanks to Search Engine Land in order better optimize your Google Adwords campaign. This site features all the latest news about what’s going on in SEO and how it affects you and your website.
SEO by the Sea was started in California by Bill Slawski and offers news and advice on what’s happening at Google and in the world of SEO in general. One of their recent posts delved into how Google may rank events in the future outside of links themselves. These are the valuable insights they provide, giving you a glimpse into what Google may add to their search in the future.
The SEO book has a lot of resources for people just getting into SEO. The main bonus is that a lot of these tools are free, and the information caters to those looking to learn all the SEO basics. The site is created in a way that is accessible and helps you expand your knowledge from the basics all the way up.
Brian Dean started Backlinko.com in 2012 after having gone through a few online businesses himself, learning the science and art of SEO over the few years prior. His site has some interesting tips and tactics that combine black and white hat techniques, created a grey mix of both worlds.
We all know that Google is the Search Engine of choice for many, but that doesn’t mean it’s the only search engine. Yahoo and Bing are notable search engines too, and social networks’ search systems can be thought of as an engine too. The Search Engine Roundtable covers it all so you get a good grasp what’s going on outside Google.
https://twitter.com/search?q=%23seochat&src=typd&lang=en
If you are on Twitter, it’s well worth following the #seochat hashtag. There are a lot of SEO pros who participate in these chats regularly, and you may even be able to ask them questions in real-time when they’re online.
The Who’s Who of SEO (some of them anyway)
http://www.postplanner.com/top-seo-experts-to-follow-on-social-media/
Want to know who some of the biggest players are in SEO? This post by Pat Parkinson has 50 of them. It is just a small sample of the heavy hitters but it is a great way of becoming introduced to some of them. To be honest, even if the list was doubled it would only be scratching the surface.
These are interesting because it shows you the Start of Google and then to how it sees SEO today:
http://infolab.stanford.edu/~backrub/google.html
This is more for those who are curious about the start of Google. This is a version of Sergey Brin and Lawrence Page’s paper on how they saw the challenge of indexing the web. It gives you the basic framework that Google was based on and reveals how much the web has changed since then.
https://webmasters.googleblog.com/2010/09/seo-starter-guide-updated.html
While this is a version from 2010 and the internet has changed drastically since, the core principles haven’t changed. These include writing for a human audience (not the search engine), posting engaging content, engaging with your users and being honest about who you are. Google is focusing on delivering the best to the user, with these values being the foundation of what Google has built today.
By creating great content and amplifying it with SEO you create new opportunities for you and your business. SEO is always changing and these sites will ensure you don’t get left in the dust. They give you the tools and resources to learn the SEO basics or hone your expertise.
These are the top sites, chats and resources we keep referring back to here at the Digital Squad and hope you learn as much as we have from them. Happy holidays to everyone out there – hope your 2016 was full of exceeded expectations and learned lessons. I know the Digital Squad has learned that pace will only accelerate in 2017 – see you there!
Recommended Reads:
7 Basic Digital Marketing Habits Your Business Needs to Adopt
How to Create Content for Each Step of the Sales Funnel
Effective Link Building Strategies for 2018
Helping Small Businesses Grow and Adapt with Marketing Automation
