SEO Is a Lifelong Study
September 26th, 2011 | Alesia - Link-Assistant.Com | Posted in category Search Engine Optimization
They say that, deep in their hearts, all SEOs are geeks. This is probably true, because, to be able to do SEO, one should be at least a bit of a geek, since SEO is indeed a unique field of knowledge - it requires perpetual, pretty much lifelong study.
This is because search engine algorithms change all the time - and so do the rules by which SEOs play. So, it’s essential to always stay on top of things.
Also, there is a wide range of SEO methods, techniques and approaches invented and perfected by different SEO specialists around the world.
How does one stay informed about the latest SEO news and updates? What are the useful resources to replenish one's SEO knowledge and learn new SEO techniques? Let's see.
A place to start
Some Internet marketers claim that SEO forums are a good place to start learning SEO. Well, if you simply go to an SEO forum and post a thread called "I'm new to SEO, so, where do I start?", you are likely to get hundreds of quite confusing responses, which will take you nowhere.
So, it's best to look for a sticky thread called "All you need to know about SEO" or similar, and decent SEO forums would normally have one. A good example would be WebProWorld and Digital Point.
Another good way to start is to read a comprehensive SEO guide. Some of those are free and can be easily found online. An SEO guide is probably the best option, since it gives you a general idea about SEO and lets you see the full picture. Here are some great free SEO guides:
Dan Richmond's SEO in Practice
SEOMoz's Beginner's Guide to SEO
SEO news sites
Once you start practicing SEO and working on different projects, it's critical that you stay informed about what's new in the SEO world. This is because search engine algos change all the time, and, once they do, old SEO techniques simply stop working. Here are a few SEO news resources to help you:
This is a place where news regarding latest Google algorithm updates, new features in Google and new Google's products are published.
Headed by the SEO guru Danny Sullivan, it's about the most authoritative resource on search engines. Not only does it cover big G's news, but also other search engines' news, social media, etc.
Matt Cutts is a popular Google insider, head of Google Webspam Team, who is often referred to as the face of Google. On his blog, he often sheds light of the way Google works, discusses recent Google changes and policies, etc.
WebProNews is a great online resource for Internet business news and tips. It contains interviews with industry's key people, search news and social media trends, etc.
Well, to avoid the need to regularly visit these resources, subscribe to them via email or RSS. 
Useful video blogs
It's better to see once than hear a hundred times. So it's better to watch an educational SEO video, than read a lengthy article or a blog post. There are a number of video bloggers who frequently make SEO-related videos and share some useful insight.
Matt Cutts frequently video-blogs on the official Google Webmaster Central YouTube Channel.
Another useful resource is the WebProNews "Exclusive Videos" section, so, do check it out as well.
Famous SEO conferences
Attending SEO conferences is a great way to profoundly expand your SEO knowledge, meet fellow-SEOs and promote your business. In-person communication is more valuable than chatting with other professionals or plowing through miles of SEO posts and articles.
Conferences are also cool, because this is where REAL practicing SEOs meet. I say real, because online you have no idea who is who. So many people who claim to be SEO experts have not optimized a single webpage in their lives! Besides, real SEOs normally have little time for sharing their expertise unless it's a conference.
The well-known SEO conferences are:
SMX (Search Marketing Expo)
SMX is probably the #1 SEO conference in the world. It takes place about 4 times a year in different location in North America, Europe and some other parts of the world. Orchestrated by Danny Sullivan (the SEO Wizard at the already-mentioned Search Engine Land), it attracts the best speakers in the industry each year. For details, go to http://searchmarketingexpo.com/.
SES Conference & Expo
SES (Search Engine Strategies) conference takes place in 10+ key locations all over the world. The details are available at http://www.searchenginestrategies.com/. And, in case you can't attend it, there is a complete coverage available on a number of blogs like WebProNews, Search Engine Land, Search Engine Round Table, Search Engine Watch and some others.
MozCon
MozCon is held by the SEOMoz company twice a year in Seattle, Washington. For schedules, go to http://www.seomoz.org/mozcon.
PubCon
PubCon is another popular SEO conference that is going to take place in Las Vegas this year. For the detailed list of speakers and exact dates, go to http://www.pubcon.com/.
SEO experiments
Whenever a new search engine algo comes out or a new player enters the search arena, there is a lot of speculation as to what effect it has on SEOs, what needs to be done, and so on and so forth. But very often this is all they are - speculations, not backed up by any substantial statistics.
This is when SEO studies become necessary. Well, those require a lot of time and human resources, thus, only big SEO companies can afford to conduct them. SEO studies give guesses and ideas a scientific ground, and the data they provide can further be used by SEOs in their day-to-day chores. For example, the SEO Effect company did a research on Google +1 and published a whitepaper with the results of the research.
Link-Assistant.Com has also recently conducted a study, in which it tested 5 different SEO tools for speed and performance. The results were published on the company's SEO blog.
So, search for new SEO experiments/studies/surveys on Google from time to time and check if different SEO rumors are true.
Continuous education
As you see, there are quite a lot of resources you can use to learn the latest SEO industry news and replenish your SEO knowledge. And this should be an ongoing process, since there is nothing sadder than an SEO stuck in the Stone Age of SEO who is practicing outdated SEO techniques that no longer work. So, keep on learning and success will be yours!
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