SEO Basics

If you're on this page, you probably want to learn the basics of modern SEO, right? Never fear! Here at Moz, we practically invented basic SEO, and we'll keep you up to date on the latest standards.

If you haven't already, you probably want to read the newly updated Beginner's Guide to SEO. It explains key concepts like how search engines work, keyword research, and the importance of links.

Here, we've listed some of our favorite posts on SEO basics, and you'll find the most recent blog posts below.

SEO 101: The Beginner's Guide to SEO : Start here to understand the basics of modern SEO.

SEO Learning Center : Moz's free SEO learning resources are continually updated, and a virtual encyclopedia of SEO tips and tactics.

The Web Developer's SEO Cheat Sheet 3.0 : If you're looking for basic technical SEO considerations, this 4 page downloadable cheat sheet will get you started on the basics of meta tags and more.

How to Rank : The SEO Checklist: Ranking in Google really isn't as hard as some folks make it seem. In this video, our SEO guru Rand Fishkin gives you a simple checklist for greater visibility.

Keyword Research : The Beginner's Guide to SEO: SEO almost always starts with keywords, so we thought this would be a good place for you to start too.

Most Recent Articles on SEO Basics

SEO Contract Template: A Verbal Contract Isn't Worth The Paper It's Written On
Melanie Nathan

SEO Contract Template: A Verbal Contract Isn't Worth The Paper It's Written On

Having bounced around the SEO industry for the past few years, I’ve managed to keep a record of (what I consider to be) useful information when it comes to dealing with SEO client’s. When I was an SEO consultant I used this information to create a personalized SEO contract for my business. With all the hoopla out there about SEO’s being snakes, deadbeats etc, I figured now wou...

Looking To Bag An Elephant?  Try "Mozbait"
S

Looking To Bag An Elephant? Try "Mozbait"

“I bagged the elephant!”, shrieks Bud Fox, the fledgling stockbroker from 1987’s “WallStreet”, after learning that he’s just landed financial mogul Gordon Gekko as his newest client. So, how does Bud hook the top-dog in the highly competitive world of stock trading? By raving about the value of his company’s services? Throwing ...

Finding a Good Web Design / SEO Firm (When You Already Are One)
Joe Rozsa

Finding a Good Web Design / SEO Firm (When You Already Are One)

This afternoon I have the privilege of interviewing a web design firm for a fairly large project. I'm currently in discussions with a company to become the COO of a nicely funded semi-startup, and unfortunately the owners of the firm have already selected a web design firm (thankfully I'm not bound to keep them in any way). As one of the final steps before I take this role, ...

Plan for the Holidays Nice and Early By Analyzing Search Trends
Rebecca Kelley

Plan for the Holidays Nice and Early By Analyzing Search Trends

Happy Halloween, everyone! We here at SEOmoz are all dressed as internet marketers! Wheee! Did you adequately prepare for the holiday? Have your costume picked out and ready to go? Pumpkins carved into spooky jack-o-lanterns? Decorations put up? Candy purchased (none of those healthy granola bars, or your house'll get egged)? Site optimized for all that lovely holiday traffic? No? Uh oh......

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The SEO's Guide to Beginners
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The SEO's Guide to Beginners

(Prelude from Rand: The following comes from the lovely, talented Mystery Guest, who felt that we in the SEO industry needed, nay had earned a bit of her outsider's perspective. Thanks, kiddo - you rock.)A lot of people are under the erroneous impression that I am not only part of the SEO industry, but that I have an extensive understanding of SEO, in general.This is woefully ...

The SEO Routine
Rand Fishkin

The SEO Routine

Mark Scott wrote me this morning to ask about recommendations for an SEO "routine" - putting together the process for all the tasks required to successfully implement search friendliness, targeting, marketing and all the other elements of SEO. I'm happy to oblige :) At SEOmoz, we've got a fairly standard process for sites we build and market (internally) that goes something li...