Did you know that 75% of people searching for information will “never” go past the first page on Google?
Search engine optimization (SEO) remains one of the top skills freelance writers need to get high paying gigs.
Put simply, SEO is what helps websites and blogs appear in search results.
That’s why it’s important freelance writers and content marketers keep an eye on the top SEO websites and blogs for news and updates. It relates to how they write content and what they offer their clients.
In this article, we’ll be looking at why SEO is still important and the differences between on-page and off-page SEO. We’ll also highlight the best SEO websites and blogs that we recommend you read regularly.
Does SEO still matter?
Every couple of years, you get marketers who say “email is dead” or “SEO is dead” or “[add content marketing thing] is dead.” But you know what, none of those are dead.
And SEO isn’t dying any time soon.
In fact, data shows the global SEO services market reached $74.76 billion in 2023, up from $62.75 billion in 2022, that’s a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19.1%. This figure is expected to surge to almost $147 billion in 2027.
What this means is the SEO market is big and will keep getting bigger and bigger.
SEO is what you use to get your website and business to rank on search engines. What’s different is how search engines are constantly improving their algorithms to ensure that the best content ranks at the top.
Every month, you’ll find leading SEO websites sharing news and updates about Google’s and Bing’s algorithm updates.
So, why is SEO important?
Let’s look at the benefits of search engine optimization.
1) Increases organic traffic
One of the main reasons companies invest in SEO is to generate and increase organic traffic. That’s website traffic that doesn’t come from running ads.
In 2023, the first organic search result on Google has an average click-through rate (CTR) of 39.8%, while the second result has a CTR of 18.7%. (FirstPageSage)
2) Qualified leads
Another benefit is that leads generated from search engine optimization have a higher closing rate than those coming from paid ads.
Moreover, 49% of digital marketers believe the best return on investment (ROI) comes from organic search. (Search Engine Journal)
3) Improves ranking for mobile users
Searchers today don’t just come from desktops and laptops. In fact, more than half of searchers come from mobile devices. And search engine optimization helps there too.
Data shows that over 54% of global website traffic now comes from mobile phones, while 92% of internet users access the internet via mobile.
4) Improve user experience
SEO relies on getting companies and website owners to create better content to help their readers and users. In other words, SEO is designed to improve the user experiences both in search and the company’s website.
So, is SEO still important? Obviously, yes. (And it’s not going anywhere any time soon!)
On-page SEO vs off-page SEO
SEO is divided into two main categories, on-page SEO and off-page SEO.
On-page SEO is the type of SEO content marketers work with almost every day. You can call it, content SEO. Off-page SEO is widely referred to as technical SEO.
Though freelance writers and content marketers aren’t required to have technical SEO experience, those who do, offer companies a unique skillset.
So, what are the main differences between on-page SEO and off-page SEO?
On-page SEO
This is the type of search engine optimization that relies on using content to rank a webpage or blog post organically.
To do so, you need to fill out certain areas to tell Google, or any other search engine, what this page is about.
These elements are known as on-page SEO elements. They include header tags, known as H-tags, page title, URL, and the meta description.
On-page SEO optimization also includes using your main keyphrase, usually between three and four words, or its variations, in those H-tags and other elements.
On-page SEO is where SEO myths keep popping up. Keyword density was a popular myth when Google favored keyword stuffing in the past. That’s no longer the case.
Off-page SEO
Off-page SEO, or technical SEO, is the type of search engine optimization that involves looking at non-content-related opportunities to improve a website as a whole.
Technical SEO doesn’t focus on ranking only. It aims to improve a website’s features such as page speed, user experience (UX), among other elements.
One of the most common technical SEO issues is the robots.txt file that web developers use when building a website.
The robots.txt file is what determines if a page gets crawled or not. Google explains the robots.txt file as “tell[ing] search engine crawlers which URLs the crawler can access on your site.”
In other words, if you’re developing a website and don’t disable the robots.txt file, following all the SEO best practices in the world won’t get your site to rank.
Technical SEOs use Google Search Console to review off-page SEO issues like site speed on desktop and mobile. Other common tools, tech SEOs use include Screaming Frog, Ahrefs, Moz, and Ubersuggest.
Best SEO websites to keep an eye on
Want to keep your SEO writing skills sharp?
Then check out this list of the best SEO websites. All of these websites are quite active and have newsletters you can subscribe to.
They include news and updates about SEO for content writing, technical SEO, and, of course, the never-ending Google algorithm updates.
It’s worth mentioning that this list is not arranged in any order whatsoever. Well, except for the first resource.
The Google Search Central Blog houses tons of information about all of Google’s search-related events, updates, and news.
There are also resources on how to create and improve your website, blog,…etc. They also have updates and tips on how to use Google Search Console (GSC).
GSC is a free tool from Google that helps you “monitor, maintain, and troubleshoot your site’s presence in Google Search Results.” GSC helps you “improve how Google sees your site.”
Whether you’re trying to improve a website with e-commerce SEO, technical SEO, or on-page SEO, the Google Search Central Blog has you covered.
The Search Engine Journal website is one of the best SEO websites out there. They talk about all things SEO.
Whether it’s technical SEO, content SEO, LinkedIn SEO, you name it, they have it.
Not only do they cover SEO for Google, but also tackle SEO techniques for other search engines like Bing.
Search Engine Journal also covers social media and content marketing tips. Pay per click (PPC), also known as paid search, is also among their frequently-covered topics.
Their website is updated almost every hour and they have a daily newsletter with over 200,000 subscribers. They also have free weekly webinars about various SEO topics, along with many free e-books.
SEO learners can attend webinars live or access them on-demand.
Similar to Search Engine Journal, Search Engine Land covers SEO and PPC extensively. They also cover content marketing, social media marketing, and other topics in the digital marketing sphere.
In addition to tips on various SEO and content marketing topics, Search Engine Land also covers news about acquisitions, mergers, lawsuits for leading tech companies.
For example, you’ll find news pieces on Google, and its mother company Alphabet, Microsoft (which owns Bing), and others.
4. SEMRush
If you’ve ever had to research SEO tools, then you’ve probably come across SEMRush.
One of the best SEO websites and blogs is the SEMRush blog. They also have on-demand free webinars and courses on SEO. Not to mention, they’re one of the world’s leading SEO tools.
SEMRush is known for their widely-shareable infographics featuring SEO tips, cheat sheets, and checklists across social media.
They also have an in-depth blog with helpful tips, guides, case studies, and original research.
The SEMRush tool is considered one of the most desirable keyword research tools in the world.
Anyone who has ever dabbled in SEO has come across Neil Patel.
Patel has been experimenting with website traffic, and accordingly SEO, since he was in high school. This made him stumble upon SEO and online marketing. In 2007, he co-founded a website called ‘Quick Sprout’ to teach others about SEO.
Patel is also the co-founder of several popular websites including Kissmetrics and NP Digital, his digital marketing agency.
Neil Patel is also the creator for SEO research and analysis tool Ubersuggest and AnswerthePublic.
For the past decade, however, Patel has been publishing regular blog content and creating YouTube videos about SEO, content creation, blogging, and digital marketing.
6. Moz
Moz is one of the oldest resources on search engine optimization. Like SEMRush, they’re an SEO tool and it’s one of the best SEO websites out there.
The leading SEO website offers “free SEO education” for learners of different levels, from beginners to more experienced SEOs.
Their learning center covers many SEO topics including keyword research, link building, competitive research, among others. They also cover advanced SEO topics such as including local and international SEO, ranking and visibility, website crawling and audits.
Moz also has sections on content marketing and social media marketing.
They also offer on-demand SEO webinars and how-to guides. They also have an ‘SEO Q&A’ section that offers “insights and discussions from an SEO community of 500,000+.”
Their free MOZ toolbar is great for content writers and marketers. It offers a page analysis feature that shows you the H1 and H2 tags for any website or blog, the meta description they’re using, and more.
7. Ahrefs
Anyone who’s heard of SEO has heard of Ahrefs. Their slogan is simple “Everything you need to rank higher & get more traffic.”
Frequently used by technical SEO specialists and managers, Ahrefs is a popular SEO tool. According to their website, they had nearly 16,670 users join in a seven-day span.
Ahrefs’ SEO resources include a guide-filled blog, a Beginner’s Guide to SEO, an academy for digital marketing and SEO courses, an FAQs page, and a help center.
One of the reasons Ahrefs is a leading SEO software is because of their many technical SEO tools and original data.
According to their website, the AhrefsBot is the third “most active web crawler in the SEO industry,” crawling over 5 million pages “every minute!”
Ahrefs has many free keyword research tools for various search engines including, but not limited to Google, Amazon, and Bing.
They also have an AI writing tool, a keyword ranking and difficulty checker, a website authority generator, among other tools.
Other features include domain comparison, email alerts, content gaps, traffic checker, among others.
8. Backlinko
Backlinko is a popular SEO website and newsletter created by SEO expert Brian Dean.
The website seems to have gotten several revamps over the years as it now focuses on the SEO newsletter. Dean offers “SEO training” that’s open for enrollment “once per year.” However, it’s not clear if the SEO training is free or paid. Those interested in joining need to ‘join the waitlist.’
The Backlinko team seems to be only posting one-to-two posts per month. That said, the Backlinko blog includes various SEO case studies, original research, trends, and guides.
One of the reasons Backlinko is on the list of best SEO websites and blogs is that their content is easy to digest and apply.
Conductor is an award-winning content and SEO website. It labels itself the “#1 organic marketing platform built for enterprise, SEO, content, and web teams.”
Despite a focus on teams and enterprise companies, the Conductor website and blog offer lots of useful content for writers.
Conductor’s SEO resources include many case studies in various fields, SEO ebooks, and webinars–often in collaboration with Search Engine Journal.
They are a website worth following and learning from.
10. SpyFu Blog
SpyFu is a not-so-frequently-talked-about SEO website, but one that offers great SEO content, along with SEO tutorials.
Although SpyFu is a keyword research tool, their blog covers tons of Google-related content. This ranges from creating to optimizing Google Ads, understanding how Google Analytics works, PPC ads, and, of course, SEO.
They also offer tips on search engine optimization for mobile, backlinking, and other important SEO topics.
SpyFu’s content is often in the form of long guides.
Other great websites for SEO
The above sites are literally the best SEO websites out there. But there are a few more sites that offer SEO tips but aren’t 100% focused on SEO.
If you work as a content writer, content marketer, copywriter; if content is what you do for a living, then you probably already know several of these.
HubSpot Blog
If you’ve done any content marketing-related research, then you’ve probably stumbled on the HubSpot blog at some point.
In addition to their super cool blog on all things marketing-related, HubSpot also covers SEO extensively. Which is why they’re on our list of best SEO websites.
They also have the HubSpot Academy which offers free and paid courses about marketing, content marketing, and SEO.
The Content Marketing Institute
The Content Marketing Institute (CMI) is a virtual institute that covers all things content marketing, including SEO.
The CMI is also the creator and host of the annual Content Marketing World event. They have the Content Marketing University, Content Marketing Awards, and offer training and consulting for companies.
Whether you’re a seasoned freelancer or a newbie writer, the CMI offers tons of great content. It’s a great place to learn about content marketing and develop your content and SEO skills.
Make a Living Writing
Yes, the Make a Living Writing blog is among the most popular blogs for writers. It also has several SEO-focused posts too.
Part of improving your offerings as a copywriter and content writer is to have some SEO skills, which is what the Make a Living Writing blog covers.
For example, popular SEO articles include the six SEO writing strategies and the top SEO writing tips for freelance writers.
Final words
You’re probably thinking ‘Do I need to follow all these websites to keep up with SEO?’
The simple answer is ‘It depends.’ Go through this list, find out which websites you like, which have newsletters that offer the best content for you, and sign up to their newsletters.
Some of the above SEO websites offer weekly newsletters, while others have daily newsletters, which honestly can be a bit much. Alternatively, you can look for newsletters that curate SEO news and updates from various sources.
