by Michael Fleischner

Created on: July 28, 2010   Last Updated: July 30, 2010

Finding the best SEO book on the market can be a real challenge these days.  How do you determine which book is right for you?  With so many to choose from you need to consider a number of key factors to help you determine the utility of a search engine optimization guide.   Here are a few things to consider before you spend your hard earned money on a book that can either dramatically improve your search engine rankings or simply collect dust.

Begin is with a clear understanding of what you are looking for.  What is your current understanding of SEO?  What type of SEO book do you truly need?  Your answer could be as simply as needing something basic or more advanced.  Depending on your level of knowledge, you can quickly divide possible books and narrow your choices.

One of the most important things to ask yourself is whether or not the author is a proven SEO expert.  Is this someone you've hear of?  If not, does the cover or book flap provide information that would indicate whether the author has achieved the results you desire?  Base your buying decision on specific outcomes that have already been achieved by the author and are inline with the outcomes you're looking to achieve.

After determining the credibility of the author, the next step is to determine the breadth and depth of content that is available.  Are you looking for technical information that is going to provide you with all the details necessary to program a web site?  Alternatively, are you what they consider a newbie, someone starting from scratch who needs a clear understanding of the basics.

Some SEO books can provide you with a thorough understanding of SEO while providing detailed instructions for the do-it-yourself mindset.  If you want to apply techniques after reading a book, ensure that the guide is explicit in it's instruction and can give you the tangible "to do" list that can make your purchase worthwhile.

As a final note, be sure to read reviews on Amazon.com or other online booksellers.  Previous purchasers are usually willing to share their experiences both good and bad.  Take these reviews to heart.  You can't always trust reviews but directionally they should give you enough information by which to make a definitive selection from a sea of SEO books.

By using your current situation to determine your specific needs, evaluating the practicality of a given book, and evaluating based on web reviews, you can make the right decision on an SEO book. 

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