
SEO is the foundation of a successful online presence. You want to make it as easy as possible for people to find you online. SEO was once all about keywords, but today it has changed into so much more than just that. There are many more things that need to be done to be successful in search engine optimization these days. The search landscape has changed, and there are algorithm tweaks and changes. I read endlessly on the subject, so I try my best to stay up to date. For those of you who are starting today, and trying to hit the ground running, I’ve compiled this list to get you up to speed.
There you have it. These are the resources that I believe will get anyone up to speed on SEO. These resources will give you a good foundation, and they will also let you peek into the many possibilities for SEO. There are a lot of creative people in this space, and you would be surprised to see some of the stuff that other SEO’s come up with on these sites. I find that staying up to date on these websites helps give me a clearer picture of the landscape and helps me adjust accordingly.
I do not hesitate to join any mailing list if it even remotely has information that I would want to receive periodically. I also do not wait to remove myself from any mailing list that is not meeting my needs or is only regurgitating information from other sources. I can safely say that this list was five or six times the size it is now. I have removed references that either did not provide credible information, were too biased, or generally were not well thought out. Is there anything that I missed? Feel free to let me know on Facebook or Twitter.
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. It is the practice of improving your website so search engines can find, understand, and rank it. For beginners, good SEO means more visibility, more visitors, and ultimately more opportunities to grow your business or project online.
Start with the Moz Beginner's Guide to SEO, Google's Webmaster Guidelines, and the Core Principles of SEO. These resources explain terminology, best practices, and critical concepts in plain language, giving you a solid foundation before you dive into advanced tactics or tool tutorials.
Google Search Console, Google Analytics, and Screaming Frog's free version are ideal starters. Search Console shows indexing and keyword data, Analytics tracks visitor behavior, and Screaming Frog audits on-page elements. Together they reveal what is working, what is broken, and where quick improvements exist.
Follow reputable industry sites such as Search Engine Land, Search Engine Journal, The Moz Blog, and Google Webmaster Central Blog. Subscribe to their newsletters or RSS feeds, skim daily headlines, and dive deeper into posts that affect your niche. Consistent reading keeps you ahead of algorithm shifts.
If the content is outdated, purely promotional, or simply repeats news you already get elsewhere, unsubscribe. Your inbox should deliver fresh insights, credible data, and actionable tips. Regularly trimming sources helps you focus on the highest-quality information and prevents overwhelm as you learn.