DIY SEO: The Five Must-Have Resources for Startups in 2013
Let’s face it: if you’re paying for Adwords and SEO services, you’re probably paying a LOT for Adwords and SEO services, and that can seriously strain a tight startup budget. The good news is that small business people can do some or all their SEO work themselves. It takes a little study and you’ll need to keep on top of Google Algorithm updates, but there are plenty of ways to increase your website’s performance without paying a fortune for clicks and links!
Google Adwords Keyword Tool
It’s not the easiest tool to learn – it’s designed first and foremost for planning Adwords campaigns, so you’ll need to spend some time getting to understand it – but once you do, the online world is your oyster. Google released a free Adwords step-by-step guide to building successful campaigns, and if you have the patience and willingness to learn, it’ll prove an invaluable resource. Optimise every blog, every product description, find great market niches and get some insights into what your competitors are up to – all in one addictive resource.
SEOMoz Community Membership
SEOMoz is the world’s leading SEO resource. The site is packed with tutorials, case studies and community contributions that will explain everything for you. In addition to White Board Fridays (step by step video tutorials), the gigantic selection of blogs and information there is the SEOMoz tool kit, possibly the best on the planet.
With a free, community membership you can access Linkscape, the most useful of the whole tool box. Linkscape has everything you need to analyze your competitors’ sites, their incoming links, their anchor text and their website’s SEO metrics. It’s a vital tool that comes in a handy tool bar for constant snooping value.
The premium membership (around $100 a month) opens up a plethora of very useful tools to help you find the right keywords and the right SEO strategy and is worth the monthly investment.
SEM Rush
SEM Rush is an at-a-glance guide to what your competitors are up to. Learn how many keywords they’re ranking for, how much monthly traffic they’re getting from search engines and what they’re spending on Adwords. You’ll also find a summary of businesses targeting the same keywords as you – so you’ll know who your REAL competitors are (this might surprise you!). This is by far the most addictive tool you’ll find for SEO.
Google’s Webmaster Blog
This will keep you on top of all the changes to Google’s algorithm and link you to useful tools and tip sheets published by Google itself. The algorithm changes dozens of times a year, and some will impact how you do SEO so it’s vital to take a look now and then to make sure you’re still on track.
Traffic Planet Forum Membership
Got questions or insights? This is the go-to place for SEOs. Learn the tips and tricks (from white hat to black – though be careful with black hat SEO tactics; Google has been cracking down on black hat techniques with their latest updates) and ask questions, start discussions and contribute your own knowledge to the discussion. This is a great place to discuss findings from SEO round tables (where a lot of SEO companies come together to share and compare their research) and to learn what algorithm changes will mean for your SEO plan.
