Brian is an active digital marketer, working across SEO, CRO and UX to create comprehensively intuitive digital experiences. Currently working at Egencia, an American Express Global Business Travel company, Brian has also worked at City Experiences (formerly Hornblower Cruises and Entertainment Cruises) and Groupon.
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SEO Books? Really?
Yes, even in 2023, learning SEO from books is still not only possible but a core approach to best practices. While certain components and changes are happening at lightning speed, "Web 2.0" still exists on the same foundation. Crafting a library that can support your education and provide an evergreen understanding of the basics is a great way to skill up your team without relying on an ever-shifting digital landscape.
This selection has a personal connection to me - One of the authors, Eric Enge taught a course on SEO as part of the Coursera SEO Certificate, which is a low-cost, but still practical approach for basic SEO. This book specifically contains many of the basic principles
If you've done any precursory searches, you've heard that "content is king" when it comes to SEO - and that's true. However, it goes beyond just writing good content, but knowing when and how to deploy your message. Content Chemistry takes a very similar approach to look at the basic components of all organic marketing to create a symbiotic relationship with different departments, content creators, and messaging formats. Understanding the packaging of your message, regardless of whether it is to inform, educate or convert is more than tactical - it's a strong strategy.
Buy Content Chemistry on Amazon
No, this isn't *technically* an SEO book, but crisp, clear writing is an essential part of creating good content. Beyond a traditional grammar lesson book, Lynn Truss takes outrageous and ambiguous examples and displays a clear efficiency on how to write for clarity (and not for the insufferable grammarian in your life). At the end of the day - clarity needs to come first, more so than grammar rules or impressive vocabulary.
SEO Book #4 - A Style Guide
Another "non-SEO" book. However, the MLA Handbook is a great resource for writing in general. This is especially true when outsourcing copy to another writer, since some requested internal edits may overturn writing best practices, especially if the goal is a form of syndication in more reputable online outlets, which follow style guides.
While every industry and sector prefers a specific foundation for their style guide, the three below (APA, MLA and Chicago) are three of the most common styles that writers are asked to follow, so having a reference can help streamline high-quality SEO content.
Buy the APA Handbook on Amazon
Buy the MLA Handbook on Amazon
Buy the Chicago Manual of Style on Amazon
These "SEO Books" are what I believe to be essential to start creating great content and copy, although they're probably not definitive. Having a physical copy to reference can be great in scenarios without an internet connection, or to find more "evergreen" guidance that is less likely to shift with each and every update on the internet. As I encounter more that I feel comfortable recommending, I'll be sure to update here for a more complete reading list.
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