The difficulties of finding trustworthy SEO blogs to follow
Finding trustworthy resources online is becoming more and more challenging every day.
While people are becoming increasingly more cautious about who or what they believe online, there are still those who tend to believe anything they read.
It’s hard to believe websites like The Huffington Post or Vox are actually considered trustworthy news sources, but apparently, people still read them.
The point is: finding the reliable resources online can be difficult. Finding an SEO or digital marketing blog can be just as difficult.
There are countless SEO blogs, digital marketing blogs, and social media marketing blogs that write almost every article with the underlying intention of getting you to buy something or sign up for some software which will reward them a referral percentage.
We are dedicated to weeding out these SEO and online marketing blogs to create a list of reliable SEO resources
Rather than just cover “SEO blogs” we decided to include all the websites we consistently read relevant to anything digital marketing.
Digital marketing includes topics like SEO, social media marketing, digital advertising, content marketing and anything else you do to promote your business or website online.
We, here at DELT, don’t fall for any of that bush-league bullshit. We have a list of SEO and online marketing blogs we actually read and trust.
Nearly all the lists we read titled “Best SEO Blogs” or “SEO Blogs to Follow in 2017” had the same 5 or 6 popular SEO blogs with little to no explanation as to why they made the list.
Our list is compiled of websites we read on a weekly basis.
An overview of our list of the best SEO and digital marketing blogs:
- Backlinko
- Moz
- Convince and Convert
- Neil Patel
- Social Media Examiner
- SEMRush Blog
Backlinko
Areas Cover:
- Content creation
- Link building
- Content marketing
- Keyword research
- On-site optimization
Backlinko is an SEO blog by Brian Dean. Backlinko’s primary purpose is to provide different approaches to building a quality link building campaign.
Over the years, Backlinko has expanded to a wider range of search engine optimization and online marketing topics like Keyword Research, content creation, and search engine ranking factors in general.
Why we read it
Brian Dean’s approach to SEO steps outside the normal realm of running a digital marketing campaign.
He finds innovative ways to research, analyze, and implement the right search engine strategy for any business.
Backlinko’s link building resources are the best you will find on any website.
Another element that makes Backlinko even more reliable is the real-life examples and detailed case studies it provides.
Our Rating: 9/10
Moz
Areas covered:
- Local SEO
- Content creation and marketing
- On-site SEO
- Email marketing
Moz is considered to be one of the founders of search engine optimization.
Founded in 2004, Moz has been analyzing search engine trends closer than anyone else in the market.
Their SEO software, Moz Pro and Moz Local, are some of the most popular SEO tools used today.
Along with their software, Moz also offers one of the best SEO blogs online.
Why we read it
Other than Google employees, the people at Moz are probably the most well-informed search engine optimization specialists in the world.
They cover a wide range of digital marketing topics like SEO, content creation, and local search.
Their ability to analyze Google’s algorithm changes makes them an invaluable resource for anyone involved with SEO or online marketing. They use their data to create content that really does benefit their readers.
Our Rating: 8.5/10
Convince and Convert
Areas covered
- Content marketing
- Social media marketing
- Email marketing
Founded in 2008 by Jay Baer, Convince and Convert’s primary objective is to gain sales through their digital marketing consulting. Their primary areas of expertise are social customer service, content marketing, social media, and influencer marketing.
Convince and Convert also provides its readers with podcasts, email subscriptions, books, and a blog.
Why we read it
The primary reason we actively read Convince and Convert’s digital marketing blog is their wide range of topics, they provide in-depth articles, and they frequently update their blog with new posts.
While they do cover a wide range of topics, our favorite topics are those related to content marketing and blogging services/campaigns.
We have learned a lot of strategies on content creation and different ways to market published content. They constantly update their articles with fresh content that can be used for just about any sort of website or business.
Our Rating: 8/10
Neil Patel
Areas covered
- Digital advertising
- Local SEO
- Social media marketing
- Content marketing
I first read about Neil Patel when I read an article about his helicopter. When I realized he worked in the search engine optimization industry I thought, well that’s pretty baller.
I figured if this dude had a helicopter, I could probably get one.
Needless to say, Neil is still a leader in the digital marketing game and I still drive a car like a damn scrub.
Neil Patel’s website aims to increase his sales by converting visitors into clients. Like most consulting websites, you will get several popups asking you to subscribe or sign up for a consultation.
If you scroll all the way down you will find a link to his blog.
Why we read it
Patel’s blog has a very clean design that makes for a very pleasant user experience.
Along with a solid UX design, Patel’s blog also has some extremely informative digital marketing articles.
In my opinion, Patel’s articles are either hit or miss. Like most company blogs, you can tell he does not want to give away too much information due to the fact that his primary goal is to increase sales.
With that being said, we have found a lot of topics and strategies that gave us an innovative outlook on how to approach a number of online marketing campaigns.
Our Rating: 7.5/10
Social Media Examiner
Areas covered
- Social media marketing
Social Media Examiner is most marketer’s go-to resource for anything social media marketing related.
Social Media Examiner is known for their live events and shows for social media marketers around the world.
SME’s website looks like it was designed for a corny seafood restaurant that makes you wear stupid bibs when you eat crab legs, but if you manage to navigate to an article you will find some quality social media marketing advice.
Why we read it
It is hard to find a better resource for any social media marketing topic online.
They are constantly updating their blog with industry news and new strategies for social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube and help businesses both big and small.
Along with strategic planning, Social Media Examiner also constantly provides readers with new tools, updates, and news in the social media industry.
Our Rating: 8.5/10
SEMRush Blog
Areas covered
- Local SEO
- Social media marketing
- On-site SEO
- Keyword research and planning
- Content marketing
SEMRush is one of the most extensive search engine marketing tools on the market.
SEMRush is the only SEO tool we use on a daily basis. We have tried almost all of the major online marketing tools available, and SEMRush is definitely our favorite.
Our favorite tools offered in their search engine marketing software are the multiple keyword research and keyword planning tools.
Their blog, which also works as a forum for user recommendations of product features, is also one of our favorite sites for learning SEO and SEM.
Why we read it
The primary reason we find the SEMRush blog to be so beneficial is its correlation with its product.
Often times, users or employees write case studies on how they used the software’s tools to enhance their online strategy or an individual campaign.
You’ll also find general search engine optimization, social media marketing, and digital advertising topics that can be decent reads, but if you use the software, we highly suggest to follow the blog as well.
Our Rating: 9.0/10 (for software users) 7.0/10 (for non-software users)