Our Guide to the must have SEO tools

SEO has three levels – Basic, Intermediate and Advanced. Learning very basic knowledge will set you on the beginner’s path of SEO. Once you become more comfortable you can progress to the intermediate level and learn new tips and techniques. However to become an advanced SEO guru you need a wealth of knowledge. This is not as difficult as it sounds as there is a whole online world of knowledge and resource material available ready to take you to that next level.

If you are an SEO virgin fear not as in no time at all you can grasp all the basics required for basic search engine optimisation.  Below are basic, intermediate and advanced tips that you should know:

Mastering the basics of SEO

• Virgin SEO websites are all over the internet. Each of these sites offers a variety of tips, techniques and knowledge bases.  The most proficient of form of SEO education has to be the cheat sheet. One of the best resources available on the net today is the Business Insider’s website. Here you will find 10 basic SEO tips that should be followed by every web developer.  However, if you are looking for a more definitive and comprehensive resource for SEO then SEOMoz is where you should be heading as they have a great free beginner’s guide to SEO.
  
  
• For a great SEO guide then look no further than Google. They have a great guide to search engine optimisation for beginners. This guide is very much similar to the one offered from Yahoo. The difference here is the Yahoo SEO basics guide is less technical than the Google one. However, both are great guides for anyone looking to become proficient in SEO.
  
  
• Although there are great resources online, many of us still want to back this up with the good old fashioned way – printed material.  Some great printed literature includes ‘Get to #1 on Google in Easy Steps’ and ‘Search Engine Optimisation for Dummies’. Both these guides are simple and easy to read and drill down to the basics of SEO. The Easy Steps book has great visual pictures and tips making it easy to read while the Dummies book has more detail but is still easy to read.
  
  
• Mastering the basics is a challenge so to ensure you have mastered them take a look at SEOMoz’s ‘Beginner’s Checklist For Learning SEO’ as this acts as a final exam covering the basic fundamentals.

Intermediate stage of learning SEO

• Ok, so you have passed the beginner’s SEO. At this point you need to use the knowledge gained and take it to the next level. This is done by using the basic principles learnt and then applying them to real situations.  A great resource is the SEO Theory Blog. This site has a fantastic section totally dedicated to posts about SEO intermediate techniques. These include nofollow links, how to smartly use sub domains and getting the best out of micro sites.
  
  
• For small business website owners there are a few websites that offer free SEO courses which are run through Yahoo groups.  These courses are specifically designed for small business owners to help them get their hands dirty with SEO techniques.
  
  
• Vertical Measures is an SEO company that offers great free webinars for those who like to visually learn.  These video cover a range of topics including content optimisation, finding keywords and how to use a sitemap.
  
  
• If you have some money Kalena Jordan, an SEO expert runs a series of online classes via the Search Engine College.  The course syllabus includes courses on copywriting and PPC advertising. The course fees range in price but there is something for everyone.
  
  
• Another area for gaining SEO knowledge is SEO conferences. These are ideal for group learning and resource sharing.

Mastering Advanced SEO

• Ok so you passed the basics of SEO and the Intermediate levels, it is now time to get into the nitty gritty and learn the advanced principles of search engine optimisation. At this point you should be getting involved in hard core SEO. The best place for advanced SEO training is from a text book and books like SEO Warrior or The Art of SEO are both good places to start.  Both of these books are very thorough and provide in-depth knowledge, analysis and techniques all perfect for SEO professionals.
  
  
• The SEO industry works at a very fast page and is always changing. The most important lesson that can be learnt from SEO is the lesson about staying ahead of the game.  To do this ensure you are active in places where people are sharing information and talking about the industry.
  
  
• There are some great online SEO communities including Quora, Stack Exchange, SEOMoz and Warrior Forum. All of these are thriving with activity and if you are looking for an answer to a question, this is the place where you are most likely to find the answer. One popular growing community is the SEOMoz Whiteboard Friday. This is a series of in depth topics covering almost everything SEO related.
  
  
• The best place to go is straight to the horse’s mouth. In the SEO world this would be Mr Matt Cutts himself – the guru behind Google search. Matt Cutts regularly blogs and a good source of information is the Google Webmaster Central Blog.  For useful video information you can’t beat YouTube.