Any book to learn SEO

[Saqi]

i want to learn SEO please tell me any book on this subject, i've read some chapters of teach your self SEO visually but i didn't really liked it found moz's SEO guide much better should i continue reading moz's SEO guide or is there any alternate book you think better for me?

 

[stevebrownlie]

Everything on Moz is really solid at getting you from beginner to 'understand what's needed' but remember that SEO is tough to master in its entire scope because of the different skills you need:

On site/technical - from canonical tags to url structures and site architecture. Most small sites don't run into many problems here, but if you're looking to learn enough to be an expert, you'll need to know this stuff well - some big ecommerce projects start with the site in a complete mess and throwing away a good % of revenue potential.

Content - for this you need to learn to be a great writer (or hire one). If you want to learn check out Copyblogger and their training courses.

Off site (PR) - assuming you want to go 'white hat', off-site SEO is basically a specialised form of PR. Learn to write pitches, learn what stories bloggers, journalists and social influencers (social not just for SEO - to get the most out of your content) like to discuss and share. Rubbishy link building in directories (aside from the essential local citations for local campaigns/businesses), forum posts, profiles, 'web 2.0 property spam' and so on is the stuff to avoid. Real PR sounding stuff is what you want to do - and hey getting your brand in major news outlets is good for more than just SEO too... Check out the Spin Sucks blog for some free PR advice/courses.

Design - stuff you're promoting doesn't have to look great, but it sure makes your life easier on all of the above areas - 1. more people who visit your site will buy, 2. more people will share, 3. more people will read... and so on.

My suggestion is you choose your starting point based on your current skills and become a master of that area of SEO first. You can then outsource, other parts, until you develop in those areas too. Some you might choose to always have someone else do for you - I hate technical SEO personally, so would never choose to master that, just know the basics and make sure one of my employees loves it!

 

[Scott@KarmaContent]

I think there's a lot of good things on Moz but there's a lot of guff too. Usually someone's bad idea that just because it has been repeated a million times is now a definitive 'truth'.

 

[MASSEY]

I hate moz. It's full of geeks and mostly rubbish that you don't really need or isn't relevant to you unless you want to spend a fortune promoting a site.

I don't even think you need a book either.

I learned most of what i know on UKBF but this was in the days when the forum was more popular and a more knowledgeable bunch frequented it.

It isn't as complicated to learn as people think it is really.

You need good, descriptive titles that reiterate variations of the keyword
lots of semantic content on your pages for google to crawl
good, varied internal links and a menu structure that is easy to crawl with pages that aren't too deep
backlinks

Preferably quality backlinks, a quality backlink really is worth £££ but you also need to be able to determine what a good backlink is.

 

[macmacman]

Can you give an example of semantic content please?

 

[toastking]

Hey I've never read it the whole way through, but lots of people recommended The Art of Seo - I have an older version but according to amazon a 2015 version is coming out and so I'll probably be updating since its been greatly useful. Mainly for showing people things when they ask me if truth be told but still a great resource.

The Art of SEO: Mastering Search Engine Optimization Paperback – 5 Sep 2015

 

[OldWelshGuy]

I hate moz. It's full of geeks and mostly rubbish that you don't really need or isn't relevant to you unless you want to spend a fortune promoting a site.

I don't even think you need a book either.

I learned most of what i know on UKBF but this was in the days when the forum was more popular and a more knowledgeable bunch frequented it.

It isn't as complicated to learn as people think it is really.

You need good, descriptive titles that reiterate variations of the keyword
lots of semantic content on your pages for google to crawl
good, varied internal links and a menu structure that is easy to crawl with pages that aren't too deep
backlinks

Preferably quality backlinks, a quality backlink really is worth £££ but you also need to be able to determine what a good backlink is.

Thanks like, you calling me thick or wot

 

[UKSBD]

Can you give an example of semantic content please?

Behind page titles and a good navigation structure I would put synonyms near the top of importance for SEO.

 

[Annoying Donkey]

I learned most of what i know on UKBF but this was in the days when the forum was more popular and a more knowledgeable bunch frequented it.

It isn't as complicated to learn as people think it is really.

So have you made a million yet...?

 

[Audrey Wright]

I second MOZ as a great starting point. You can also check out the guides of Neil Patel at Quicksprout - http://www.quicksprout.com/blog/ (under his photo and bio on the right, you'll find the tab)
Also, Brian Dean at backlinko write some very thorough step by step guides. http://backlinko.com/
The good guys at Distilled - https://www.distilled.net/resources/ - have as well awesome resources for beginners. Their content is more broad, touching on topics like development, design and other stuff you might not want to read, but there are great SEO articles as well in there and very definite guides.

 

[Codefixer]

Reading all the books in the world, won't be as good as building your own sites and testing what works and doesn't work.

You can easily get bogged down with reading too many blogs, forum posts, articles.

Build a site around something that interests you. Make sure the site structure is correct. You can read Google's SEO guide for some basic details.

Have Google Analytics installed.

Watch the site grow over time and how the changes you make affect rankings etc.

 

[Audrey Wright]

@Codefixer

I can't entirely agree on this one. I think everybody needs at least basic education / self education on what the standards and requirements are (you can read this at Google), as well as basic internet marketing techniques.

If you're only learning from a single website, without any external knowledge, your "expertise" will always come out skewed. VERY skewed. Sometimes a small change impacts a site, sometimes a two-month strategy doesn't.
It's a very reactive and volatile environment and only observations from a single site will never allow you to LEARN seo. You might rank your site well and do good business, but not LEARN seo.

EDIT: Of course, it's pointless to read articles and books without having a site to practice on and experiment on the knowledge you've acquired.

 

[anhhaoueb]

If you have your own website, I think you will learn SEO every day through your website management. Otherwise, you should create a blog, building blog content and be familiar with some SEO tools. Actually, at least you need a foundation knowledge about SEO. Let's try Google eBook: Search Engine Optimization - Starter Guide (find it easily on Google), this book's content is very comprehensive at basic level.
Best,
Anh Hao.

 

[samtaylorseo]

Yea the problem with an SEO book is that as soon as it's published it's out of date, everything you need is online! However, you must make sure that you stick to just a few reliable resources, I suggest the following:

https://moz.com/learn/seo
https://www.webmasterworld.com/
http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.co.uk/
http://searchengineland.com/
http://searchenginewatch.com/
http://static.googleusercontent.com.../search-engine-optimization-starter-guide.pdf

The more you read the more you'll see the common themes emerge!

Also, I agree with the post above, just optimising a website will increase your knowledge!

Hope that helps!!

Regards,
Sam

 

[Aqueous]

If you are just starting out in SEO I would recommend "50 Ways to Make Google Love Your Website" by Liam McGee and Steve Johnson. It’s a good solid foundation and despite all the Google changes it has stood the test of time.

Whilst Moz is a great resource for anyone new to the business I find that getting people to read the book (which is very easy going) is a great reference point for the future.

 

[Annoying Donkey]

The basics of good SEO is timeless. The only techniques that change over time tend to be the dodgy ones. G wants good content, that has never changed...

 

[samtaylorseo]

Whilst Moz is a great resource for anyone new to the business I find that getting people to read the book (which is very easy going) is a great reference point for the future.

I disagree. you don't need to buy a book for an easy introduction. There are plenty of 'Basic SEO' guides online. I particularly recommend the Google one I linked to above.

 

[beyondlocal]

Sam Taylor is correct, you don't need a book - you can quickly learn the basics from the links he shared earlier.

We offer free training in the basics of SEO to businesses near us, but if you PM me I will share the slides we have used. I can't share the link as I haven't posted enough times on the forum yet.

The things we look to cover in the SEO training are:

"On Page Optimisation"

• Meta Tags - title, description, keywords.
• Headlines containing target keywords.
• Image names containing target keywords.
• Descriptive link text - don't use “click here”!
• Content is King - regular updates with unique content that aims to solve your users’ problems.
• Good Keywords - use Google's keyword tool or UberSuggest for suggestions.

"Off Page Optimisation"

• Being Mobile Friendly is a requirement!!!
• Social Media - social shares can increase your reputation - think of it as free marketing or networking with potential customers.
• Customer Reviews - Google+, Facebook, etc.
• Improve website code and hosting quality.
• Page speed.
• Links to your site from other quality websites - the more you get the higher your web page will rank on Google.

I hope this helps.

 

[samtaylorseo]

Actually training with someone like @beyondlocal might be a good place to start because you can ask whatever questions you want. Then you can build you knowledge using the online guides.

 

[Shopclicks]

It's really no wonder there are so many cowboys ruining the credibility of the SEO industry. It's all so easy to become an 'expert' and sell your 'knowledge of SEO' to gullible website owners.

 

[Novevan]

Yea the problem with an SEO book is that as soon as it's published it's out of date, everything you need is online! However, you must make sure that you stick to just a few reliable resources, I suggest the following:

The more you read the more you'll see the common themes emerge!

Also, I agree with the post above, just optimising a website will increase your knowledge!

Hope that helps!!

Regards,
Sam

Your advice is great, I am learnning SEO as well. Thank you.

 

[Simon.P]

I am working my way through Tin's course and very impressed with it.

 

[ls0709]

I'd recommend 'How To Get To The Top of Google' by Tim Kitchen.

I used to work with him and he knows his stuff, think it's the top selling SEO book on Amazon also.

 

[antp__]

@lukesvarc, Updated March 2015 too.

However, taking a look at the reviews I wouldn't say I'd like to read it. Every low star feedback has 'too many plugs to his site and services'. Go over to MarketingU, where he has a small video to explain his course, he even mentions 'How to write a book to use as a marketing tool' at 2:16. I'll say he did a good job.

 

[ls0709]

But every high star feedback goes onto say there is a lot of relevant easy to understand basic SEO guidance. For a few quid on kindle you can't go wrong really, he's got a business to run hence why he plugs himself.

And yes the book is a marketing tool, all of his agencies clients are via inbound leads with a good 75% of them coming from that book.

 

[antp__]

Yes, it's only a few quid so it's a nominal amount. However, when trying to learn something it's not an easy process to do so when having to skip over his plugs.

The book is a great way to earn extra money in the way of passive income through Amazon, and wherever else he may sell it. Explain who you are and what you own at the start, and maybe the end. But not all the way through, it's annoying. I know he wants to give as much information without giving any in the book making customers of that book ask him for more help, fair game. BUT, his website does look very much like those that 'Sell sh*t to idiots'. Buy this $99 eBook and get fast results etc.

My opinion on why I would't buy the book. But we are going off topic here. Lets revert back to the original post.

@Saqi, it also depends how you learn. Always remember the 3 ways of learning. Hear, See, Touch. Lets turn touch to doing. Personally, I would rather listen to someone explain it, and then I will use the techniques on my own website. Others, however may prefer to read.

Such a question can gather many, many different answers and opinions as proven by myself here.

 

[Simon.P]

I'd recommend 'How To Get To The Top of Google' by Tim Kitchen.

I used to work with him and he knows his stuff, think it's the top selling SEO book on Amazon also.

i read that book some time ago, and would say it does give you a shopping list of stuff to do although doesn't go in to great detail on how to achieve it. So if you are after a list of stuff to do, and don't mind trawling through the web to find out how - then i guess its a few quid well spent.
i agree there is quite a few mentions of his own work, although i guess its all relevant (it sounds like he may have started checkatrade off by the sounds of it).
he also offers a free website review although doesn't seem to actually carry that out!

compare this to the seo course i am working my way through at the moment which tells you what to do and how to achieve through well written text and great videos. well worth the money imo

 

[John Geater]

Learning SEO right now is almost like learning to fix CD players - It's on it's way out.

The absolute best marketing to learn properly would be social and their advertising platforms. Whether you want to do it for yourself or as a service for clients, it's much easier to work on something where traffic and attention is increasing opposed to SEO where it might work, it might take a long time and it might cost a fortune (or fees or just time).

 

[antp__]

compare this to the seo course i am working my way through at the moment which tells you what to do and how to achieve through well written text and great videos. well worth the money imo

I have heard great things about Ray's training course.

 

[antp__]

Also, sorry for the double post but I have just re-read the above post and it will not allow me to edit my previous.

John, from your post I gather you mean work on social media? Now social media are great platforms, yes, that can't be denied. But for some companies it will work better than others and personally do not think it should solely be relied on.

For instance, you are selling clothes you can post on twitter, facebook, instagram and gain a lot of interest and these followers will engage in your posts because they like the product. If they want that top they will ask where to get it. You run a business that sells and services steel guillotines for instance i'm not so sure it will work as well. You get my drift?

Social Media incorporated with other methods is what will make your marketing work. Not one or the other. Not to mention, 10,000 followers on twitter doesn't mean anything in my eyes. Out of this you may have 2 that are actively engaging in your tweets. If that.

'SEO where it might work', if this is the case it isn't being done correctly. SEO isn't cheap, but 'costing a fortune' and 'time' can be an incredible investment for your business. SEO takes time. None of us should expect it to happen over night.

 

[OldWelshGuy]

Learning SEO right now is almost like learning to fix CD players - It's on it's way out.

The absolute best marketing to learn properly would be social and their advertising platforms. Whether you want to do it for yourself or as a service for clients, it's much easier to work on something where traffic and attention is increasing opposed to SEO where it might work, it might take a long time and it might cost a fortune (or fees or just time).

SEO has been 'on its way out' for the last 10 years, yet here it is alive and kicking.

BUT here we are again, define SEO, because I would call somcial media marketing part of SEO (but I hate the term SEO as I am an Internet marketer but people want SEO's).

I love the way people say 'forget that do this' when the reality is the one stringed banjo is silent when a single string breaks

 

[antp__]

SEO has been 'on its way out' for the last 10 years, yet here it is alive and kicking.

BUT here we are again, define SEO, because I would call somcial media marketing part of SEO (but I hate the term SEO as I am an Internet marketer but people want SEO's).

I love the way people say 'forget that do this' when the reality is the one stringed banjo is silent when a single string breaks

I'm glad you chipped in. Even though i'm not a digital marketer myself I prefer it when bold statements like the above are only said when fact.

 

[punitbook]

There are various forums available online, which can guide you on the technical aspects of SEO. However, I am not going to stop or recommend you to not to study from books. While so many people has already recommended to moms, no doubt its a great website with huge content in other hand, you can also visit to Neil Patel's Quick Sprout advance guide for SEO

 

[fisicx]

The absolute best marketing to learn properly would be social and their advertising platforms.

Compleate and absolute rubbish.

Do you really think a business looking for a service or products is going to use a social media platform for their research?

 

[Codefixer]

Learning SEO right now is almost like learning to fix CD players - It's on it's way out.

The absolute best marketing to learn properly would be social and their advertising platforms. Whether you want to do it for yourself or as a service for clients, it's much easier to work on something where traffic and attention is increasing opposed to SEO where it might work, it might take a long time and it might cost a fortune (or fees or just time).

This is a wind up, right?

 

[OldWelshGuy]

That said, we have 1 business where 80% of sales are coming from facebook.

 

[Shopclicks]

Given that the OP wants to learn about SEO so that he can start his own SEO company, I'd suggest around 10 years worth of reading combined with 5 years practical, hands on experience at ranking his own websites should be about enough to get started.

 

[fisicx]

That said, we have 1 business where 80% of sales are coming from facebook.

Indeed, but to suggesting the best marketing method is to advertise on SM is just bonkers. I can see that idea going down really well in Tesco's HQ!

 

[OldWelshGuy]

@fisicx 100% agree, and ours is probably the exception not the rule.

My 1 stringed banjo statement stands

 

[ls0709]

SEO is definitely not on the way out but I agree that social media is on the way up. Two very different things.

Not all companies will bring sales from both or either IMO. For example a blind company I have worked with for years appear 1st on Google for local targeted search terms and this is where the vast majority of new business comes from, I have them set up with social media accounts and provide PR and social updates for them as well as paid ads but I just don't see blinds as an impulse 'omg look at this on Facebook' kind of purchase. It's a thought out, purchase of necessity and therefore leads people to a search engine to find an answer.

On the flip side, it's entirely possible to grow some businesses with mostly social and no SEO.