I warn that I’m about to make a very broad generalization in this post. It isn’t meant to degrade the value of any specific forums or sites; rather, to warn against learning from places that aren’t teaching correctly.
I am in the midst of training someone on the particulars of SEO. Obviously, said person has a ton of questions and curiosity about SEO, where to read more, the who’s who, etc.
He asked me about a forum he regular reads, and a thread dedicated to SEO. After taking a look at the forum (which focuses primarily on domain buying), and listening to a few tid-bits of knowledge they have bestowed upon him thus far, I instituted a new rule for my team.
Any information you get from a forum/blog/site not explicitly dedicated to Internet marketing is null and void.
This might seem a little harsh or even tyrannical, but I have a good reason for such a rule. And my guys know me. There are always exceptions to a rule.
Good Intentions
Most of the information we can gleam from sites offering SEO advice on sites that aren’t SEO-centric seem to be of good intentions. Unfortunately, intentions don’t really matter in this game, and neglected a few details can have severe negative impacts on a site.
So it’s not as if mis-information is spread on purpose. Most of the people pushing their idea of SEO do so with a decent amount of conviction; causing the perceived validity of their opinion to rise. This makes it very difficult to combat when we are consulted.
Us: “I’m afraid that’s not exactly correct in your case.”
Client: “Oh, well this guy on this forum sounded pretty sure. Are you sure?”
In the grand scheme of things, this is only a minor annoyance. Our actions generally speak louder than the words typed on another site. That, and reminding the client that we just cashed their check for an amount that could easily purchase a quality vehicle for 2 of my team members usually does the trick (just kidding…but really).
Over-Simplification
Another major problem with taking SEO advice from a non-SEO is the over-simplification they exude. Let’s be honest here, SEO isn’t “difficult” by any means. More appropriately, it just requires a lot of experience, patience, creativity, organizational skills and sometimes a little luck. This doesn’t make it difficult, just too tedious and time-consuming for most people to implement.
However, there is a very real problem when I see a valid question or concern posed on a forum, only to be answered with a:
“Just make sure you have XYZ and ABC in order. Then get links. That’s it.”
I’m sorry, but that’s not it.
Every single site is different, usually in ways you don’t even understand until you’re neck-deep into the project. So, giving a generic response to a specific question can, and most often does have a negative impact.
Here’s the thing. At the risk of bragging, I can create a killer process in almost any business situation. Give me 2 months and a little authority, and I’ll shave your man-hours/costs and increase throughput. I was mentored by some of the best minds on that front, and I think I’ve grown that aspect of my strengths rather nicely.
What I’m saying is, if there were some way I could process an SEO package and keep the quality and integrity we uphold, I would have. There are just too many variables to strictly package SEO services. I’ve seen too many companies try the same thing (still to this very day) and simply fail their clients (often without them even knowing).
Where Do I Learn/Stay Up To Date
I’ve been doing this stuff since 2004, and still I find quality SEO blogs jam-packed with awesome information every single day. I can’t really list them all here. Instead, I’ll give you some of the staple sites I read. Check them out. You’ll start to get the hang of the logic behind SEO and will soon be able to separate the BS from the real SEO advice.
All of the following have a lot of intermediate to advanced posts, so we’ll start with a really good beginner’s guide:
Local SEO
General Internet Marketing
Link Building
- Link Building Blog – http://wiep.net/
(Just the one here. You’re simply not going to find a greater resource for learning how not only to build links, but how to think outside the box and find new ways yourself)