Introduction: Why Learn SEO
In the digital marketing era, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a core strategy for websites to acquire organic traffic. SEO helps websites improve rankings and brings high-quality, intentional visitors with higher conversion potential. These visitors actively search for solutions, making them more likely to engage with content and convert. For AI/SaaS products, SEO is a key channel for sustainable growth, providing a cost-effective way to reach target audiences without ongoing advertising expenses.
Learning SEO's value lies in its long-term nature and scalability. Unlike paid advertising, SEO traffic is continuous—once rankings stabilize, you can continuously gain organic traffic without additional per-click costs. SEO strategies can be applied to multiple pages and keywords, with good scalability allowing systematic expansion. For content creators, marketers, and product managers, mastering SEO skills improves work efficiency and business results, enabling content that serves users and performs well in search engines.
This guide provides a systematic SEO learning path, including quality learning resources, industry expert experience sharing, and practical learning tips. We prioritize English materials, as many SEO terms lack good Chinese translations, and high-quality SEO content websites are mainly personal blogs of SEO practitioners or official blogs of SEO tools. These resources have high content quality and help build comprehensive SEO understanding. English SEO resources often contain latest industry insights, case studies, and best practices not immediately available in other languages.
English SEO Learning Resources
1. Backlinko
Backlinko is a comprehensive online resource platform focused on SEO, content marketing, and link building, founded by SEO expert Brian Dean. The website provides SEO knowledge, tools, and strategies from basics to advanced levels, including keyword research, content marketing, and link building. Its content is known for high quality, data-driven insights, and strong practicality, suitable for users from beginners to experienced practitioners.
Backlinko's core advantage lies in research depth and practicality. The website provides extensive detailed tutorials and guides on SEO, covering technical SEO, keyword optimization, content marketing, link building. Backlinko has in-depth research and rich practical experience in link building, sharing effective techniques like the "Skyscraper Technique", which involves creating high-quality content and actively promoting it to attract high-quality backlinks, improving website search rankings.
Beyond educational content, Backlinko also provides free resources such as keyword research tools, rank checkers, and backlink analysis tools, helping users quickly obtain key data and develop effective SEO plans. The website's content emphasizes data support and real-world cases, helping users understand and apply SEO strategies by showcasing successful cases. Whether SEO beginners or experienced practitioners, all can gain valuable guidance from Backlinko.
Backlinko is particularly suitable for users needing systematic SEO strategy learning and link building techniques. Its content is theoretically solid and focuses on practical application, with each strategy accompanied by detailed case analysis and operation steps. For practitioners wanting to understand white hat SEO techniques and high-quality content strategies, Backlinko is an invaluable learning resource.
2. Semrush Blog
Semrush Blog is the official blog operated by renowned digital marketing tool provider Semrush, focusing on providing practical information and strategies for search engine optimization (SEO), search engine marketing (SEM), pay-per-click advertising (PPC), and content marketing. The blog aims to help marketers, website operators, content creators, and business owners improve their digital marketing capabilities, optimize website performance, and increase brand awareness and traffic.
Semrush Blog's advantage lies in its comprehensive content and timeliness. As the official blog of a tool provider, Semrush Blog not only provides SEO theoretical knowledge but also combines actual application scenarios of its tools, providing many data-based insights and case analyses. Blog content covers from basic SEO techniques to advanced strategies, from technical SEO to content marketing, providing corresponding learning resources for users of different levels.
Semrush Blog is particularly suitable for marketers needing to understand latest SEO trends and tool applications. Its content covers SEO and involves SEM, PPC, content marketing, providing one-stop learning resources for digital marketing practitioners. For users wanting to improve comprehensive digital marketing capabilities, Semrush Blog is an excellent choice.
3. Ahrefs Blog
Ahrefs Blog is the official blog operated by renowned SEO tool provider Ahrefs, aimed at helping readers improve their SEO and digital marketing capabilities. The blog provides rich tutorials, case studies, and data-driven insights, helping users better understand and apply SEO strategies, thereby improving website rankings and organic traffic in search engines.
Ahrefs Blog's feature lies in its depth of research and data-driven content. Blog articles usually contain extensive data analysis and real-world cases, helping readers understand the actual effects of SEO strategies. Ahrefs Blog not only provides SEO basics but also deeply explores advanced SEO techniques and strategies, such as keyword research, link building, technical SEO, etc. Its content quality is high, highly actionable, suitable for practitioners wanting to deeply learn SEO.
Ahrefs Blog is particularly suitable for SEO practitioners needing data support and deep analysis. Its content is theoretically solid and focuses on practical application and effect verification. For marketers wanting to improve SEO effectiveness through data-driven approaches, Ahrefs Blog provides rich learning resources and practical guidance.
4. Search Engine Land
Search Engine Land is a professional news and resource platform focused on SEO, SEM, and digital advertising. It provides marketers, SEO practitioners, advertisers, and website operators with latest industry trends, practical tips, in-depth analysis, and tool resources. Its content covers search engine algorithm updates, SEO strategies, case studies, advertising techniques, helping users improve website organic traffic and online visibility.
Search Engine Land's core value lies in its news value and professionalism. As an authoritative news platform in the SEO industry, Search Engine Land reports search engine algorithm updates, industry trends, and important events in a timely manner. Its content includes news and provides in-depth analysis and commentary, helping readers understand the impact of industry changes on SEO strategies. Additionally, Search Engine Land provides information about industry events and training, helping professionals improve their skills.
Search Engine Land is particularly suitable for SEO practitioners needing to understand latest industry trends and algorithm updates. Its content is timely and accurate and provides in-depth analysis and interpretation, helping readers understand industry changes and adjust SEO strategies. For marketers wanting to maintain sensitivity to the SEO industry, Search Engine Land is an indispensable information source.
Chinese SEO Learning Resources
Chinese websites are easier to read and understand, but some content or terminology translations can be too rigid. It's recommended to read alongside the English original version, which allows you to understand the convenience of Chinese while mastering accurate English terminology.
1. Google Official SEO Starter Guide – Highly Recommended
(Newly redesigned, beginner-friendly, official tutorial)
Google Official SEO Starter Guide is a free resource provided by Google, aimed at helping beginners quickly understand and master the fundamentals and practical tips of search engine optimization (SEO). The guide covers multiple aspects from website structure optimization, content creation to link building, providing clear and easy-to-follow steps and best practice recommendations. It is an authoritative reference for SEO beginners.
As the official guide from the search engine, Google SEO Starter Guide has irreplaceable authority. Guide content is based on Google's deep understanding of search engine working principles, providing the most accurate and reliable SEO recommendations. The guide not only covers basics but also provides practical operation steps and best practices, helping beginners quickly get started with SEO. For beginners wanting to systematically learn SEO basics, this is the best starting point.
Google Official SEO Starter Guide is particularly suitable for SEO beginners and users wanting to understand search engine working principles. Its content is authoritative and reliable, with clear structure, progressive, helping beginners build comprehensive SEO understanding. It's recommended to read Google Official Guide before learning other SEO resources, establishing a correct SEO knowledge foundation.
2. Ahrefs Blog Chinese Version
Ahrefs Official Blog Chinese Version is the Chinese translation of the Ahrefs English blog mentioned above, translated by Chinese practitioners, with smooth language and excellent reading experience. The Chinese version retains the depth and accuracy of the English version and optimizes for Chinese readers' reading habits, making content easier to understand and digest.
Ahrefs Blog Chinese Version's advantage lies in its content professionalism and readability. As the official blog of a renowned SEO tool provider, the Chinese version provides many high-quality SEO tutorials and case analyses, covering all aspects from basic SEO techniques to advanced strategies. For Chinese users, this is an excellent learning resource, allowing you to learn SEO knowledge while understanding practical applications of SEO tools.
Ahrefs Blog Chinese Version is particularly suitable for Chinese users learning SEO. Its content is professional and reliable, with high translation quality, helping Chinese users better understand SEO concepts and strategies. It's recommended that Chinese users refer to Chinese version content while learning English resources, allowing you to understand the convenience of Chinese while mastering accurate English terminology.
3. My Personal Blog
Alignify is my personal blog, where I will regularly update, repost, and compile articles. On one hand, I have a habit of content creation, and previously my Feishu Knowledge Base had limitations, so now I've built my own site for more flexible content formatting. On the other hand, learning from Brian Dean, I'm also making Alignify a vertical growth Backlinko for AI/SaaS tools.
Print Materials
Print materials are not highly recommended, as many external links referenced in other web pages cannot be clicked. Suitable for advanced SEO practitioners and those who want a systematic understanding of SEO.
1. "SEO实战密码" Fourth Edition
I also have a copy, very systematic. I lent it to a friend, and will read it again when I get it back. Author ZAC's personal blog: https://www.seozac.com/
2. The Art of SEO
"The Art of SEO" is an authoritative SEO guide co-authored by three renowned experts in search engine optimization: Eric Enge, Stephan Spencer, and Jessie Stricchiola. This book systematically introduces SEO fundamentals, advanced strategies, and latest trends, aiming to help readers plan and execute comprehensive SEO strategies. The book not only covers search engine internal mechanisms, algorithm updates, social media and SEO interactions, but also explores optimization opportunities in emerging areas such as mobile search, local search, vertical search, social search, and voice search. Additionally, the book provides rich tools and methods to help readers track SEO effectiveness and measure success. Both SEO beginners and experienced practitioners can gain valuable guidance and reference from this book. It's on my Todo List, I'll read it when I have time.
In addition to these resources, you can also read their works:
SEO Experts
1. Matt Cutts – Google Semi-Official Spokesperson
Biography
Early Google Employee
Joined in 2000, one of the first 100 employees
Academic Background
Bachelor's from University of Kentucky, Ph.D. from UNC
SafeSearch Founder
Developed Google's family content filter
Webspam Team
Long-term leader, combating SEO spam
His contribution to SEO is mainly reflected in his role as a bridge between Google and webmasters, as well as conveying authoritative information to the outside world through his personal blog. During his tenure at Google, he long participated in webmaster forums, represented Google at seminars, and helped webmasters understand Google's technical philosophy and policies. His blog became an important semi-official information source in the SEO field, previewing algorithm updates, confirming SEO techniques, providing technical hints, and collecting webmaster feedback, promoting the standardized development of the SEO industry, encouraging practitioners to focus more on content quality and user experience, reducing misunderstandings and abuse of search engines, and having a profound impact on the development of the entire SEO industry.
2. Brian Dean – Backlinko Founder
Brian Dean is a globally renowned SEO expert and internet marketing master, and the founder of Backlinko. With his outstanding contributions to the SEO field, he is known as an "expert among experts", and his influence and professionalism are widely recognized in the industry.
Personal Experience
Brian Dean initially was a nutrition graduate student, but turned to internet entrepreneurship due to the financial crisis. His early entrepreneurial attempts ended in failure, but he gradually emerged during his self-learning of SEO. In 2012, he founded Backlinko, a blog focused on advanced SEO and digital marketing strategies. Through sharing practical SEO strategies and case studies, Backlinko quickly became one of the most popular marketing blogs globally.
Contributions to SEO
- Promotion of White Hat SEO: Brian Dean focuses on white hat SEO (optimization methods that comply with search engine standards and quality requirements), proposing a series of innovative SEO strategies to help websites improve rankings through high-quality content and natural link building. His "Skyscraper Technique" for backlinks is one of the most representative strategies, attracting a large number of high-quality backlinks by creating high-quality content and actively promoting it, thereby improving website search engine rankings.
- High-Quality Content Strategy: He emphasizes the importance of content quality, advocating attracting natural traffic through in-depth research and carefully planned content. His blog posts are usually polished over a long time, detailed and easy to read, and accompanied by a large number of original images, greatly improving user experience.
- Trend Prediction Tools: In addition to Backlinko, Brian Dean also co-founded Exploding Topics, a tool that uses artificial intelligence to analyze network data to predict emerging trends. Unlike Google Trends, Exploding Topics can help users discover trends before they become mainstream, providing forward-looking guidance for content creation and market strategies.
- Industry Leadership and Sharing: Brian Dean shares a large number of practical SEO tips and strategies through blogs, video tutorials, webinars, and speeches. His content not only helps countless businesses improve online visibility but also provides valuable guidance for SEO practitioners, promoting the standardized development of the entire industry.
Subsequent Development
In 2022, Backlinko was acquired by Semrush, but Brian Dean still participates as a contributor. Additionally, he continues to provide innovative tools and strategies for the SEO and digital marketing fields through projects like Exploding Topics.
Brian Dean's success story proves that through continuous learning, innovation, and adherence to high-quality content strategies, great achievements can be made in the SEO field. His contributions not only changed the face of the SEO industry but also provided valuable guidance and inspiration for countless practitioners.
3. Rand Fishkin – Moz Founder
Rand Fishkin, born in 1979, is a renowned SEO expert and entrepreneur. He founded the SEOmoz blog in 2004, and with his in-depth SEO knowledge and passion, quickly became one of the most popular resources in the SEO field. In 2007, he co-founded SEOmoz (later renamed Moz) with his mother and served as CEO, transforming the company from SEO consulting to providing SEO software tools, developing tools such as MozBar and Open Site Explorer, greatly promoting the standardization and toolization of the SEO industry.
His contribution to SEO is not only reflected in tool development but also in his popularization and transparency of SEO knowledge. His "Beginner's Guide to SEO" became a classic tutorial in the SEO field and still ranks first when searching "SEO" on Google. Additionally, he led Moz's SEO ranking factors research report published every two years, providing important reference for SEO practitioners.
In 2014, Rand stepped down as Moz CEO due to depression and left the company in 2018. After leaving Moz, he founded SparkToro, focusing on audience intelligence analysis. He also published books such as "Lost and Founder: A Painfully Honest Field Guide to the Startup World", sharing entrepreneurial experiences and SEO insights. Rand Fishkin greatly promoted the standardization and professionalization of the SEO industry through his tools, research, and sharing.
Other SEO experts: Danny Sullivan (Search Engine Watch), Avinash Kaushik (Google Digital Marketing Expert), Justin Cutroni (GA Team Leader), Brian Solis, and others.
Using Google Search Effectively
SEO-related content is one of the topics with the highest keyword difficulty. As meta-information for SEO, related content creators are also the group most knowledgeable about SEO. For general topics, content quality may drop significantly by the second page of Google search, but SEO-related questions still have very valuable content on the second page.
As long as you are familiar with all SEO concepts or English terminology, you can search for all information on Google. For example, if a website page is not indexed, you can directly search "Website not indexed".
Semrush even ran ads for this keyword.
Learning by Doing
SEO is ultimately an art of practice. Merely staying at the theoretical stage cannot help websites gain traffic. On the contrary, many growth professionals who don't understand SEO have pushed natural traffic to peaks simply through content marketing, Product-Led SEO, or other means. From this perspective, SEO acts more like a lever. Buying a domain or using WordPress's free website building service can help you quickly improve your SEO skills.
