Beginner's Guide to Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

[djbaxter]

Beginner's Guide to Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
SEOMoz

The Beginner's Guide to Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is an in depth tutorial on how search engines work that covers the fundamental strategies that make websites search engine friendly.

It's also a free download, although you will need to supply your email address.

Get it here: http://guides.seomoz.org/beginners-guide-to-search-engine-optimization

 

[fltrader04]

You share such the nice and useful resource for SEO learner. I'll stop by to learn more knowledge. Thanks!!

 

[Resell Rights Ebooks]

I have downloaded the updated PDF version. Even though the information is invaluable, I was surprised more effort was not put forth to provide clean, crisp images and text. A suggestion for the next update

 

[djbaxter]

They are Web 2.0 style, I agree, but I don't find them objectionable. In any case, feedback should go to SEOMoz.com and note that this eBook is (c) SEOMoz.

 

[Mike22]

I will read this right now because I never heard of this eBook. It must contain some nice tips because DMOZ became the most successful directory for a reason: they rule the SEO world.
// offtopic
I was never able to get into DMOZ, maybe if I optimize my websites I have higher chance?

 

[djbaxter]

I will read this right now because I never heard of this eBook. It must contain some nice tips because DMOZ became the most successful directory for a reason: they rule the SEO world.
// offtopic
I was never able to get into DMOZ, maybe if I optimize my websites I have higher chance?

Really, no. DMOZ does not rule the SEO world and many of their editors seem to take great pride in knowing nothing about SEO. Indeed, they seem to view SEO as an enemy spawning unscrupulous webmaster submissions.

Optimizing your website won't help you get listed in DMOZ. Nothing will really help you get listed in DMOZ except catching the eye of whatever whim a specific editor is operating on that day.

Additionally, being listed in DMOZ will not provide any special or major boost. There is no special value given to a DMOZ or EDU or GOV link. In all cases, it is evaluated like any other link.

In Google, the value is the amount of PageRank it passes and the anchor text in the link to your page. In DMOZ, the anchor text and description are usually poor from an SEO standpoint. And PR is a function of PR of the page you are listed on divided by the total number of outgoing links, including internal navigation links and nofollow links, on that page, which in the case of DMOZ can be a large number:

{PR of originating page} * .85 / {total number of outgoing links on the page}

 

[Mike22]

Thank you minstrel for your response. You opened my eyes because I always taught that .edu and .gov links are special, I even paid more than 30-40$ to buy 3 doFollow .edu links. Now I regret it because I could have spent it on other things.

You are right, the current editors are destroying the site because they are corrupt. I have tried to get listed 2-3 times but I failed, even with quality websites with quality content.

Thank you again.

 

[djbaxter]

SEO article in Newsweek
In comments:

Matt Said,
December 12, 2005 @ 9:48 am
Yahoo links are helpful because they’re high PageRank, but that’s the only reason; there’s no special “Yahoo boost” or edu-boost or gov-boost. Those links just tend to be higher quality.

Lightning Round!

And Thomas writes in and says does Google index or rank blog sites differently than regular web sites. That’s a good question, not really. Some one else asked about links from gov’s and edu’s and whether links from two levels deep gov’s and edu’s, like gov.pl are worth the same as .gov, and the fact is that we don’t really have much in the way of saying oh this is a link from the ODP or from .gov or .edu so give that some sort of special boost. It’s just those sites tend to have higher Pagerank because more people link to them and reputable people link to them.

DMOZ:
I’m on debunking duty
Matt Cutts
December 8, 2006
In comments:

December 8, 2006 @ 7:51 pm
There is no special “ODP boost.” The PageRank value of a link from an ODP page is solely because that ODP page has high PageRank.

Note: ODP is another name for DMOZ.

 

[JerickT]

Great post indeed. I'm the one of the person who learn SEO just by reading forums like this. I will surely take time to study this.. Thanks!

 

[imtheonetoo]

Thanx for sharing this usefull book - I try enhance hy SEO skills, and this guide is good - but there should be more pictures along with it.. even though I liked it