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.