The SEO world is constantly evolving, at a pace which may appear ludicrous to outsiders. Google typically makes major algorithm changes every six months at least, as well as smaller updates throughout the year. It follows that the SEO strategies in vogue today may be irrelevant in ten or even five years’ time. SEO professionals need to stay up to date with SEO trends, changes and developments to stay competitive in the online marketing sphere. Fortunately, there are many ways to do so, from courses to blogs and everything in between. This article examines some of the best and most cost-effective ways to stay up to date in SEO.
SEO Courses for Continuous Learning
SEO courses are a great way to fine-tune your existing skills and learn new ones, to keep up with developments in the marketplace. With most courses you can learn at your own pace, whenever is convenient for you: a few hours here and there throughout the week. Most are very affordable too, if not 100% free. Just be wary of the many SEO courses out there which are offered by so-called ‘gurus’, who tend to charge ridiculous prices to dispense rudimentary SEO knowledge. Here are a few examples of trustworthy and worthwhile SEO courses currently available on the market:
- Blue Array Academy: This SEO academy offers training courses and certifications that can help you achieve your professional goals and keep up with the times, from building your skills to taking the next step in your career. Blue Array’s experts focus exclusively on SEO, teaching the same proven tactics and strategies with its customers.
- SemRush:Semrush offers a course for SEO enthusiasts who want to use the company’s tools to further their know-how. Get tips from the company’s own SEO experts in a series of free video lessons and handpicked reading materials, which delve into all the need-to-know features of the Semrush toolkit.
- Google Analytics – Google are the undisputed leaders of the SEO world, and offer a series of online courses to master and use their suite of SEO products to their fullest potential, advancing your knowledge while earning Google certifications to showcase your expertise. Google also offers a free ‘SEO Fundamentals’ certification course in its Digital Garage, with around two hours of material covering on-page, off-page, keyword research and technical SEO.
- LearningSEO.io – Learning SEO is suitable for amateur or beginner SEO enthusiasts looking to learn the ropes or expand their know-how in order to grow as an SEO specialist – from keyword research to link building and more. The company essentially provide a roadmap for learning SEO using reliable comprehensive guides, resources and tools – all for free.
- Ahrefs – The company responsible for some of the leading SEO tools on the market also offers a free SEO training course, exploring how to apply basics such as keyword research, on-page SEO, and link building to rank higher in search engines.
SEO Blogs
The web is full of great, informative SEO blogs which keep tabs on all the latest developments first-hand, so you don’t have to. SEO blogs are great places to expand your knowledge and learn about recent changes in the SEO world. Here are some popular, authoritative SEO blogs which I would recommend browsing frequently:
- Apptweak – This blog specializes in everything related to App Store Optimization, with updates on the latest ASO news and best practices, as well as expert tips and insights into optimizing your app for improved App Store rankings.
- Search Engine Land – This comprehensive site covers breaking news, updates, insights, analysis and guides related to SEO and PPC, with expert insights from the SEL team and external authorities.
- Backlinko – This SEO blog by expert Brian Dean focuses on actionable SEO tips, strategies and case studies, drawing on Dean’s significant experience and track record.
- Cadastra – Cadastra are a global company, with offices in London, São Paulo and Porto Alegre, that helps brands to transform their businesses and drive exponential change. The company’s blog offers special content and case studies documenting notable SEO tactics and practices, among other topics.
- Search Engine Journal – This is another blog dedicated to covering the latest search news, as well as up-to-date guides and how-to’s for the SEO and marketer community.
- Ahrefs – We’ve mentioned Ahrefs before – a software company that develops online SEO tools and free educational materials for marketing professionals – and their blog, containing detailed tutorials and case studies, is a great place to expand your SEO and marketing knowledge on a daily basis.
In addition to SEO blogs, make sure to browse dedicated SEO forums (such as Google Webmaster Central, SEOChat, and SEOForums) and SEO-related threads on major chat platforms like Reddit, Quora and Digg, to keep your finger on the pulse of the SEO community. Setting up Google Alerts forSEO news, so you receive notifications any time pages with relevant search terms show up on Google, is another useful habit. These Google Alerts could include keywords like “SEO news” or “SEO algorithm changes.”
Who to follow on Twitter
Many SEO professionals and agencies use social media on a regular basis to discuss what’s going on in the SEO industry, and none more so than Twitter. Creating a Twitter stream with specific terms like “google updates” or “google algorithm changes” will ensure you receive all the most relevant tweets on the issue. I would also recommend following notable SEO-related accounts and even asking SEO them questions if you have any doubts or concerns – they might be inclined to give provide industry insider information, or offer advice. Here are some excellent Twitter accounts which you should follow for all the latest news and musings on the SEO world:
- John Mueller (@johnmu) – As Google’s Search Advocate and Webmaster Trends Analyst, John Mueller shares so many SEO insights on his Twitter and blog that keeping up with it all would be a full-time job in itself!
- Lily Ray (@lilyraynyc) – Brooklyn-based SEO professional, and current Senior Director of SEO and Head of Organic Research at Amsive Digital.
- Cyrus Shepard (@cyrusshepard) – Co-founder of SEO consulting and software company Zyppy, and a prominent content publisher, speaker and writer, Shepard regularly takes to Twitter to offer his take on SEO today
- Alexis K Sanders (@alexisksanders) – SEO Director at Merkle, Alexis regularly shares valuable insights from ongoing SEO campaigns, events and developments via her Twitter account
- Pedro Dias (@pedrodias) – Pedro is Head of SEO at Autovia, as well as a Holistic and Technical SEO Consultant and UX/Usability enthusiast. He is also one of the few ex-Google Search Quality team members currently working in Digital Marketing
- Ashley Berman Hale (@bermanhale) – Vice President of Professional Services at Deepcrawl, Hale is a great, engaging source of insights and news from the SEO world
- Richard Fenning (@rfenning) – last but not least my own Twitter feedcontains regular insights on SEO, digital marketing and general musings on life!
Keeping up with changes in the SEO world can be a daunting, time-consuming task. Luckily, as we have seen there are a number of online resources available to all SEO enthusiasts and professionals which should make this task a little easier. Stay tuned, and you should have all the tools you need to stay up-to-date and competitive in this constantly shifting marketplace.
