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8 Comments

Best SEO Course / book to recommend

Hi, I am wondering what is the best SEO learning ressource that you can recommend ? I have experience with SEO developing websites since 2009. Some of them were doing pretty well.
But haven't touched anything since 5 years and I'm sure tons of things need to be learned.

I'm having questions like :

  • Should I use a tool like ahrefs, SEMRush or MOZ ?
  • How to build backlinks (need concrete examples)
  • Should I focus on making my website fast, on content or link building ?
  • What strategies work on websites with a lot of static pages (not a blog or e-commerce)

Recommendations ? Thanks !

  1. 2

    These are ALL great questions. I'll answer then inline:

    Should I use a tool like ahrefs, SEMRush or MOZ ?

    Not necessarily. We focus on the tools WAY too much. The need for a tool like that really depends on where your site is today. You can get a lot of smart next steps from Search Console and Analytics if you have existing pages and content.

    How to build backlinks (need concrete examples)

    First, make sure you need backlinks and that's worth your time more than other things (see my answer to the next question).

    For link building, start here and watch all these videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_DO6_8ffPG6u9BaR_jv62A_TPSWVEAz2

    Should I focus on making my website fast, on content or link building ?

    These are all really important levers to pull, and what to pull (and when) depends solely on where your site is right now, and what it needs to accomplish the goals you have for it. If I know more about your site, I'll be able to answer more specifically.

    What strategies work on websites with a lot of static pages (not a blog or e-commerce)

    Again, depends on the goals, but without the ability to have any sort of editorial content (like a blog) you may hamper the ability to grow quickly.

    Happy to answer literally any and all SEO questions!

    and if we have to be SUPER literal about learning SEO...

    1. Check out this podcast (seofortherestofus.org/podcast-listen)

    2. If you're set on paying for education, the community and all the education inside of it will be perfect for ya (seofortherestofus.org/community). 😉

    1. 1

      Hi @brendanhufford . Thanks a lot for the answer !!
      I will definitely watch all these videos.

      This is the website I'm working on now : http://sun-direction.com/

      1. 2

        Yeah, check them out, comment on them (I always reply), or even let me know back here what you think. I think a BIG risk with what you're building is that it's something Google could easily just add directly in the search results. It reminds me of sites for checking sports scores, weather, the time, etc. that Google now has right in the search results. Anything you think from keeping them from doing that?

        1. 1

          There is definitely risk but my idea with this website (and others) was to build things quickly and do not invest of time. That was 3 years ago. Now that I see that it is gaining momentum, I think it is time to invest some effort in it to improve traffic.

          • ... Google now has right in the search results. Anything you think from keeping them from doing that?

          What I can do is enriching the website and give insights not possible to add in search results.

  2. 1

    Best SEO resource that I can recommend, if you have the time, is to buy an affiliate starter site and work on it. You'll learn tons more than by watching Neil Patel videos. It'll take weeks and months to know if what you're doing worked, but that's the SEO game.

    1. 1

      Hi @gregb. Thanks for the answer. I actually have a couple of websites that I'm working on. For example : http://sun-direction.com/

      1. 1

        Hey @hedi ok that's awesome. The other guy who replied had a great answer. I would only add that a blog (with a keyword-driven content strategy) would be tremendously helpful for building an audience (but understand a blog's not on the table here). Otherwise there's a host of small tactics for building awareness like participating in forums where your audience hangs out, and trying to get mentioned or featured on relevant sites (i.e., getting backlinks). But such moves take time to follow through.

        1. 1

          Thanks. Will consider adding a blog. Never thought it was that important !

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