Aaron Wall's SEO Book ($79, PDF download), a 328-page e-book covering search engine optimization (SEO), explains the ins and outs of SEO in simple terms for even the most untrained webmaster. But I'm sure advanced SEO geeks will still find many (read: a wagonload of) tips here to treasure. (Check out Aaron's blog and grab his feed to get news and insights on SEO and Web marketing.)
Last updated on December 1, 2006, the current version of SEO Book includes page after page of SEO advice on everything from Google Analytics to email marketing to cold calls. Aaron is careful to include a disclaimer at the beginning saying that he speaks merely from experience, but not in any official capactity.
The e-book starts off with a detailed table of contents and a quick summary of "do-it-yourself SEO tips." It then continues with introductory material such as a brief history of the World Wide Web from an SEO perspective.
The tone of the book is like you're just sitting there listening to a young guy talk - actually very nice. It's a bit unpolished in places (speaking from an editor's viewpoint). But Aaron's tips are generally golden.
Aaron covers just about every SEO-related topic you can imagine in this e-book - domain name registration, keyword generation, writing for search engines, etc. What may surprise you is the amount of Web marketing guidance this book will give you as well. What you mainly get are tips, tips and more tips. Sometimes this makes the text seem a bit plain or disorganized, and there are a few spelling errors. But I imagine that most readers won't mind, as they are probably focused on seeking tips.
Scattered half-baked thoughts: Aaron, add more screenshots. Make the book more interactive by attaching a wiki or something to it where people can easily make additions. Maybe along the left side of the page in the blank space, add something telling the reader what chapter they are in. Maybe add section numbering - 1.1a, 1.1b, etc. Also,try selling a condensed version of this e-book for $20 for a lmited time as a pilot test. Just ideas.
It would be great if Aaron could cite more sources to prove some of his assertions - studies on SEO, blog articles, SEO conference talks, etc. I do trust his tips based on what I can see at his blog and the way other bloggers have written about his expertise.
It would also be great to provide a condensed version of the bolded items throughout, like at the beginning or end as an appendix.I was only given 48 hours to drum up this review, so I wasn't able to scour Aaron's book (which I knew nothing about until now) nearly as well as I would have liked. But I hope these thoughts help Aaron improve his e-book, and that this review will help you decide whether to buy it.
Order SEO Book by Aaron Wall if you're interested in learning more about SEO and how to use good SEO tactics to generate more Web traffic and money, and if you're willing to spend $79 for 328 pages of SEO-related information. I think it will be worth your while.
If you have any questions about Aaron's SEO Book, just ask him.
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