Alright, let’s be real for a sec: SEO changes more often than TikTok trends. Just when you think you’ve got Google figured out—bam! Algorithm update, rankings go poof, and you’re back at square one, staring at your analytics like it’s a Sudoku puzzle.
So, how do I keep up? I won’t lie—it ain’t easy. But after years of trial, error, and the occasional existential crisis over meta tags, I’ve cooked up a few methods that help me stay (mostly) ahead of the curve. If you’re winging your SEO strategy like I used to, maybe some of this’ll help you too.
1. Google’s Own Blog (The Mothership)
Look, if Google sneezes, the whole SEO world catches a cold. That’s why I follow their official Search Central Blog. It’s not exactly a page-turner, and sometimes it’s as vague as horoscope predictions—but if an update’s coming, that’s where they spill the beans first.
I check it monthly. Or when I see my traffic doing something weird.
2. Twitter (I Refuse to Call It “X”)
SEO Twitter is chaotic. But oh man, it’s where the action is.
People like Barry Schwartz, Lily Ray, and Brodie Clark post stuff faster than most blogs can write it. Sometimes it’s breaking news. Sometimes it’s spicy takes. Occasionally, it’s memes—but honestly, I learn from all of it.
I made a Twitter list just for SEO folks, and I scroll it like people used to scroll Facebook in 2011.
3. Newsletters That Don’t Suck
I used to sign up for every newsletter with “SEO” in the name. Bad idea. My inbox turned into a junkyard of outdated tactics and clickbait tips.
Now I only read a few. Real ones. Like:
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SEOFOMO by Aleyda Solis – Weekly, clean format, actual updates.
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#SEONews from Search Engine Roundtable – quick summaries of major stuff.
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The Moz Top 10 – a mix of SEO and content, good for seeing what’s trending.
I batch-read them on Fridays. Or Saturdays. Whenever I’m pretending to take a break but still want to feel productive.
4. Reddit’s Wild but Useful
Reddit? Really? Yep. The /r/SEO subreddit is where I lurk for raw, unfiltered insights.
It’s messy. But people there share wins, losses, and all the things SEO bloggers don’t talk about—like traffic crashes, client nightmares, and obscure bugs they found in Search Console a2 amam.
Sometimes the best info comes from folks who aren’t trying to sell anything.
5. YouTube: Learning While Folding Laundry
When I can’t stare at one more article, I hit up YouTube. There’s something about watching someone show you stuff that makes the info stick.
Some channels to learn from:
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Matt Diggity – for serious SEO breakdowns.
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Ahrefs – for data-backed tutorials.
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Chase Reiner – offbeat takes but sometimes gold.
Plus, I can pretend I’m being productive while, like, vacuuming or doing dishes.
6. SEO Tools & Their Blogs
Ahrefs, SEMrush, Moz, Surfer SEO—all of them are selling something. But they also drop fire content.
They analyze billions of SERPs. And sometimes, they publish stuff no one else can, like how Google treats title tags post-update or which backlinks still work.
Yeah, it’s marketing. But it’s smart marketing, and I take the info and run.
7. Conferences… Kinda
I can’t always fly across the country to sit in a room full of marketers in lanyards. But when can Ian catch SEO conference recaps online? I do.
BrightonSEO, SMX, Pubcon—after each event, Twitter explodes with nuggets, screenshots, hot takes. Sometimes speakers drop their slides, too.
You don’t have to attend. Just follow the trail of tweets and LinkedIn posts like a digital scavenger hunt.
8. Podcasts When My Eyes Are Tired
Sometimes I just can’t read another word. That’s when I pop in an SEO podcast.
Mygo-toss lately:
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Search Off the Record (by Google’s team – sneaky insights in casual convo)
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Experts on the Wire
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The Recipe for SEO Success
I let ‘em run while I walk, drive, or try to remember why I opened the fridge.
9. Testing Stuff Myself (The Scary Part)
Here’s the truth nobody likes to say: what works for someone else’s site might tank yours. So I run mini-experiments.
Change a meta title on one post. Add schema markup to a random blog. Try new internal linking structures. Wait two weeks. Watch the data like a hawk.
Sometimes nothing changes. Sometimes rankings jump. It’s unpredictable. But that’s where the magic hides.
10. Talking to Real Humans
Lastly—and I can’t believe I’m saying this—I talk to other SEO folks.
Slack groups, Discord channels, or just sliding into DMs of people who wrote something smart. Real convos > blog comments any day.
You’d be shocked how generous people are with sharing insights when you just ask without sounding like a bot.
Final Thoughts That Don’t Tie Everything Together
SEO is trying to hit a moving target… in the dark… with spaghetti noodles. The only way to not fall behind is to stay curious.
You won’t catch every trend. I sure don’t. But if you keep listening, reading, testing, and maybe even making friends along the way, you’ll always be a few steps ahead of everyone who’s still guessing.
And if all else fails? Just Google it. Ironically, that still works.
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