The Best SEO Articles of 2019 You Need to Read Now

2019 is about to end, but it's not too late to keep up with everything SEO related. In this compilation of the best SEO articles of 2019, learn how the search engine optimization game was played this year.

Without any further adieu, here we go!

15 of the Best SEO Articles this Year

Now there are tons of SEO related articles published this year so it was a bit of a challenge to pick the best. However, I decided to include the ones that I think are informative and could help level up your search engine optimization strategy. 

1. What is SEO?

This article has got to be the first one on this list.

A lot of marketers, especially the newly "digitalized" ones, are still clueless about the basic ideas and concepts of SEO.

I love this article because it covers the following topics:

• What is SEO?
• SEO vs SEM
• How does Google rank websites?
• Types of SEO
• Do's and don'ts of SEO

Read this article now to increase your knowledge about SEO.

2. How to Measure SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

One of the challenges that digital marketers face in 2019 is how to measure SEO.

In Search Engine Optimization, measurability means success. You need to measure key metrics aka focus areas to determine if your SEO campaign is even worth your time and money.

In this article, you will get to know these four focus areas:

• Overall keyword footprint
• Page 1 Keyword Footprint
• Traffic from search
• Conversions from search

The bottom line is that these metrics could tell you the strengths and weaknesses of your SEO campaign and 2019 is no different from the previous years when it comes to measuring SEO.

Also, remember that using metrics is applicable in all types of digital marketing like social media, email, and content.

3. SEO for Startups: 4 Keys to Success

This is one of the best SEO articles of 2019, because it talks about four essential ingredients that startups and small businesses need to incorporate in their SEO:

• Your SEO business goals
• Your brand’s topic generation engine
• An audience of influencers
• A technical SEO gameplan

I am a firm believer that startups need to create a solid SEO strategy to utilize and maximize the potential that search engines offer.

4. 6 SEO Tips to Benefit Any Business

What I love about this article is the further explanation of each SEO tips. You’ll learn exactly what to do to reap all the sweet benefits of your SEO campaign.

Here are the SEO tips discussed in this article:

• Monitor all changes.
• Create a clear site structure.
• Prioritize content creation.
• Focus on building both internal and external links.
• Delete anything that slows down your site.
• Always consider mobile first.

Optimizing your website for search engines is a critical task that could help you achieve your goals - sales, traffic, brand awareness, etc.

5. These are the Biggest SEO Trends of 2019

This SEO article from Forbes was one of the most popular of 2019.

It talks about this year’s biggest SEO trends like Voice Search, Mobile-first Indexing, Blockchain Technology, and Amazon Search Optimization.

Now you might find these trends very futuristic, but it’s the perfect time to pay attention to them.

Also, you'll learn more about other digital marketing trends that we'll see in 2020 in this article.

6. What Exactly is the Difference Between SEO & SEM?

What is SEO?

What is SEM?

What’s the difference?

I know, these digital marketing terms could be confusing, but this 2019 SEO article has all the answers to these million-dollar questions.

Keep an eye on the section where SEO and SEM are compared extensively so you'll know when to use them.

7. What is a Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Specialist?

When I came across this article, I knew I had to add it to my list of the best SEO articles of 2019, because SEO specialists are a hot a commodity right now. Plus, it pays good money.

This article could help business owners who want to hire an SEO specialist, or beginners who want to specialize in SEO and gain clients.

In this article, you'll learn the following topics:

• What is an SEO Specialist?
• What is the Job description of a Search Engine Optimization Specialist?
• How much do SEO specialists make?
• What skills are needed to become an SEO Specialist?
• SEO Specialist Courses

I think the SEO Specialist Courses section is my favorite. It’s a great place to start if you’re new in SEO or if you want to increase your knowledge about it.

8. The Beginner’s Guide to Google Search Console

Google Search Console is an essential tool to keep your website in check. As a website owner, your job doesn’t end when you finish building your site. You need to track the performance of your website to know if it’s profitable or not.

This article from Yoast is perfect for anyone who is just beginning to learn about Google Search Console or GSC.

You’ll learn the following topics in this article:

• Why everyone with a website should use Google Search Console
• Setting up an account
• Features in Google Search Console
• Missing features in the new version of Google Search Console

If you don’t have a Google Search Console account yet, then I recommend reading this article first before creating one.

9. The Best Way to Build Content Hubs that Will Make You an Authority

CoSchedule published an article this year that deserves our attention.

Now, if you have been following my articles from before, you’d know that content and SEO must go together.

A great way to combine content and SEO is by creating a content hub or hub page.

A content hub is a page on a website that compiles content related to a central topic. It is a tactic that involves linking several pages of related content back to a central hub.

In this article, you will learn everything about a Content Hub and how to build one, so be sure to check it out.

10. The Most Common Internal Link Building Mistakes: A SEMrush Study

Internal link building is still a hot topic in the SEO world. Some have already mastered this SEO element, but some are still lost.

This article from SEMRush deserves a spot in my list of the best SEO articles in 2019 because it talks about common mistakes that SEO specialists commit in their link building efforts.

What I love about this article is that it is based on actual numbers that SEMRush gathered using their Site Audit tool.

Some of the common link building mistakes they uncovered are:

• Broken internal links.
• Too many on-page links.
• Redirect chains and loops.
• Temporary redirects.
• Nofollow attributes on outgoing links.

Pay attention to the recommended way to fix these common link building mistakes.

11. How to Make Online Reviews One of Your Most Powerful SEO Weapons

Google loves a website that has a robust online reputation. It means that online reviews are one of the most relevant search ranking factors.

If you still don’t know how to use online reviews to boost your ranking, then this article from Search Engine Watch is perfect for you.

In this one, you'll learn how to:

• Develop a strategy to collect in numbers.
• Respond properly to both good and bad reviews.
• Choose review platforms wisely.
• Let reviews guide your customer experience.

12. Schema Markup 101: How to Create Rich Search Results and Boost SEO

Another element that can improve a website’s search engine ranking is called Schema Markup.

You can incorporate a Schema Markup into your website so that you'll have more informative, descriptive, and intelligent results on search engines like Google and Bing.

This article from Alexa will teach you everything you need to know about Schema Markup like:

• what it is...
• why it’s important...
• how to create one to boost your SEO ranking...
• and much more!

13. How I Ranked For 636,363 Keywords Using this Simple Hack

My compilation of the best SEO articles of 2019 wouldn't be complete without a piece from Neil Patel. The title alone hooked me from the start.

I mean, who doesn't want to rank for 636,363 keywords right? I know I do!

According to Neil Patel, you need to focus on these types of keyword phrases:

• Questions
• Comparisons
• Prepositions

Read the article now to learn more!

14. New Opportunities for Image SEO: How to Leverage Machine Vision for Strategic Wins

Another trick to boost your website’s SEO ranking is optimizing images.

This article from Moz deeply analyzes how popular labels are optimizing images to rank high on Google. I learned that Google also ranks thumbnails of YouTube videos in image search results in this article.

You will love the illustrations that Moz used to prove their point about the importance of image search in SEO.

15. The Best SEO Courses and Guides on the Internet

For those who want to be part of the SEO industry, some online courses and guides are available to help you jumpstart a career.

Quicksprout published an article that compiles a list of sites that offer online SEO courses. Here are some of them:

• SEMrush Academy
• Udemy
• Yoast Academy
• HubSpot Academy
• The Blueprint Training

And that’s my list of the best SEO articles of 2019!

The year is not done yet, which means you still have time to read the articles I listed above.

I can’t wait to see what 2020 has in store for SEO specialists around the world!

If you need to know more about search engine optimization, don’t be afraid to talk to us! We're here to help.

So what do you think about this list? Did your 2019 SEO knowledge increase? Leave a comment below and let's discuss.

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About the Author Tim Fitzpatrick

Tim Fitzpatrick is the President of Rialto Marketing. At Rialto Marketing, we help take the guesswork out of marketing so your small business can grow. Marketing your business shouldn't be a constant challenge. If you are ready to eliminate the uncertainty and confusion of marketing your business, we can help.