Over the years, I've come across some really good guides that would be perfect for newbies to get the information they need, without having to dig through lots of blog posts or forum threads. I decided it was a good time to do a quick roundup of ebooks and guides, both free and paid, that would be useful for anyone wanting organized how-to info to study.
Start with Google's Webmaster Help Center
Before you do anything, you should become intimately familiar with Google's "rules", so you won't accidentally get yourself penalized or banned. Start with Creating a Google-friendly site paying special attention to Webmaster Guidelines.
SEO
- SEO Fast Start by Dan Theis. free
- Beginner's Guide to Search Engine Optimization by SEOmoz. free (old version. new version is in progress)
- Local Small Business SEO Basics by Sugarrae free
- The Blogger's Guide To SEO by Aaron & Giovanna Wall. free
- Small Business Guide To Search Engine Marketing by Jennifer Laycock $79
- SEO Book Training by Aaron Wall $100/month
- The SEO Handbook $10
- How To SEO Your Site In 60 Minutes: The Complete Guide by Matt McGee $25
Link Building / Link Bait
- Link Building 101 includes both a podcast and an awesome link building poster that does a great job of showing the basic concepts of link building.
- Viral Copy by Brian Clark free
- 11 Experts On Link Development Speak Out free
- The SEO Handbook Link Building Edition $15
- The Professional's Guide To Link Building by SEOmoz $29
Online Reputation Management
- Elixir Systems Online Reputation Management free
- SEO Space Online Reputation Management free
- Marketing Pilgrim's Online Reputation Monitoring Beginner's Guide free
- Online Reputation Management: All Youll Ever Need to Monitor and Manage Your Reputation Online $19 with free updates
PPC
- How To Write Successful PPC Ads by Karon Thackston $29
- The Mother of All Google AdWords Tips free
- Starting From Scratch: A Paid Search Primer by Ryan Gibson free
Social Media Marketing
- The ABCs and 123s of Social Networking Sites by Me free
- Social Media Marketing - A Beginner's Guide by Michael Pick free
- The Social Media Manual: Read Before You Play by Muhammad Saleem free
Affiliate Marketing
- IAB Affiliate Marketing Guide free
- The Super Affiliate Handbook by Rosalind Gardner $47
Blogging
- Blogging Tips for Beginners by Darren Rowse free
- Killer Flagship Content by Chris Garrett free
- Deep Secrets of Successful Blogging - Learn from 30 Experts free
- How To Make A Living In Your Pajamas by Me free
- In Your Pajamas by Me (the extended version) $5
Of course, there are probably quite a few more I could list here, but this should be enough to get anyone started down the right path. If you're the type who likes actual books, with old-fashioned paper, here are a few that are winners.
Guides to SEO, Social Media and Blogging…
Links to guides (most free!) covering beginner-level topics in SEO, link building, PPC, social media, affiliate marketing and blogging. Useful resources for newbies, particularly aspiring WAHMs who want to make the most of their websites and blogs….
SearchCap: The Day In Search, March 3, 2008…
Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web…….
[…] feed.For those who prefer to go their own optimization (SEO) here is a link to a blog post with several helpful SEO resources. Share and Enjoy:These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover […]
Thanks for the awesome hook up Donna. *-)
Beginner and Comprehensive Guides to SEO, Link Building, PPC, Social Media, Affiliate Marketing and Blogging…
A roundup of ebooks and guides, both free and paid, that would be useful for anyone wanting organized how-to info to study SEO, Link Building, PPC, Social Media, Affiliate Marketing and Blogging…
oh! Thats great lot of information. Thanks a lot!
Lots of useful resources. I would throw Aaron’s blogging post into the blogging mix and maybe his 101 linkbuilding too.
Joe, I already listed Aaron’s blogging post under SEO (it could have gone in either section). Will go look at the 101 post you mention and check it out. It’s not ringing a bell for me at the moment.
well this gives great sources for readers like me 🙂
Hiya Donna… aren’t you just the sweetie puttin my little publication in there… you certainly could have comped one from me ya know – know methinks I am gonna have to tip you $10 to even it out :0)
I am actually re-doing an old post about ‘How to Learn SEO’ and thank you for making some of the research easier.
Once again, much thanks o’ Dazzling One —
Hi Donna,
I just want to say I’ve been using your techinques for some time and I have gone from someone who did not know what SEO was to run my own company and sold it successfully. Its been some time but I have been an avid reader of your blog and shyed from contributing.
I just wanted to say, thank you, last night I sold the company for X million pounds and I have still not been able to go to sleep. I just want to thank my mentors, coaches and teachers along the way and you have been one of them.
Thank you Donna.
Wow, Yusuf, congratulations! That’s absolutely wonderful! I can’t tell you how happy that makes me. Woot!
Thanks Donna for the list. Some essentials for learning SEO.
That’s quite a comment from Yusuf up there, congratulations 🙂
Thanks for adding me to this list, some cool free guides I better check out
Thats quite the information packed list of sites. I’m enjoying going through them. Thanks for taking the time and putting them up.
Nice article and great compilation of nice links to read, i am a beginner with SEO and always find good stuff to builk links for my blog and people like you are more like mesiah helping others. thanks a lot for such nice resources.
Nice compilation of SEO and IM resources. I was glad to see the free ones on the list too.
[…] BloggersUse SEO Scoop As A Launch Pad For New ExposureBeginner and Comprehensive Guides to SEO, Link Building, PPC, Social Media, Affiliate Marketing and …Using Social Profile Pages To Your AdvantageMy Favorite Traffic and Backlink Attraction MethodSearch […]
thanks for the PPC tips, they’re already saving us money!
Thanks for the list!
[…] Beginner and Comprehensive Guides to SEO, Link Building, PPC, etc., etc. – Donna Fontenot The following provide up-to-the-minute information on SEO […]
very great list. it’s very helpful for those who still newbie in seo field like me. thanks!
Great resource Donna
I wish I had come across this post some 6 months ago as it would have saved me an awful lot of time.
Maybe consider adding some SEO blogs to the list, a blogroll as such, as there are some fine blogs that contain as much valuable information in them as some high priced ‘printed’ books on SEO.
Thanks again, Dave.
Nice compilation of great free and paid ebooks! Bookmarked and appreciated!
Great reference article! Bookmarked 🙂
[…] I found a great source. SEO Scoop has been write a superb list about : Beginner and Comprehensive Guides to SEO, Link Building, PPC, Social Media, Affiliate Marketing and Blogging. This helpful SEO resources, […]
Online Reputation Management that is a new topic that I am not familiar with, I will have to get cracking on it so I don’t fall behind the eight ball.
Donna,
Great post. It’s a rare occasion when you find this much useful SEO information in one post.
A couple of the resources I already have but I’ll be getting a few more after this post.
Hitting the seo trail,
Ed
That’s am impressive list…
Have you considered adding in the content that used to be featured on Link Building Bible?
Donna! Looking good! It must have taken a while to collect those neat docs!
@Dave – if I get your doc published in posts on my personal blog can I get beer money too? lols Nah just kidding! Hey Donna – if I were to create a good resource of technical link building tips – would you put me up a neat post?
🙂 Smiles all round! An excellent find by me and a genuinely quality piece of content by thee!