Search Engine Optimization Resources

Tutorials and Tip Sheets

1. Search engine ranking factors by Rand Fishkin at SEOMoz. Rand Fishkin invited twelve of the most well-known people in the search engine optimization industry to complete a survey to rank approximately 100 factors. The collective weight of these experts' opinions is generally regarded as representative of the industry's expectations.



2. Beginner's Guide to SEO, another article by Rand Fishkin of SEOMoz. This is considered to be one of the best starter guides on the Internet.



3. PageRank: Where it helps, where it doesn't help, and other facts by Michael Martinez. A concise summary of verifiable facts about the Google PageRank algorithm and several popular SEO myths. Includes links to authoritative references.



4. Building Visibility: A Three-Point Plan For Any Business by Michael Martinez. Article at eZineArticles.com.



5. High Quality Links: What's In Your Link Quality? discusses three types of very hard to get but very valuable links.



6. High Quality Content: Three Types of Quick, Indexable, Useful Content outlines three Web pages nearly any business site should be able to include and benefit from.



7. The Martinez Dictionary of SEO and Spam Terminology, 2006 Edition and SEO Terms That Make You Go 'Huh'? are two great articles from SEOMoz that explain common terminology from the SEO industry.



8. Crafting Content: Using Elite Directories On Business Sites explains how outbound linkage can be enhanced with accompanying content and organized into 'expert' (aka 'hub') pages. Followup comments include specific working examples and suggestions for types of business sites that can easily implement Elite Directories.

Technical Papers

1. On the Googleness of Being, a paper Michael Martinez published in early 2005 about inferred significant shifts in the Google algorithm toward trust factors. This is the first major treatment of Google and Trust-based filtering in SEO literature.



2. Google Ranking Strategies paper by Michael Martinez. He says some of the ideas are no longer valid, but the paper includes a section near the end explaining one method for evaluating the competitiveness of a search query. Worth the read just for that section alone.



3. Trust & Inheritance - Testing Hypotheticals and Google. A followup at Threadwatch to the Google Ranking Strategies paper where Michael provides a list of bullet points explaining what the paper is all about.



4. John Scott's May 2004 Google Sandbox explanation revisited brings together numerous citations to support John Scott's early report (made soon after the Sandbox Effect had first been noticed by the SEO community) that links were being evaluated, not domains.



5. Google Reputation and Trusted Content discusses several statements by Google engineer Matt Cutts and analyzes several algorithm updates Google pushed out in 2005 on the basis of trust.



6. My Big Daddy Post-update analysis by Michael Martinez. Big Daddy is the name Google engineer Matt Cutts gave to the extensive rewrite of their software that Google rolled out from late December 2005 through March 2006. At the end of the update, according to Cutts, the old Google was turned off and ceased to exist.



7. Google's Supplemental Index: I Think I Understand It Now... by Michael Martinez speculates on what the infamous supplemental results really are and why some sites get more supplemental listings than others. Draws on several statements by Google engineer Matt Cutts.

Other Resources

1. Talmir's SEO and Web Dev Directory. Highly selective resource. They don't just link to anyone. Good editorial review.



2. SEOMoz Blog. One of the most popular and infuential team blogs in the SEO industry. Several of the contributors are major names in search engine optimization, and many comments are posted by other so-called "A List" and "B List" SEO experts.
   
   
3. Bill Slawski's SEO By the Sea blog, where he reviews and analyzes the latest search engine-related patent applications. Slawski is considered to be the most knowledgable SEO regarding patent applications.



4. Google Says ... blog by Michael Martinez analyzes announcements and statements by Google and Google employees.



5. BarCamp Wiki. BarCamps are "unconferences" where anyone can present on any topic of interest to the audience. Many SEOs have begun taking an active interest in the BarCamp movement.



6. LED Digest. Originally a discussion list for the old Link Exchange free banner network, now a general Web marketing and business promotion discussion list with an active subscriber base of around 45,000. A broad, diverse selection of opinions and experience are represented on LED Digest.



7. Keyword Suggestion Tool by Digital Point. One of the very best free resources available for keyword research.



8. WordTracker Keyword Reporting is one of the most thorough, professional keyword reporting services online.

Michael Martinez is a leader in today's field of search engine optimization theory. He has been active in search engine optimization since 1998. Michael's Web sites (including Xenite.Org, SF-FANDOM, and Michael-Martinez.com) are widely recognized for dominating their search categories.

Michael Martinez has advised and assisted hundreds of business Web site operators optimize their sites, strategize their promotion campaigns, and achieve consistently high search engine rankings. Michael's articles, research, and advice are considered "must read" content by many of today's leading search engine consultants. SEO Consulting provides concise, valuable information and optimization tips, as well as screen captures of top rankings Michael has achieved a selection of Web sites.