SEO or (Search Engine Optimization) is the method used to increase a website's search results, and when applied properly, can result in a major increase in website traffic. What Search Engine Optimization essentially does is utilize the algorithm of a search engine, such as Google or Bing, to bring in “high quality” traffic to your website. A search engine is a website with an algorithm that uses keywords and phrases we type to identify the websites that most closely match what we are looking for. In learning how to optimize these engines, you are going to have to take into account several different aspects. The main components are; words, page titles, website links, and website reputation. By taking the time to research and implement these elements in your website you will be well on your way to having high-quality traffic sooner than expected. Did you know that more than 90 percent of people use search engines to find what they are looking for on the internet? Or how about that more than 80 percent of those who use search engines go no further than the first page to find what they are looking for? The ultimate goal is to help you make your way, not only onto the first page of Google but also give you a list of reputable websites and tools you can utilize to learn SEO the right way.

Websites to Learn SEO Online

1. Web-Savvy-Marketing

Web-savvy marketing is a platform that specializes in growing your web presence. The firm's philosophy is that powerful marketing tools can build branding, drive traffic, and produce a tangible stream of revenue and return on investment, and they use this mantra to deliver quality insight on how to properly utilize search engine algorithms. The SEO consulting services here cover the gamut in learning how to optimize search results. This consist of several different methods—discovery, keyword research, site mapping, on page optimization and link building development. They also offer additional coaching and training if necessary.

Web-Savvy Marketing is ideal for learning the fundamental concepts of SEO and how to implement them. This site combines online learning with the ability to access professionals who can train you in a one-on-one setting.

2. SEO 101 

The absolute basics as written by Jill Kocher. This piece focuses on the vital aspect of keyword research. This underrated aspect of SEO can sink any new project. Her article offers practical solutions to fundamental problems any SEO layman would make. Before, starting your first SEO project make sure you take Jill’s common sense advice to heart and put it into practice. After you’re comfortable, consider indulging her 201 advanced courses. Here she concentrates more on technical points instead of philosophy. Reading both pieces will give you a strong foundation in theory, practice, and skill. Excellent technique is nothing without a strong base in the essential reasoning of SEO. Likewise, good keyword research will go nowhere without the proper competence. Both skills have a role, and it’s never too late to go back to the basics. Whether it's a refresher or a crash course, SEO 101 will set you up, and 201 will get you going to the top sooner rather than later. 

3. Google

If your goal is to optimize searches for Google, why not get the info straight from the horse’s mouth? Head to the source and take Google’s own digital marketing course. While they are notoriously silent on technical and proprietary aspects of their namesake search engine, they offer some of the most useful content for marketers.

• General Search Console Help. This page is full of webmaster guidelines that should be read to make sure that your site remains compliant with the guidelines that Google enforces. There are several basic principles that Google continually imposes to keep the integrity of the site. Some of the basic principles are: make pages primarily for users, not for search engines; don’t deceive your users, avoid tricks intended to improve search engine rankings and think about what makes your website unique, valuable, or engaging. The things that will get you kicked from Google are: automatically generated content, link schemes, no or very little original content, cloaking, hidden text, and scraped content or sneaky redirects.
• Google’s SEO Starter Guide. This guide started off as an attempt to help teams that were already within Google master the art of SEO. It later opened up to all, helping all publishers and webmasters, especially those who are new to the subject gain traction. This guide is roughly a 30 page document that covers all areas that a beginning webmaster needs to comprehend. It is broken down into six different digestible categories for easy learning, with subsections within those categories. The topics covered include: search engine optimization basics, how to improve the structure of your site, optimizing content, dealing with crawlers, and promotions and analysis. Each of these topics are broken down for you to understand how to utilize each, and why it is important to apply them. Although this is as starter guide for search engine optimization, there are still several useful techniques that even seasoned webmasters can benefit from here.
• Google’s Digital Marketing Course provides tips for SEO professionals, developers, and webmasters. This information will allow you to make the most of their platform, as they intended it. You won’t encounter any revolutionary algorithmic information but they will give you real-world (or in this case, online) knowledge to help you thrive within the system. Google has the best internet-savvy professionals on its staff. It’s rare for a corporation to give a seminar on how to take advantage of their software. It’s almost preposterous that it’s free, but Google wants you to succeed in optimizing content to their high standards.
• Do you need an SEO? - Search Console Help. Not only does this guide helps you to understand search engine optimization, it also provide tips and pointers on how to avoid scams by companies, such as black hat tactics that will ultimately get your page demoted. Google has a beginners guide to Search Engine Optimization (static.googleusercontent.com) that will help any website (new or old) get noticed in their search results.
• How Google Search Works - Search Console Help. This is another link that helps you to uncover the process that shows how new and updated pages are added to their index. It explains a few different methods in delivering search results: crawling, indexing, and serving. These three areas will walk you through all that is required to ensure that your site is visible to the algorithms, as well as helping you achieve the right visibility—making sure that once your site has been seen, the content is relevant enough to raise its awareness in search rankings. Google stipulates that if a site ranks well for a keyword, it's because they've algorithmically determined that its content is quite relevant to the user's query.
• Steps to a Google-Friendly Site. This article is all about making sure you are able to learn the steps in operating a site that is Google friendly. It will teach you how to provide high-quality on-page content that gives visitors to your site the information that they are looking for. Part of being a Google-friendly site is to have other sites linking to yours and to make it easily accessible. There are certain things that you need in order to be in good standing with Google's indexing guidelines. This link goes through all of the aspects of making sure your site is SEO friendly and relevant, giving you a list of things that you need to avoid in order to keep your site from getting delisted. It also teaches how to create valuable content that is Google friendly—content that your audience will want to frequent and share with others.
• Webmasters. This tool is a place where you can analyze clicks from Google searches, get alerts for critical errors or issues that your site may be experiencing, and test whether or not Google can successfully understand the content that you are creating. The search analytics report is there to show you how often your site appears in search results— it will teach how to read the analytics report, choose which metrics you want to be displayed, and how to properly group your data. The page alerts you to issues you may be having on your site, and instructs on how to read the crawl errors report. It will also bring you up to speed on the different types of errors that your page can experience and how to fix them. The last piece of material that you will get from this tool is how to test the efficiency as to whether or not Google is able to crawl or render your website's URL.
• Creating an SEO strategy (with Webmaster Tools!). Another webmaster central blog with the intent of teaching new webmasters. This blog is not just for beginners—it's also for those who have some experience in SEO, but who are still trying to get a firm grasp of the topic. The thing that is good about this blog is that it has a YouTube video attached to it—giving you a more interactive way of learning how to create a SEo strategy. It is broken down into a few different subsections that include using webmaster central and building a strategy for search engine marketing. Also, this video will help you learn how to audit your own sites, execute and make improvements, and how to overcome SEO obstacles. This post is very informative but the video is not like those found on social media— it is about 15 minutes long so make sure you have a few minutes to dedicate before you start watching.
• SEO Site Tools. This platform offers a wide range of tools that are necessary to run a successful website. You can find extensions, apps, and even browser themes for the Google Chrome browser in the chrome web store. These additions will allow you to do more with Google Chrome. The chrome web store will let you install free items from the store regardless of where you are in the world. With this store, you can use apps to create documents, edit photos, and play games, listen to music and much more. You can use the app to make your webpage more useful by adding extensions to it, allowing you to get relevant links and information on different pages. It also offers apps that you can pay for that give you a little more consumer support. This Google tool also pull metrics from a variety of sources, including social media reactions and also enhances common tools like Yahoo site explorer with links anchoring texts and page ranks.
• PageSpeed Insights. Your web page speed affects your web page rankings, and this is yet another Google developer guide made for webmasters who are in the beginning process of learning how to optimize page speed. Page speed insights measure the performance of a web page for mobile and desktop sites—these speed scores can run from ranges starting at zero and ending at 100 (100 being the best). Once the page speed performance is measured you will be able to find ways to optimize the speeds that your web page is putting out. The higher the score, the faster your page is moving, and anything above a score of 85 indicates that your site is running at normal speeds. A score less than 85 can mean that your site is having errors and not operating at optimal levels. It is important to remember that the speed of your site and its performance varies a lot, and depends greatly on the strength of the internet connection that is being used.
• Google Trends. Another excellent app that tells you how well your site is doing and lets you explore the trends that Google is seeing. It will show the volume of searches for your website, keywords or backlinks over a period of time. You can keep up-to-date on exactly what has been searched, and that will allow you to dictate what kind of content you want to create or if you should update your backlinks and keywords. This Google trends app may very well be the best app for a webmaster to use in order to view keyword popularity. Get this application if you are serious about optimizing your content to get the most views out of online search engines.
• Google Webmaster Central Blog. Being that Google is the enterprise that makes the algorithms that find your content, any post they make for webmasters is automatically a voice that should be heard. This webmaster's blog discusses how they are fighting web spam. They lay out the increases in securities for mobile devices, due to a rise in mobile searches, and highlight changing algorithms with the recent penguin updates. Upon first reading this I was unable to see the usefulness of having this article in the catalog. Any time Google (or any search engine) makes changes to its algorithm there are unintended consequences. Google Webmaster Central Blog addresses some of those consequences and offers ways for you to circumvent them without being branded as implementing “black hat” SEO methods. This blog is definitely worth looking into if you are having unexplained dips in views after the penguin update.
• Google Inside Search. For more information on how crawling and indexing works, what Google ranking system does, and how Google filters and fights spam results to display the most relevant and unique results, this is one of the best tools out there. The page also directs to Google webmaster guidelines, which teaches how to create a friendly relationship with Google’s algorithms. In addition, the guide provides tips and tools to help website owners manage their search presence. Google believes that society works at its best when it provides a space for all voices to be heard, thus, teaching users to strike the right balance between sharing information and keeping the internet safe and useful. The Inside Search tool is constantly working to prevent irrelevant and poor quality from rising in your search results. In some cases, they even manually remove content they believe violates the law.

4. Moz.com

Moz.com is an SEO management company that opened its doors in 2004 and now boast more than 37 thousand clients, with an interesting moniker called T.A.G.F.E.E. (Transparent, Authentic, Generous, Fun, Empathetic, and Exceptional). They offer free tools that can be used for Search Engine Optimization which allows you to check business listings, manage permissions and optimize business listing by assigning the proper categories. They also have a professional subscription that allow you to track the most popular keyword searches, find link building opportunities, use Open Site Explorer, and manage your website's on-page metrics. In addition to handling all your SEO needs, they help correct website errors that may be causing a drop in Google rankings. The cost for packages range from as low as $79 to $600 monthly, depending on what services are needed.

• Moz Page Authority. This post is all about page authority pertaining to search engine optimization. Page authority is the score given to you that will predict how well a specific page on your site will rank on search engines. The score goes from one to one hundred (with 100 being the greatest) and is based on data that is pulled from the mozscape web index. In this blog, you will learn the difference between page authority vs. domain authority—where you can find your page authority and ways to best influence your PA. You can also learn how on-page factors affect your PA, as well as the role that external links play in determining your score. This article goes into great details about all of these aspects and has links to more topics. So if page authority is something that is hindering you from reaching your full potential, this guide is a must read.
• Google Algorithm Change History. This blog page is updated periodically to showcase changes to Google algorithm. It is reliably updated every time Google announces changes to its search engine algorithm. They posted an article of an unconfirmed update on March 8 of 2017 that appeared to have major effects on search engine optimization. The article, although unofficial, is very useful because it helps users figure out exactly what is going on and how to correct the course without having to wait for official announcements that oftentimes don’t ever surface to fix issues before they take toll. Moz's Google Algorithm Change History was developed to help publishers keep abreast of the changes that Google periodically makes. Google often devalues sites that focus on revenue rather than users, and that is something all who want to have a profitable share online will have to start paying attention to.
• Google Algorithm Cheat Sheet: Panda, Penguin, and Hummingbird. Marie Haines walks you through the intricacies of Google’s many algorithms. She explains the purpose of each algorithm and shows how each subsequent update could affect your results. It’s extremely important realize how a change in philosophy can move your business. You won’t find a more in depth exploration of Panda, Penguin and Hummingbird. If you think those are just animals, then you really need to read this article! SEO and Google are always at odds, and the latter’s programming is constantly looking for new ways to select the best content. Stay ahead of the game or you’ll be left behind. However, if you do suffer a negative change due to an update, Marie has a section on how to recover. No need to panic. Don't’ forget to check in the comments, as the rabid SEO community always has valid questions and concerns. SEO is ever evolving and knowing the ins and outs of specific Google algorithms can take more advanced optimizers to the next level.

5. Search Engine Watch

 

Since the landscape of SEO changes rapidly, this platform is another tool to gain knowledge and navigate the unpredictable terrain. Search Engine Watch is designed to help you figure out how search engine algorithms work to benefit your business. With the aid of videos and blog articles you will learn how to research keywords, on-page optimization, writing for the web, content strategy, link building and how to use Google analytics.

You will also learn how to implement the latest accelerated mobile page technology and deal with semantic natural language search to help put your web page center stage on Google and other search engines. One other benefit you will find with this site is several links to outside resources for learning. So if you are struggling to understand the concept of SEO, or just need to expand on what you already know, this is the place to be.

6. Webmaster World 

Webmaster World is a world leader in news and discussion forums, where webmasters can discuss any topic that is related to professional web mastery. They have several public forums that anybody can get on to find answers to questions about anything relating to web development. What is most appealing about this site is the Pro aspect of it. Webmaster World has a pro version that has articles from industry experts that go into detail about how algorithms are constantly changing and how to evolve with them to ensure that your site remains atop the search pages. The pro version cost $89 for a six months period or $149 per year. With this, you will receive access to private support forums, a guarantee of no future ads, access to the webmaster world tool set, and private supporters Google SEO forum. Because this site is a community of webmasters, it is constantly being updated by means of their open list posts, tools and resources. 

7. Search Engine Journal

Search Engine Journal consistently brings its members updates and “how-to” articles from the most reputable experts in search engine optimization, paid search, and social analytics and tools. They constantly add articles to help you utilize sites like Google, Yahoo, and Bing to help increase traffic to your site. SEJ also keeps you up-to-date with the latest intelligence on PPC and CPC. One other aspect of this platform is to help readers develop better, more entertaining content. While SEO is an important part of having an online platform, the content you create is what keeps you relevant and separates you from the rest. Visit this platform to find fresh takes on how to keep your content engaging in order to get people, not just clicking onto your site, but engaging with your content. Virtually all contributed articles, tutorials, campaign critiques, content marketing strategies and best practices come from and are covered by real online marketing experts. 

8. Search Engine Land

Search Engine Land gathers several articles written on search engine optimization from all over the web. These articles range anywhere from tips for better social engagement to determining how to make your links more valuable, ultimately landing your page rank higher in search engine algorithms. The site covers all aspects of SEO, including industry trends, digital marketing disciplines, and practical tips and strategies for running successful marketing programs. The platform also has several discussions and articles on how to take advantage of mobile filters, such as how to use call and SMS data to bring in new customers, how to grow calls and customers with display ads, and tips on how to get your app ranked and installed. This is among the best places to go for in-depth lessons on optimizing your website's visibility, giving you pointers for social media marketing, mobile optimization, and search engine optimization. 

9. E-commerce SEO: The Definitive Guide 

E-Commerce has eclipsed traditional stores as the leading economic force in the world. Store closures and layoffs show how many industries are moving towards a focus on digital presence as opposed to a physical one. However, driving e-commerce is a different ballgame with regard to SEO. Traditional SEO will bring customers to your site, but are they serious? This “definitive” guide will show you how to attract seriously interested people with intent to buy. This dedication must take root in all facets of your online marketing. This includes, keywords research, SEO, technical application, and advertising. The goal with any e-commerce site is to drive revenue and produce sales. This can be done through a variety of media, but in the end, requires a desirable product and perfectly targeted marketing. This guide will teach you how to make hits turn into sales. It is a complete tour de force on all giants in the industry, with a special focus on industry behemoth, Amazon. Overall, if you have any sort of e-commerce presence (and you should) you should take this article to heart.

10. SEO BY THE SEA

SEO by the Sea is a blog site operated by Bill Slawski based out of San Diego, California. Slawski stays current on everything related to search engines and internet marketing. Bill Slawski has been in the business of professional search engine optimization and internet market consulting since 1996. He uses professional and proactive approaches to help businesses find their way in the online world, which certainly gives him high credibility within the online community. Some of the services offered by SEO by the Sea include in-depth SEO site audits along with recommending how to improve, keyword research, link building strategies, SEO training and coaching, local search SEO to increase online and offline traffic, blogging consulting, analysis of competitors, and SEO guidance during the development of your website. 

11. Marketing Land

Marketing Land has several different sections that are covered, consisting of Martech, CMO, social, SEM, SEO, mobile, analytics, display, email, retail, and video. Having so many different areas being covered makes it a very useful tool for anyone trying to build their online presence. The home page displays the most recent articles that have been put up on various related platforms across the web and are updated in real time. Some of the highlights of this site include their articles illustrating how artificial intelligence work, to penalizing spammy ad websites. This site is very similar to Search Engine Land, but what sets it apart is the number of different categories that are covered. If you have questions on anything having to do with online visibility, this platform can be an extremely useful resource for you to widen your audience and reach more consumers online.

12. The SEM Post

The SEM Post is a place where the industry experts of search engine marketing get together to help firms increase their visibility in the online marketplace. The SEM Post was launched in 2014 and is a fresh look at the marketing industry as a whole. They give important news and updates along with commentary on why the announcements are so important and how they will impact your business. The writers for The SEM post are not just average authors writing posts and disappearing until the next deadline. Their contributors constantly provide engagements in order to help others who find it difficult to gain traction in the online world. The SEM Post has several different contributors, each with their own expertise that they bring to the table, allowing them to be among the industry leaders in search engine optimization. This site also allows you to submit your own tips or articles on search engine marketing.

13. Search Engine Roundtable

Search Engine Roundtable is a website that reports on the most interesting threads that are taking place on search engine marketing forums. Their mission is to, “provide a single source for the reader to visit and locate the most interesting threads covered at these forums.” This no doubt help readers save a substantial amount of time. Instead of having to search the entire web, going through forums and discussion topics, this site delivers all the information you need in a centralized location. Search Engine Roundtable allows frequenters to submit news and content, provided that the submitter meets their submission criteria. This site can be very useful for those who would like to be embedded in a community that is focused on helping internet users optimize their website's search results. If this is a community that you think you would like to be a part of, simply sign up and subscribe for email or RSS notifications.

14. Advanced Web Ranking

Advanced Web Ranking is a site that began way back in 2002. It was created by two people who were trying to “install packages for desktop software distribution, and has been evolving with the technological innovations since then." The features of Advanced Web Ranking include; a web based rank tracker, an easy-to-use interface and accurate ranking results. Each of these aspects combined will guarantee that you are not only optimizing your results but also that you have an accurate reading as to where you stand compared to the rest of the competition. With this platform you can also create an unlimited number of campaigns and track as many competitor websites as needed—again this is UNLIMITED. Advanced Web Ranking work on desktop and mobile devices alike, allowing you to get a full view of what your company is doing regardless of where you are. The pricing range from $50 per month for the starter pack to $500 per month for the enterprise package.

• Mobile SEO Guide. Updated just before Google’s mobile search algorithm update, this site contains the newest information about optimizing mobile-based searches. As an increasing amount of users go mobile it’s more important than ever to make sure your content has an optimized mobile presence. It contains meaningful parameters for deciding whether you need a dedicated mobile site or an individualized app. It’s a decision many developers are struggling with. Apps can be expensive but they provide a unique, convenient, and controlled user experience. Whereas, mobile optimized sites offer a better experience than full desktop versions viewed on mobile browsers. However, they can often appear clunky or low budget. There are infinite options for consumers on the internet, and losing a hit due to a poor mobile presence is more than a shame, it’s totally avoidable. The future is mobile and you’ll be better served to establish yourself now. This guide has everything you need to move into the growing world of mobile.

15. Wikipedia PageRank

This tool goes through the PageRank algorithm used by search engines such as Google, Bing, yahoo, and many others. Optimizing this algorithm means that you will be more likely to be a top tier site when your keywords are input into search engines. Maximizing this algorithm requires that you understand what exactly makes your page rank higher than others. This can be achieved by having a website that not only makes use of keywords, but commands people to frequent and stay on your page for long periods of time. It will also count the number of quality links to a page in order to determine about how much importance is attributed to that website, relevant to the keyword search. Wikipedia PageRank is probably one of the single most important tools to make use of if you want to maximize your online search presence and stay on top of your competitors.

16. QUICKSPROUT

Operated by Neil Patel, this website is a well-respected platform that works to educate and inform those new to search engine optimization—making growing a website pretty simple. They have consulting services, university classes and even webinars. The course consists of a seven chapters that will familiarize you with all of the important and basic aspects of search engine optimization. The seven chapters include introduction to what is search engine optimization, site speed and performance, new search, advanced data research, keyword research, link building with content, and search verticals. QuickSprout has gone on record with a marketing tactic that advertises that after your course completion you will be able to double your traffic within 30 days. This is a free course worth a $300 value. The Quick Sprout University course covers areas such as how to generate traffic to your site, building an email list, how to find a niche for affiliate marketing, getting more likes using Facebook ads, and a whole lot more.

17. Problogger

• Search Engine Optimization for Blogs – SEO. This article on pro blogger is made for beginners who need a bit of help on the topic of SEO. It talks keywords and how to maximize exposure for your website by creating content that is continually being looked up across all search engine platforms. This article also gives advice on how to use off-site search engine optimization techniques, inbound links, and creating quality inbound links. The author notes that the most effective inbound links will come from higher ranking sites, be relevant to the topic that you are writing about, and will be linked using relevant keywords to your page. It gives you pointers on how to generate quality inbound links with tactics such as having quality content that other writers want to share. Overall, this is a good article for anyone wanting to learn how to get more views on your site.
• 8 First Step SEO Tips for Bloggers. Pro blogger has several articles on a host of different topics, but the one that is most beneficial to the purpose of this list is: 8 First Step SEO Tips for Bloggers. This post is written specifically for beginning webmasters. It highlights things that one who is new to the online publishing world needs to master in order to develop their expertise and become proficient in search engine optimization. The 8 steps covered are as follows: 

1. 1. Content is king- you'll learn about creating relevant content that is in demand.
   2. Anticipate what people will be searching for- teaches you how to be ahead of the game on what is being searched the most, not just today, but tomorrow as well.
   3. Titles, titles, titles – having good titles matters.
   4. Keywords - how to organically use keywords throughout your post.
   5. Links to your own post- linking your other work is a great way to get seen by Google's algorithm
   6. Links from outside of your blog- highlights how to go about getting others to link your posts.
   7. Plugins- shows how to use plugins effectively.
   8. Readers Begat Readers- how to use word of mouth or social networking to grow your page.

These eight steps should have you well on your way to growing an excellent online search presence.

18. 5 Basic SEO Tips For The Beginner

This BuzzFeed link sends you to an article created specifically for those who are just now starting out in the blogging sphere. "Five Basic SEO Tips for the Beginner" is exactly what it is. In a short and witty article, the author goes through what is deemed as the most important guidelines for beginning webmasters to follow. The author highlights what search engine optimization entails—things like keywords, optimized links, titles, and tags. Each of those five areas is covered more in depth as it is expounded on how to utilize the steps properly. If you are looking to find new ways, or even refresh your memory on SEO, then this short Buzzfeed post is a good go.

19. DistilledU 

Distilled is a modern-day marketing firm. In 2012 they rolled out DistilledU, their dedicated search engine optimization training program. Here they display their tips for a successful digital marketing campaign, as found through working with their diverse customer profile. Essentially, they are revealing their own secrets so you can cut out the middleman. If you have the time, you can benefit from performing Distilled’s market tested tricks yourself. However, they still have to profit, which means the service does not come cheap. At $40 per month, it could be prohibitive to fledgling blogs and firms. DIstilledU offers a few modules for free, so you can see if you think it’s worth the premium. It also has the added benefit of walking you through the many aspects of SEO, from theory, to practice, to tech specs. In general, DistilledU is one of the most complete and proactive SEO teaching platforms, but it comes at a price.

20. Free SEO Toolkit

This search engine optimization website, hosted by Microsoft is a platform that offers the right tools for the right task. It permits you to build, design, debug, and set up websites with a visual studio community. It also allows you to test the sites that you have developed in Microsoft Edge using their built-in developer tools. They have a premium service called Microsoft Azure that can be accessed for as little as $150 per month for up to five developers. Microsoft Azure offers free training and support, helps businesses when they are looking to scale, and is an overall useful site for startup companies that are looking to maximize their potential for growth. This platform also has a large variety of web apps that are designed to assist you with any number of hurdles that you will inevitably be faced with throughout your time running a website. 

21. Ahrefs Blog 

Ahrefs is a data marketing site that focuses on the bigger picture. Their expertise is in the area of metadata, or huge chunks of data that drive traffic. Ahrefs blog is a great resource for those looking a bit deeper into SEO. They focus on how to create a viable link network that can move your content up and down the results page. They can show you the best way to attach links to the appropriate text, creating a deep web of valuable content that Google will certainly respect come search time. If this sounds a bit too technical, Ahrefs has beginner resources as well. Overall, the Ahrefs blog is a great way to stay up to date with the changing winds of the field.

22. High Rankings

High Rankings brings the internet’s penchant for crowdsourcing to the SEO field. Their dedicated community of SEO experts provides help and advice from years of experience. As with any open forum, some posters have more gravitas than others. In general, posters on High Rankings are knowledgeable and thorough. There are thousands of articles that can help you with finding keywords, doing research, getting started, and becoming a bit more technically sound. You can use their search engine to find advice on any topic. Don’t know where to begin? A good starting point is the topic “SEO No-No’s.” Sometimes knowing what not to do is as important as knowing what to do. From there, move on to a 101 or “basics” article. All the opinions are recommendations of people in the field. While many will differ, they all have a basis in real world practice.

23. Majestic

Each engine shows you how all the websites on the internet link to each other by using one of the largest Link Intelligence databases on the planet. This site explorer lets you explore a domain in all aspects. All user subscription plans get access to this tool in full. Majestic also has a backlink history tool that allows SEOs to determine the number of backlinks been detected by their database. Their registered users can compare up to five domains simultaneously, allowing them to compare their results to their competition. You can search their index for keywords and see the page titles and URLs where they appear as well as getting a search score for the URL. Their link intelligence database is by far the world’s most comprehensive and if you want to have the full benefits of being a registered user, the subscription fee’s start as low as $50 per month for Majestic Lite and $400 a month for Full API benefits.

24. Wordtracker Academy

Wordtracker Academy is an SEO research tool for the new age marketer. Their emphasis on how to integrate social media platform research into your overall strategy is especially poignant for sites looking to keep low overhead. While many pundits may prescribe social media as a later development in your SEO program, it’s important to build a following early. Getting started on social media platforms can provide a myriad of easily backlinked and shared web pages to build your online presence. If you’re looking to break into the fresh and lucrative world of social media marketing, Wordtracker Academy can help.

25. SEO AUV (IFTF)

SEO is not all about how to fit your desired search terms organically into your content. Equal focus must be placed on the keywords themselves. The goal is to find clear, actionable terms that people are actually searching for within your niche. That’s way easier said than done. Luckily, SEO AUV has produced an in-depth article on this topic alone. It takes you through all the stages, from consumer research, analyzing your desired traffic, and finding logical keyword stems. This article is a must before paying for or promoting any type of content. It doesn’t matter how well the article is written or if the keywords are properly integrated if your desired consumer isn’t looking for the terms. SEO AUV's steps are extremely detailed and time-consuming. If you follow their advice, you can be sure your desired keywords are going to bring the right people to your link.

26. Cranberry Radio’s SEO 101 

For those of us that are auditory learners, there’s Cranberry Radio’s comprehensive SEO 101 podcast series. Here you can follow along in real time as you learn the step-by-step basics of SEO. You can work while listening so the tips stay fresh in your mind. The series brings you from embryonic keyword research and planning to very specific technical aspects of each past Google algorithm update. They take you on a tour of the evolving nature of SEO and give you the tools to survive in the modern climate while providing you a brief history of how we got here. As with anything, it's important to have a little context. Listen in the car, at work, or while working on your SEO project. Cranberry Radio will get you moving and get your tired eyes off the screen.

27. Yoast SEO

This is a very popular plugin for WordPress that improves the quality of your search engine optimization. The Yoast SEO plugin helps publishers to write better content by using snippet previews that show what a post that will be published will look like in your search results. This will help you decide whether your title is the proper length or if your Meta description makes sense in the context of the search result. It also helps you with page analysis. Constant functionality checks look for images or text in your post that contains focus keywords for that post and checks to ensure that they are long enough. The two plugins combined make sure that you have the type of content that search engines find, look at favorably and give you a higher ranking as a result. Having these plugins for your WordPress website will go a long way to see to it that you are consistently ranking and meeting the expectations of internet users in your niche.

28. Anchors

Google has recently begun to punish websites that have been overly optimized. This all-in-one backlink and anchor text analysis, backlink removal and monitoring tool helps you stay on top of what Google is doing to keep black hats techniques and promoters off of the internet. This site will help you with any over optimization issues that you might have. The remove ‘em tool is used to identify anchor text diversity within your site. If you are at risk for anchor text over optimization, using this site will cut back on that by removing backlinks that are using specific anchor texts that are causing Google to flag your website. The self-backlink removal tool lets you can handle most of the workload yourself, by being able to analyze your backlinks, outreaching to webmasters and exporting the results in CSV form. The pricing for this software is $249 for a lifetime account, $99 per month for one site, and $899 a month for an agency subscription using over ten websites.

29. How to Set up an SEO Friendly WordPress Site

This article on copyblogger.com is all about setting up a WordPress site that will get you noticed by all of the online search engines. It goes into detail about how keywords are handled by Google after their penguin and panda updates. Since the updates, there are no longer any benefits to just dumping keywords into your articles or blogs. It talks about how to make useful content for people, as opposed to search engines, which will have them wanting to stay on your site longer and even come back to it later. This is something that, not only for WordPress users, but every webmaster can benefit. Search engine optimization is a science that when used properly can make huge impacts on the visibility of your website. For those interested in learning how to set up an SEO-friendly WordPress without hiring a professional, this article is definitely worth the read.

30. SEO Tricks from Patio11

Melmranda has an excellent article pertaining to search engine optimization titled, “SEO tricks from patio 11 aka Patrick McKenzie. This article talks about how to use Google AdWords keyword tool to generate new keywords and write posts with content that highlight the most looked up topics. While this would seem like a simple thing to do, oftentimes what ends up happening is that people automate their keywords instead of taking the time to include buzz words or phrases that are guaranteed to get views. Doing this manually is said to be able to grow your viewership by a significant margin. The author gives an example of a business owner who purchased the phrase "Halloween bingo cards" for just under $9, had a writer come up with the content for $100 and ultimately made thousands of dollars in sales around that single product. All he had to do was find out what keywords would be the most profitable for him. 

31. Transform Your Content From Meh Into Memorable

This SEO copy is more than just about having keywords and getting likes or retweets. The goal of this writer is to get you to understand that the most important part of gaining viewership in an online setting, is to come out with constantly good content. She stresses the importance of adding value to the reader of your articles, which can be done by having an intimate knowledge of your topic. If you do not have great knowledge on the topic to be discussed then research will be a must. She also stresses having a unique and fresh take or perspective on things—do not just regurgitate something that everybody else has already said. While most of this article has very little to do with search engine optimization, there is one area of it that she stresses—that is the title. She notes that 80 percent of the people who will come across an article will not even make it past the title, making the title of your post vitally important. Sure, this post doesn't really talk about SEO, but sometimes we need to be reminded of simple things like these to stay on top of our game. 

32. The Quickest Wins in SEO

This is a good article from segment.com highlighting how to quickly gain recognition by search engines. Search engines are operated by algorithms; these algorithms are largely dictated by how people are interacting with sites on the web. If somebody looks something up on Amazon, it is likely that they will begin seeing ads for that product on several other pages. The author uses that fact to make the point that, being seen by Google's algorithms is fairly easy so one should not stress too much about what is required of stay ahead. Instead, what you should be putting most of your effort into is the people who will be finding your content. He says that only 30 to 50 percent of your site's traffic should be coming from search, the rest of it should be from people who frequent your site because of the value it adds to their lives.

33. Kalzumeus.com

SEO is not just something that is done off the cuff—there needs to be a plan implemented that you will follow. Doing this keeps you on track as well as helps you to see where you are effective and where you need to improve. Kalzumeus is not just a software company, Patrick McKenzie also highlights SEO tips and tricks for startups and software companies.

• Strategic SEO for Startups. This article is about the strategy involved in search engine optimization in startup companies. Most SEO guides lays out the tactics of optimizing for online search engines, but this article explains the difference between that and having a strategy of when and where to employ the tactics that are involved in search engine optimization. The author goes into details, at great length, about how and why SEO is different for startups than it is for already established sites that have daily traffic coming into them. He also outlines some of the benefits of being a startup SEO. His fresh take, as well as his extensive knowledge on the subject make this an excellent and informative read for those interested in launching or boosting their startup.
• SEO for Software Companies. This article is geared towards search engine optimization for software companies. Patrick McKenzie is one of the most well respected voices in the field of search engine optimization and in this article he gives invaluable advice to software companies worldwide. He has recognized that one of the single greatest problems is that companies are not giving their website the same type of attention that they are giving their software. Doing this negates all of the great things that your software can do for people, simply because it is not being seen by prospective clients. Like any good problem solver, after McKenzie identifies the problem he addresses how to solve it. SEO for Software Companies is a must-read for any company—not just software companies having difficulties with getting seen online.

34. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Tips

Gabriel Weinberg talks about Search Engine Optimization and offers several tips on how to be successful at it. The major difference between his article and some of the other ones we have previously discussed is that he goes well beyond basic SEO. He gives a deeper perspective and attempts to address important issues while offering a solution to those issues. In his estimation, external links or (anchor) text is the most important factor in being seen by Google. He offers information on how to acquire high-quality anchor text, and also suggests another ingenious strategy. His paragraph on how to utilize widgets is a unique way to get ahead of your competition. Weinberg offers about 15 or 16 more helpful tips to webmasters on the topic of search engine optimization. This is yet another recommended article for anyone wanting to brush up on their SEO skills. 

35. Ultimate Guide to SEO for Ecommerce Websites

This blog from kissmetrics.com talks about e-commerce search engine optimization. Ranking higher than your competition does on search engines is always a must, but there may not be a place online where it is more important than in e-commerce. Think about it, if you Google Nike shoes you are probably going for the first, maybe the second link you see. If your product isn't one of the very first popped up when searching for something then you likely won't get any business. This article offers search engine optimization tips for beginner, intermediate, and even expert webmasters to put to use. The author states that the major key to being ranked highly for e-commerce is to research the most effective keywords for your product and to pinpoint keywords for blog topics. It goes into detail to show you how to do this in the article. Utilize the tips in this guide to make sure that you are maximizing the potential of your online store.

36. HubSpot

Conducting competitive search engine optimization audits is useful for every level webmaster. Regular SEO audits will help you maintain an edge over all those in your industry who are not staying up-to-date with their own optimization and the ever changing algorithms required for SEO. The author of this article lays out five simple steps that a webmaster should perform in order to conduct a personal competitive SEO analysis.

• Articulate buyer personas: Understanding the buyer personas before you do anything will allow you to tailor what you need to do to meet the needs of your buyer, i.e. what phrases they are looking up to find you.
• Identify key competitors: You always want to know who your closest competitors are, what they are doing and how they are getting their traffic. Doing this should allow you to compete at a higher level than they are.
• Explore what the competition looks like: This is similar to the above steps. You want to know what your competitors are doing so you can adjust your game plan accordingly.
• Compete, don’t copy: If you simply do what your competitors do then the consumer will have little reason to leave them and come to you.
• Define what sustained success looks like for you: Everyone has a different version of success. Don’t be preoccupied with what success looks like to someone else—be comfortable with your vision for yourself.

These tips are applicable not only to gain visibility but to all aspects of SEO for online businesses. These tips are applicable not only to gain visibility but to all aspects of SEO for online businesses. Hubspot also powers a free tool that shows an in-depth analysis of your marketing efforts, including analysis for search engine optimization.

• Website Grader is absolutely necessary to keep up with your competition, and this website gives you detailed information about what your site is excelling at and what it needs work on. When it is properly put to use, it will keep you one step ahead of your competition. This tool can also help you decide what direction you should take your website in the future. Using Website Grader is easy—just click the link above and input your website address and email. Once it performs the test, your results will be sent to you—free of charge.

37. What Every Programmer Should Know About SEO

This blog post from katemats.com talks about the things that need to be understood by every website owner looking to survive in competitive online sphere. Some concepts discussed include, how search engines work, how to crawl a website, using the right keywords in the correct places, how to avoid duplicate content, making sure you are using the best Meta descriptions, and how to maximize your site speed. The author further goes into details about the difference between error codes 301 versus 302s. The attention to the details that she lays out are very important—even though this is basic stuff that every programmer should already know, the information is highly valuable. One of the greatest segments that this author discusses is patience in developing a platform—nothing that it's not going to happen overnight—one needs to continue to do the work and allow growth to happen naturally. 

38. Quora Best Practices for SEO

This is an answered question from a Quora.com post on how to best utilize SEO on Google after the panda/farmer update. Generally people tend to steer clear of posts that come from sources like this and Wikipedia, but sometimes we are able to find some hidden gems on these sites. This is one of those times. This gentleman's response to search engine optimization after these updates is spot-on. He talks about how Google aimed their sites at stopping article spinning and other low-quality content and tried to put more emphasis on what is known online as "white hat" search engine optimizers. His advice for remaining on top of the rankings after Google's update to the algorithm is to create premium quality content that will end up being shared organically, and your site will be found no matter what changes are made in the future.

39. Search Engine Guide

So far we've stressed that it is vitally important, as a webmaster, that you stay current with all the SEO updates that are being pushed through. This is true, not only for Google, but for all other online search engines if you want to be as successful as possible. Enter serchengineguide.com, this site is updated on a consistent basis to reflect what changes are being made to the algorithms on each search engine. There are also blogs and articles designed to share new tactics and techniques that have been found to work with the search engines themselves. What makes this website so useful is that along with presenting news bulletins on search engine updates, the author also has several clickable tabs that take you to a library of articles related to the tabs you click. A great number of those articles are how-to articles that are aimed towards helping people learn the basics of being great at search engine optimization.

40. SEO Book

The SEO Book community is a place where webmasters get together to discuss problems and solutions to those problems with each other. Inside their training program, there are thousands of articles that deal with SEO. They also offer advanced SEO tools, training videos, strategy guides, and several more resources all dealing with maximizing visibility on search engines. They have personalized services so everyone that is a part of the community has something that they will find useful. The benefits you get from being a part of the SEO Book community are the ability to ask the professionals questions 24/7, staying up-to-date with market changes by utilizing training modules (updated regularly), and having a proven system that more than ten thousand people use on a daily basis. Of course, this overhaul is a paid service and will cost you a fee of around $300 per month to have access to the community. This is probably one of the best deals that you will come across when it comes to Search Engine Optimization tools.

41. SEO tips for eCommerce Sites

This is another blog post that is dedicated to getting e-commerce sites on the map when it comes to search engine hits. This author gives excellent advice to people looking to get into the eCommerce landscape. Her first tip is to not ask your customer to do anything other than purchase the product from you—this means, don't ask potential buyers to become a member of your site in order to buy something from you. The bulk of her discussion is how to use keywords and phrases so that your products will be among the highest ranking ones in the search results. Indexing your products so that they will appear with more than just one keyword or phrase is a very useful way to get noticed by more than one "type" of a buyer. Another thing that the author suggests is to ensure that reviews of your products are easily searchable on Google, so prospective customers will feel more comfortable in conducting business with you.

42. WordPress SEO Tips

One of the world’s biggest and most well-known blogging platforms, WordPress offers low overhead for fledgling domains. It gives you the opportunity to experiment and create a unique brand presence without the associated costs. Also, its wide user base gives you an ingrained audience. Matt Banner has assembled these tips and tricks for making sure you’re WordPress is ready to take off. Like many internal search engines, optimizing specifically for WordPress is often overlooked. Matt ensures that if someone is looking for your niche, they’ll find it. If you’re thinking about starting a blog or wondering why yours doesn’t attract more traffic, this is a good place to start. He’s made sure beginners and veterans alike can benefit from a few simple tweaks to make your blog pop of the results page. WordPress is an entry-level resource for anyone looking to break into the digital world. It takes a time to gather a following, so what are you waiting for?

43. I Will Teach You SEO 

This site does exactly what it says. I Will Teach You SEO brings you the absolute basics. Alternatively called “SEO Like I’m Five” this resource is obviously for true beginners, and maybe, those who have trouble with new technology in general. While this resource is not free, it can be the only option for those truly struggling with the primordial stages of SEO. One simple lesson can turn it all around for you. When broken down to a few core philosophical tenets, SEO is a simple concept. If you feel bogged down in tech speak, and complex jargon, let Matthew Capala talk you through the baby steps. Pretty soon you’ll be walking and eventually, running on your own. I Will Teach You SEO is not another blog, it’s a promise.

Conclusion

SEO is a vital component of any 21st Century marketing program. It’s all about getting your content where it belongs, and where potential consumers can find it. Like many aspects of the online world, it is constantly evolving in step with technology. This guide discussed the ways that you can learn SEO by means of tools and guides designated to help users create organic growth within their website. We covered several sites, guides, blog posts and online communities that are specifically meant for offering help in the SEO world. The links highlighted will help you to gain a bit more understanding on how to better optimize search results. Search Engine Optimization is one of the greatest barriers to success in the online marketplace, but once you learn how to use the principles of SEO in conjunction with each other you will enjoy a significant increase in web visibility, ultimately leading to an increase in website traffic and a higher profit margin.

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