Keeping your website ahead of the competition requires staying on top of the latest search engine optimization (SEO) techniques and trends. If this sounds daunting, you might be overthinking it. Whether you’re just getting started with SEO or you’re an experienced marketer, there are loads of easy ways to gather intel on the current optimization trends and those pesky Google algorithm updates.
Our Favorite SEO Trends & News Resources
Get ready to bookmark these—
Blogs:
- Google Search Central Blog: Get algo updates from the source
- HubSpot Blog: What’s next in AI? HubSpot has an entire blog section
- Moz Blog: First-hand accounts and SEO advice on (seemingly) endless topics
- SEMRush Blog: Product updates and tips on marketing and Paid Search
- Ahrefs Blog: Case studies, stats, and best practices from marketing experts
- SEO Blog by Aleyda Solis: Up-to-date tips and news from a world-renowned consultant
- Yoast: Tips, tricks, and complete SEO guides
- Search Engine Journal: Articles for heavy lifts and easy wins
Podcasts:
- Search Off the Record: A podcast by some of Google’s best
- SERP’s Up: Authentic and interesting weekly episodes
YouTube:
- Neil Patel: Quick hits of information for busy marketers
- Ahrefs: Watchable SEO tutorials, courses, and tips
- Moz: Get all the whiteboard goodness from the blog in one convenient spot
Learn From SEO Blogs
Learning is the top reason people read blogs, so it only makes sense to seek out articles by industry experts to find out what’s new in SEO. If you’re already a blog reader—fantastic. Excellent, informative marketing blogs feature the latest optimization trends and tactics in interesting posts. Marketing beginners might love Mangools SEO blog for its easy-to-digest content. And if you’re looking for more in-depth, technical blogs, SEO consultant Aleyda Solis and others share their expertise (plus handy tracking spreadsheets and templates) on a variety of blogs.
Search Engines
Following the Google Search Central Blog is a no-brainer for anyone who wants to keep up with the latest announcements on algorithm updates and trends. Use the ranking updates release history to get caught up on what you might’ve missed and then subscribe to stay in the know. When you’re optimizing for alternative search engines, read Bing’s webmaster blog to learn of feature updates and new SEO tools that’ll help you capture other audiences.
Professional Marketers
Want free SEO advice, tips, and tactics from experts? Yes, please. Turn toward those who practice what they preach by reading blogs written by marketing pros. A good marketing agency knows the value that well-written, informative articles bring to its website, which is what makes these posts such an excellent source of SEO news.
SEO Software Publishers
Even non-customers of the bigwig software publishers can glean tips about SEO trends from their blog posts. Though articles by HubSpot, Moz, Ahrefs, or SEMRush feature their services, the nuggets of information about SEO trends and algorithm updates are still facts—and you’ll get plenty of actionable advice at that.
Get Updates From the Search Marketing Community
When Google algorithm updates come through, you can bet I head online to commiserate—or celebrate—with fellow marketers. Joining forums and discussion groups offers opportunities to listen in on conversations regarding SEO announcements and other news. You don’t have to be a marketing maven to join these groups, and you’ll meet other professionals happy to network.
SEO Forums and Online Groups
While you’ll want to be discerning when taking advice from Facebook groups and Reddit commenters, these are still excellent sources of industry news. Following threads like r/bigseo offers solid insight on how fellow website owners deal with ever-changing ranking factors. Joining official groups created by software companies also provides specific information about the SEO update related to the platform you’re running.
Social Media
If you think influencers are only for fashion and home décor, think again. You’ll find plenty of SEO influencers (aka thought leaders) on social platforms discussing algorithm updates as soon as they drop. Neil Patel, Matt Diggity, and Cyrus Shepard are a few in a long list of pros worth following. Remember to check out LinkedIn, too. You could spend all day scrolling through this community reading search marketers publishing insights and collaborative articles about trending SEO tactics. Because social sites cross-promote the website, podcast, and YouTube channel, these one-stop shops point you to a catalog of information without requiring extra searching.
Industry Events
Conferences feature speakers discussing where SEO is headed and what trends to expect next and offer awesome networking opportunities for new and experienced marketers. Ahrefs recommends a dozen or so SEO conferences for 2024, but if attending these isn’t in the cards for you, don’t fret. Webinars and online events with marketing companies, professionals, and business owners provide a lot of valuable information and advice for keeping your site’s SEO in tip-top shape. Watch LinkedIn, Search Engine Journal, and Yoast for webinar announcements, or research events offered by the e-commerce platform you use.
Subscribe to Industry Sources
Staying up to date on SEO information can be a chore. Instead of trying to data-mine every website you can find, subscribe to reputable industry sources to get news delivered directly to your inbox. As a busy marketer, hand-delivered and bookmarked sources make staying on top of the latest trends a cinch.
Newsletters
Nearly every platform and industry website offers some version of a newsletter. We recommend you try out a few to find one or two that match your interests. I know when I find the writing style and information interesting, I’m more inclined to read it and stay on top of SEO updates. It might take some trial and error to find a good match. If you’re unsure where to begin, join an online group and ask for recommendations or check out this vetted SEO newsletter list by Ahrefs.
Podcasts
If you love getting your news while driving or running, or you prefer to hear people’s voices—and personalities—consider listening to podcasts about SEO topics. These offer interesting interviews and insights from industry experts; the feedback on current Google algorithm updates and predictions on upcoming ranking factors are worth tuning in for. Search Off the Record is a monthly podcast by Google’s Search Relations team that features a rotation of hosts, and SERP’s Up offers a weekly listen that promises a more lighthearted take on SEO for your listening pleasure.
YouTube Channels
Making technical SEO updates isn’t for everyone, but streaming videos via YouTube Channels can help. If you aren’t sure whether to hand off a task to a pro, watch the video and see (rather than getting halfway through a change only to discover you need help). These videos provide excellent visuals but they also offer great commentary and examples. The choices can seem a bit endless, but Neil Patel, Ahrefs, and Moz are my go-to sources for how-tos.
Improve Your SEO Strategy
Google’s next algorithm update isn’t going to suddenly devalue a site with well-written content, informative product descriptions, and fast-loading pages. If your content creation began with a rock-solid strategy, most of the ranking factors that search engines reward are already in place. Quality content is more than capable of holding website rankings in good shape while you adjust your strategy to account for search engine changes. And updating your content to align with SEO updates will likely require only tweaks, rather than wholesale changes when it’s solid to begin with.
Prepare your website to stay ahead of SEO updates before they’re announced with these tips:
- Boost your blog with fresh SEO-friendly content
- Be strategic about which keywords you use and where
- Write for the reader, but optimize for the search engine
- Structure site content using headers, tags, and optimized meta descriptions
- Monitor your site and use dips in performance to identify pages affected by algorithm updates
If you’re ready to optimize your website to meet the demands of today and the trends of tomorrow, contact Eight Oh Two. As a leader in search engine optimization and performance marketing, we use best-in-class technology and human intelligence to help businesses grow.