Keeping Up with SEO

Search Marketing is constantly changing. One week, forums like Webmaster World are abuzz with theories on Panda and Penguin updates. The next, everyone is talking about how Google is cracking down on guest posting. So what to do? Being a good small business SEO definitely involves keeping up with the ever-evolving world of Search Engine Optimization, so I’ve outlined four resources I use when I am simply trying to keep up.

Websites and Blogs
There’s a wealth of information online regarding SEO, new updates and best practices. I like to base my online SEO reading material on trust and authority. In doing so, I’ve found Search Engine Land, Search Engine Watch and SEOroundtable.com to be about as trustworthy as they come. But even when I can’t keep up on a daily basis, I check out Barry Schwartz’s weekly ‘Search Video Recap.’ His 5-to-10 minute videos are informative and to the point, and they cover the week’s biggest headlines in search.

Additionally, there are some informative blogs out there that publish studies, post good articles and give great SEO advice. Neil Patel’s Quicksprout blog is one of these, and it focuses on everything that can help to bring more traffic to your website. Another good blog belongs to former Moz CEO Rand Fishkin, who continues to put great stuff out there on SEO. Don’t forget to check out Moz’s Whiteboard Friday videos and transcripts – they too can be great sources of SEO info. Lastly, if you are into delving deeper into the factors that impact Google’s search engine algorithms, the blog on Searchmetrics is a good one to consult.

Forums/Communities
Let’s face it, Google+ has changed the game when it comes to educating ourselves and exchanging information on all types of topics, including SEO. There’s a plethora of SEO communities on Google+ that can be extremely helpful if you have questions or want to add your own two cents to a discussion. I personally frequent the SEO Questions, Technical SEO and SEO 101 communities, but again there are so many out there that it’s really a matter of just picking the ones you like best. Of course, there are also other forums not called ‘communities’ on the web that offer answers and unique perspective on SEO topics worth looking into. The forum at webmasterworld.com is a popular SEO destination, as are the forums over at Moz.com.

Podcasts and Hangouts
Both Hangouts and podcasts can be great devices to use when trying to catch up on the world of SEO. For those looking to stay on top of the game and get insight from a professional, the Google Webmaster Central Office Hours Google+ hangout can be extremely beneficial. Hosted by John Mueller of Google Switzerland, webmasters and others can pose questions and hear solutions to their website’s problems straight from the horse’s mouth. Other great hangouts include Dumb SEO Questions, The Digital Marketing Answers Show and the SEO Dojo hangouts. For those of you who actually want to get away from the computer screen, podcasts offer an alternative. I tune into the SEO 101 podcast on webmasterradio.fm, the Traffic Jam podcast with James Reynolds and the Content Warfare podcast when interested in new trends in SEO and online marketing.

Influencers
There are really too many influencers to mention, so I won’t even attempt it. Nonetheless, if you aren’t following @MattCutts on Twitter, then you should be. Love him or hate him (I actually like him), he is usually the medium Google uses to announce updates, tweaks and important penalties levied against sites. Alternatively, check out @DuaneForrester on Twitter, who is Bing’s answer to Matt Cutts. He offers great insight and links tons of great SEO content on his Twitter feed.

Who and where do you turn to when searching for SEO tips, news, trends and updates?

Let us know in the comments below, or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter or Google+.

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