As Google’s never-ending battle to curtail spam rages on, the guidelines for best SEO practices remain the same (at least for now): create unique, content-rich information for both users and search engines alike. Last September, Google introduced Hummingbird— a new search algorithm that aims to improve the relevancy of search engine results—in an effort to crack the whip on non-compliant SEOs, some of whom are still trying to manipulate rankings.

Odds are good that if your site contains algorithmic penalties such as irrelevant keyword stuffing or spammy links that were purchased from a link farm, then you’ll definitely want to brush up on your SEO tactics.

So how do you do that?

Remember the chorus line from that song in elementary school, “Knowledge is Power?” It’s cheesy but it does hold merit:

Knowledge is power. I know what I know.
The more you learn the farther you’ll go…

Obviously, the onpage SEO parity here is to stay current and be well-informed. So with that finger-popping tune now stuck in your head, here are 12 blogs that you should bookmark in 2014 for the latest information on digital marketing and SEO best practices:

 1. Moz

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Main topics: SEO and Inbound Marketing

Why they’re awesome: Original Research & White Board Friday’s (Weekly video podcast with SEO advice, tools, and recommendation.

2. Search Engine Land

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Main topics: Search Engine Marketing & Search Engines

Why they’re awesome: Extensive library of relevant SEO/SEM information complete with tools, guides, and “How to” instructions

3. Search Engine Watch

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Main topics: Search Engine Marketing, Paid Search Advertising (PPC), SEO

Why they’re awesome: Useful tips and industry analysis of search engines

4. Occam’s Razor

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Main Topics: Digital Marketing, Analytics

Why they’re awesome: Avinash Kaushik is a best-selling author and a digital marketing evangelist for Google (I.e., Digital Marketing Beast)

5. Content Marketing Institute

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Main Topics: Content Strategy

Why they’re awesome: A great resource for webinars, whitepapers, how-to guides, and ebooks from a content marketing pioneer

6. Search Engine Journal

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Main topics: Search Engine Marketing, Content Marketing, SEO, Social Media Marketing

Why they’re awesome: Great resource for advice, news, tools, and tutorials for search marketers

 7. SEO by the Sea

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Main topics: SEO, Search Engines, Google Patent Research

Why they’re awesome: Provides in-depth, technical information about search engines and how they presumably operate

8. CopyBlogger

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Main topics: Content Marketing, Internet Marketing, SEO Copywriting

Why they’re awesome: Experts in creating content that “wows” and attracts lead generating traffic

9. Blind 5 Year Old

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Main Topics: SEO, Search Engine Marketing, Digital Marketing

Why they’re awesome: Owner, A.J. Kohn, is a search engine connoisseur with almost 20 years of industry.

10. Rand Fishkin

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Main topics: Digital Marketing, SEO, Entrepreneurship. More casual than the Moz blog and backed by Rand’s personal experiences.

Why he’s awesome: He is the Wizard of Moz and has a proven track record as an SEO guru

 

 11. SEO Book

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Main topics: SEO

Why they’re awesome: Widespread archive of training modules and free SEO tools

12. Matt Cutts

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Main topics: SEO, Google Penalties, Webspam

Why he’s awesome: Head of Google Webspam Team with valuable insights into search ranking factors