It therefore only stands to reason that, unless you can increase your staff to accommodate the work flow while avoiding Parkinson’s Law, the only surefire method to reduce the stress of working in an IT department is to better educate yourself and your staff in the best practices possible.

Sometimes this is a simple change in day to day work, other times an education comes with the realization that an increase in technology is needed. The purpose of this article is to inform well-meaning IT gurus and workers on some common sense techniques and practices that will increase performance without increasing overhead.

Maintaining an even baseline of efficiency over a certain period of time, barring any changes in the end user technology or any necessary IT training, should allow you to create a timeline for standard trouble tickets. Use this information to inform the end user, as this information removes the dreaded waiting game from their minds, and relieves much of the stress from both receiving and responding to complaints regarding the status of their ticket.

Always attempt to follow up a closed ticket with an attempt to gather feedback from the user. The most important forms of feedback should concern not only the ability of the IT responder, but the source of the problem, whether software, hardware, or both, and the strength of the proposed solution. This is where current technology plays its strongest role, as simplifying the source of software by considering a Dell virtualization server that operates through cloud computing can greatly reduce the complexity of software issues.

Each new ticket received should strive to quickly address the issue of the end user. This does not have to be a full assessment, it simply has to inform the user that their issue is being worked on. Addressing new tickets helps by not only informing the user of the timeline for resolution, but it can also be a source of quick fixes for known issues.

A scheduled day, out of either every quarter, or even every month, for an IT staffer to spend their time in another department, can result in a multitude of nagging problems being resolved. This not only reduces the number of tickets being forwarded, it can result in tickets being rescinded, and will improve the image of your IT department within the company.

Everyone lacks in something, and while this can be easily forgotten when helping others with their problems, it must be understood. Failing to empathize with an end user, or worse, giving poor attitude in response to a problem, can often halt the resolution process instead of speeding it along.

5 Ways to Beef Up Your IT Department is a post from: Palaestra Training

With Palaestra Training, you can find that perfect job that will propel your career and life into something you want. You can receive CompTIA A+ certification and Microsoft certifications that will help you find a job or get promoted at your current job.

CompTIA A+ certification boosts a resume tremendously and makes you so much more marketable in the IT world. The fact is that the tech world is not going away any time soon. It’s here to stay and will continue to boom. Be at the front of the tech wave with CompTIA A+ certification and guarantee your spot in any job. Having technological certifications is helpful in any business. Since pretty much any type of company has or needs a tech department, this will give you many opportunities and allow you to set yourself apart from the rest.

Having Microsoft certifications will only make you more marketable in the workplace. Learning how to become a Windows 7 administrator is especially useful for anyone looking to move up or get hired. Windows 7 is the most robust and best operating system Microsoft has created and many companies are starting to transfer to it. With Palaestra Training, you can gain the skills necessary to install, upgrade, migrate, deploy and maintain a Windows 7 business setting. This will make you an invaluable asset to any company.

Whether you’re looking for a challenge or a job that gives you good income, make sure you get the right certifications to excel in the tech world. Let Palaestra Training help you make a difference in your life.

At a Dead-end Job? Palaestra Training Can Help is a post from: Palaestra Training

When it comes to getting ahead at work, there are lots of ways to improve your station in life.  Most people want the brass ring, but few are willing to do what it takes to get it.

As the old saying goes, “Some People Dream of Success, While Others Wake up and Work Hard at It”.  It really holds true, and work ethic is what separates the winners from losers.  No matter what the endeavor, be it work, sports, relationships, etc., nothing was ever attained without the consistent application of hard work.

Keeping this in mind, 10 things you can do to get ahead at work, are:

1. Be willing to do the things others wont.  That sounds like common sense, but it’s typically harder than it sounds.  Most people have their ‘”job description” and are resistant do extra work.  The immediate response from most people is “That’s not my job” or “am I getting paid extra for that”?  Be the one who does extra without being told, helps out a co-worker or picks up the slack when the rubber hits the road.
2. Be a team player.  No one likes the person who’s out only for themselves and if you have that mentality it will shine through in everything you do.  Most people have the WIIFM mentality (What’s In It for Me).  Again, separate yourself from the majority of people out there by being willing to help others without expecting anything back.  These things get noticed, even if it’s not an immediate return.
3. Do the job before you Get It.  What this means is that you have to function, as much as possible, in the role you want to get promoted into.  Showing your superiors you can do the job already goes a long way to getting you the gig.  After awhile, everyone already thinks of you in that role and your chances for promotion go up greatly.  Conversely, if you become the best “worker bee” ever, the company will see the value of keeping you in that role.  That seems to be in direct conflict with the first two suggestions, but it’s really not.  You can apply to first two, while taking on management or other roles (depending on where you want to go) and do things with the team in mind.
4. Always be Early.  The old adage “Get in Early and Work Late” holds true even in today’s virtual world.  Employers want to know your committed and being there when they need you goes a long way to that end.  Additionally, it shows co-workers and others that you are a go-to person.  Conversely, not being there or getting in late and leaving early builds resentment among others and brings the whole team down.  Being a leader, means leading by example and the more you do, the more encouraged your co-workers will be to do the same.
5. Model Success.  If you want to achieve a certain level of success, whatever that means to you, the quickest way to achieve that goal is to find someone else who already has achieved that goal, and do what they did.  That sounds incredibly overly-simplistic, and it is.  If you listen to any of the NLP practitioners, perhaps the most famous being Anthony Robbins, they talk in great detail about modeling.  “Success Leaves Clues”, and that really holds true.  Modeling is much more than just wearing the same suit or watch as someone successful.  It means learning what drives them, what beliefs they have, how they approach situations, how they make decisions, etc., and applying those same drivers to your own life. Easier said than done, but you don’t necessarily have to personally meet someone to get an insight into their mind and motivations.  Many successful people have written books and given interviews talking about their lives and what drives them.
6. Set Goals and Be Specific.  Very few things are more frustrating than working hard and getting nowhere.  Without specific, written goals, it’s very difficult to achieve success.  Your goals are your roadmap and will help you get to where you want to go by keeping you focused and on track.  Your goals (i.e. map) need to be specific and focused.  Just as it wouldn’t do you much good to be driving in Chicago with a map of Delaware, you must have a clear vision of what you want and how to get there.
7. Know Your Outcome.  In keeping with setting goals, knowing your outcome helps get you through any situation.  When you enter into a business meeting, interview, etc., know ahead of time what you want to achieve.  By knowing what you want and working backward from there, you can see at any point in time if you are on track, or if things need to be readjusted.  This can be applied to anything, even with things like meeting a new person, going to gym, time spent with family, etc.
8. Be Personable.  People like to feel good about themselves, and are attracted to people who make that happen.  Being upbeat, funny and engaging makes people feel good about themselves.  If people feel better when they’re around you than when they’re not, you’ll attract a great many people.  Some can help you achieve your goals directly, while others will help indirectly.
9. Understand Personality Types.  Almost everyone likes the same basic things (i.e. being liked, feeling appreciated and valued, laughing, feeling secure, etc).  Not everyone fills those things the same way though; and to be successful you need to figure out what connects with each person.  Some people like to discuss family or friends (be social) before getting down to business, while others couldn’t be bothered and just want the facts.  Some like specific details while others just want the bullet points.  Being able to adjust your approach for the different personality types increases your chance for connection and for success.
10. Don’t Take Yourself Too Seriously.  Being motivated and success driven is great and can provide an amazing life.  However, you must learn to balance that with rest, relaxation, good friends, family, etc.  Work, not to mention life, can be very stressful, and if you to be able to actually enjoy the fruits of your labor you need to learn how to pull back occasionally, put things on hold and recharge the batteries.  Be able to laugh at yourself and understand nothing is as important as your health.  Others pick up on that as well, and it helps give a sense of true genuineness to all the other traits mentioned here.

10 Ways to Get Ahead at Work is a post from: Palaestra Training

Overall, sales have been less than predicted and reviews throughout the PC world have been less than stellar.  All of this may make you ask, as an IT professional “Should I skip Vista all together and just wait for Windows 7”?

Definitely a valid question, but in all honesty, even though I’m not a massive fan of Vista (I love some things and hate others) there are a number of reasons to deploy now and not wait until Windows 7.

1. Even though Widows 7 does promise some nice new features, it could very well be more than 18-24 months away.  Windows 7 is not even in beta at the moment, and given Microsoft’s release schedules and the fact they historically slip the closer they get to release date – we could be talking 18-24 months minimum before Windows 7 is available for public consumption.
2. IT professionals generally wait for Service Pack 1 (SP1) before deploying wide scale throughout an enterprise.  So now we’re talking an additional 12 months or so before an SP1 release of Windows 7.
3. Microsoft Vista incorporates a number of technologies that integrate much better with Windows Server 2008.  Upgrades from Vista to Windows 7 will go much smoother than an upgrade from XP to Windows 7 with regard to application compatibility, user acceptance, etc.
4. As pointed out by research firm Gartner, vendors may well stop supporting XP prior to Windows 7 being publicly available.  It’s hard to predict across the board, but considering XP’s age and position in its lifecycle; along with the realistic fact that a Windows 7 deployment may be 24-36 months away, many vendors may End of Life (EOL) support for XP prior to Windows 7.  This may or may not be an issue depending on your specific environment, but definitely something to consider.
5. Vista does have features that enterprises can leverage today.  Features such as streamlined imaging and deployment, better security, integrated search and whole disk encryption to name a few make Vista attractive in certain environments looking at third party options to fill those needs.

As with anything, your mileage may vary as it depends on your organization, budget and tolerance for risk.  In the end it all comes down to Return on Investment (ROI) and business need.  Weigh the options and see if Vista fits into your long term OS lifecycle.

What are your thoughts on deploying now or skipping Vista all together?  Leave a comment and share your thoughts.

5 Reasons Not to Wait for Windows 7 is a post from: Palaestra Training

The site is www.tipd.com and it is a brand new site that provides the social and community aspects of sites like Digg that center around the financial sector.  With the global economy facing some extreme challenges www.tipd.com is perfectly positioned to provide a source of news and information, in real time, for financial, business and investment minded people.

After going through the site for awhile, I really think this is a great idea and a service that is sure to be useful to a lot of people.  Even though there are a lot of Digg like sites out there, this one comes along at a perfect time and is aimed at tapping into the crowdsourcing philosophy or providing useful financial tips.

In addition, Tipd.com has the backing of Muhammed Saleem, one of the top Diggers on the planet.  He definitely knows what makes a social site work and what is required for a successful implementation.

The site has a great look and feel, with easy navigation and cover of all the important areas concerning business and finance:

• Commodities
• Economy
• Green
• Private Equity and VC
• Stocks
• Currencies
• Funds and EFTS
• Personal Finance
• Real Estate
• Tech

The site hits on all the core areas of interest relevant to financial and investment minded people.  It will be fun to watch this one grow, and see how it develops over time.

Tipd.com – A Community Site for Financial News, Ideas, and Tips is a post from: Palaestra Training

One thing is for sure however, and that is that we are currently in a major economic slowdown. 

Some major financial institutions have recently failed completely or had their assets seized including AIG, Bear Stearns, Wachovia and Washington Mutual along with some not as well known institutions such as IndyMac Bancorp Inc., First National Bank of Nevada and First Heritage Bank NA of California.

What this means is that our economy is most definitely in trouble.  The housing market, sub-prime mortgage debacle and the impending credit crunch have all lead to plummeting consumer confidence. 

As I finish writing this the US government is stepping in and passing a $700 billion dollar bailout package.  Will this have a positive, long-term effect on the economy remains to be seen.

What I would like to remind everyone however, that in the midst of every crisis is opportunity.  Major opportunity. There are opportunities both big and small, for those willing to take advantage of them.  The firs step to taking advantage of these opportunities however, is to realize they’re there.  The second step is to actively go after them.

How this relates specifically to Information Technology is simple.  Companies will come and go, but the people who power the infrastructure, design the systems, connect the networks and “basically make it all work” will always be needed. 

Now is the time, perhaps the most important time, to refresh your existing skills and learn new ones.  The IT professionals that will be the most marketable in the days, weeks and months to come are the ones who have a wide range of knowledge and can do multiple jobs.  Companies looking to either downsize or get more “bang for their buck” are looking for multi-dimensional IT professionals who can do more than one thing.

Being proficient in various areas allows you much more flexibility and makes you much more marketable.  Becoming an expert in multiple areas, such as hardware and software systems, networking and systems administration or web design and e-commerce gives you the ability to work virtually anywhere.

The problem many people face is that they either can’t take time off from work to get trained, or can’t afford a travel and classroom expense for a course even if they could get the time off.

The most logical solution is to take those barriers out of the equation.  This is why Computer Based Training is the perfect way to learn new skills quickly, without having to travel, take expensive classes or take time away from work.  

Training packages like a CompTIA A+ Training and Microsoft MCDST Training Video combo series or a CompTIA A+ and Cisco CCNA Training video combo series allow you to learn a wide range of skills, quickly and inexpensively.  No travel, no time away from work, and minimal out of pocket expense.

Computer Based Training (CBTs) have come a long way over the last few years, and have surpassed the value of traditional classroom training.  Today’s CBT courses aren’t watered down training sessions. They are comprehensive programs that are even more in depth than you’ll find in most classroom courses, for a fraction of the cost.  They fully prepare you for certification, whether you’re looking to become certified in hardware and software, desktop systems or networking with routers and switches.

As a way of giving back to the IT community, Palaestra Training is offering a 10% discount on any IT certification training package (individual or combo series) by using the promo code PTPROMO.  Simply enter that code during checkout, and have 10% taken off instantly.

Even if you’re currently not an IT professional, now is a great time to cross-train, learn new skills and make yourself recession-proof.  Training that is information packed, yet economically priced will always be your best option to quickly get up to speed on any topic. 

Invest in yourself, and you’ll find the return on that investment to be greater than you could have imagined.

How to Survive (and Thrive) in an Economic Crisis is a post from: Palaestra Training

Years ago, being “into” computers meant long, lonely walks home from school, eating lunch at tables far, far away from the “cool kids” and lengthy discussions about the relative impact of photon torpedoes and how Dr. Spock actually could be transported down to the surface of that mysterious planet.

These days, thankfully, Geek is the new Chic and being in the Information Technology (IT) industry offers a lot of opportunities and many benefits that we’ll list below.  When you finish reading our top 25, leave a comment and let us know your top few favorite reasons for being a IT pro.

If you’re in the IT industry, many of these will be common knowledge to you.  If you’re not in the industry yet, or thinking about making a change, you really need to consider these 25 Reasons why it’s Great to be an IT Guy (or Girl).

1. You can work in virtually any industry. Whether your fancy is banking, pharmaceuticals, e-commerce websites, or even the adult industry.  Yes, some IT folks actually work in the adult industry.  All those websites don’t just design themselves.  They all need IT folks to make the wheels turn.
2. You get to play with the latest technology. Depending on where you work, this can be more true for some. For the most part though, you usually get to work on (or at least experiment with) the latest tech.
3. You get to work with other smart people. Many industries are wrought with lazy people and hangers-on.  People who work just hard enough to not get fired, and who get paid just enough to not quit.  Typically, IT attracts smart people which allows you to increase your skills in the process.
4. New challenges every day. Even if you job consists of something fairly mundane (i.e. data backups) there is always the challenge to do things better, faster, cheaper and this presents a never ending set of challenges.
5. You get to be the hero. Many times you’re called upon to save someone’s rear end when they lost the document, spreadsheet or file they’ve been working on for weeks and need for a meeting in 10 minutes.  Sometimes it’s an easy fix, sometimes it’s not.  Either way, you get to save the day.
6. Business casual. Not always, but more often than not IT folks get to dress business casual.  Even in industries that are usually shirt and tie (i.e. banking), the IT department usually dresses down. If not, see #1.  You can work in virtually any industry – so if business casual is important to you, you can always jump to another company.
7. Training. The amount of training will vary from place to place, but as new technologies are released it only makes sense from a business perspective to keep you trained.  Some companies send their staff to classroom training, other offer IT Certification Training videos, while others offer books or self-study courses.
8. You touch all areas of a company. As an IT person, you’re not just relegated to one area of a company’s function.  You typically get a chance to interact with various departments (if not all departments) within an organization.  This presents opportunities to network and open doors for yourself if you know how to develop those relationships.
9. You have the opportunity to innovate. As an IT person, you’re often looked at to offer suggestions on new technologies, ways to improve current processes and introduce innovation.  Understand the importance of this role and take the initiative to suggest and offer new ideas. Even if they are shot-down on occasion, keep making your ideas known.
10. Career development. In the IT industry, perhaps more than in any other, you have the opportunity to take charge of your own career and develop it how you see fit.  You can jump from area to area within an company, jump from company to company, or even change industries completely.  The fact is that the underlying IT infrastructure is pretty consistent across industries.  As you make your moves, you should be increasing your experience, marketability and salary.  It might require making some physical moves or relocations; but you have to decide how important that is to you and what it’s ultimately worth.
11. Stay technical or go into management. This relates to career development, but as an IT professional you have the choice to really stay technical as an engineer or architect, or get into management. Management typically means higher salaries, but it also introduces more stress, more vulnerability (at least at lower level management) and ultimately more risk. Management definitely has its benefits and you can always jump back into being hands-on technical when the need arises.
12. You can keep up with your kids. In previous generations, there usually ended up being a pretty big generational gap between parents and children.  IT professionals typically keep up with cutting edge technology, gaming consoles, gadgets and anything techie.  All of these things appeal to a large section of today’s youth; which allows you to narrow the “generational gap” and keep in touch with your kids.
13. You don’t have to pay someone to setup and maintain your home network(s). Most people who aren’t either a techie or in the IT industry have no clue how to setup, configure and maintain their home systems.  They’re at the mercy of the bench techs are their local technology superstore or their computer manufacturer’s IT help desk (where ever call begins with “reboot” and ends with “reinstall”).
14. You know other IT professionals. Some might say that’s not necessarily a good or bad thing, but think about it.  When you’re looking for advice on a new system, help with a project, a website or a piece of software, you usually know someone who can do it or get it for you.
15. Work from anywhere. Many companies offer the ability to work from home occasionally, if not exclusively.  The nature of IT, remote desktop capabilities, VPN connectivity, etc., allows an IT person to work from home or remotely as easily as sitting at their desk.  Many companies have “virtual teams” with IT people working remotely from anywhere in the world.
16. Get paid a great salary. In general, Information Technology salaries are very good.  IT professionals get paid very well, especially as time and experience increases.  While a first or second year help desk person may not be making a six-figure salary, as you grow into your career, specialize in a certain area and gain a deep understanding of your niche; a six-figure salary is certainly within reach.
17. Lots of opportunity to network. The IT industry has a ton of conferences throughout the year in virtually every area within IT.  Whether your a systems engineer, application developer, database administrator or SAN storage engineer, there are many opportunities to network and learn throughout the year.  The challenge is to find the best ones to attend and getting your employer to send you.
18. Lots of freedom. Most IT departments provide a decent amount of freedom to their employees such as flexible schedules, breaks whenever necessary, etc.  Many other types of jobs require you to punch a clock, take breaks at certain times and be micromanaged throughout the day.  An IT professional can usually take breaks whenever they need and come and go as they please; as long as they get their work done each day.
19. The ability to do things your way. Since there is usually a thousand different ways to do anything in IT, you have the ability to do a task in a way that makes the most sense to you.  Of course there are company policies and procedures and a general framework you have to work within, but typically as long as you get it done, it works, and doesn’t break something else; you can do it.
20. Almost nothing that can’t be accomplished. Within an IT department, often times the business will come to IT and say we need “x, y and z” done.  At first pass it might seem impossible, but the majority of the time after brainstorming, trial and error, and more brainstorming you find a way to make it happen.  That brings about a certain sense of satisfaction.
21. You usually don’t have to deal with customers. Depending on what area of IT you work in, you normally don’t have to deal with customers.  Most of the real IT work (infrastructure, networking, database administration, line of business application support, etc) is done behind the scenes with little customer contact.
22. You can trade services. When you’re in IT, you have skills and resources most non-IT people don’t have.  You can trade those skills quite often for other’s expertise and services.  Whether that means handy work around the house, lawn care, auto-repair, etc., if you are ambitious and like to network you trade services for a great number of things.
23. You’re a great problem solver. Since the majority of IT work involves solving problems you become good at being methodical.  We all know some IT people that are great problem creators, but for the most part IT people are good at solving things.  Learning to be a great problem solver carries over into all aspects of your life and helps in many areas (outside of IT).
24. You’re a great researcher. The basis for solving problems is knowing how to research and find solutions.  Learning how to research again carries over into many other things in life whether it’s helping your children with homework, your spouse with a project or yourself when contemplating starting a new job, making a purchase or learning a new skill.
25. You like to constantly learn new things. IT changes more rapidly than most industries, with new technologies being created every day.  Computers constantly get faster, new methods of accomplishing tasks are always being developed and software evolves sometimes daily.  While it’s true some companies are still running Windows 95 with dot matrix printers; however most IT professionals have the opportunity to constantly learn new skills and pick up new technologies.

Well there you have it.  Our Top 25 reasons it’s great to be an Information Technology professional.  Some of these are sure to be more true than others, depending on where you work and what part of the world you’re in.

Leave a comment, and let us know you favorite reasons for being in IT!

25 Reasons Why it’s Great to be an IT Guy (or Girl). is a post from: Palaestra Training

Several that we follow, and have learned a lot from over the last few years are Aaron Wall, Neil Patel and Jeremy Shoemaker, aka “ShoeMoney”

The ShoeMoney group has recently released a set of SEO tools that is sure to boost your business and make you more money if used correctly.

They have assembled a tool set that simplifies many SEO tasks and provides a way to really dig deep into areas only professional SEOs had access to before.  Their tools focus on three main areas, including SEO Tools, PPC Tools and Link Building Tools.

If you’re serious about driving your business to the next level, finding new ways to develop traffic, build backlinks and ultimately get ahead of your competition, you need these tools.

One of the most interesting tools is their expired domain checking tool, which allows you to see a real-time list of all the domains that have recently expired and are available to be registered.  Even more importantly, their tool shows you how many backlinks currently exist for the domain. 

In other words, you’re able to see how many backlinks from high authority domains like .edu, .gov and .mil currently exist for each expired domains.

This is pure gold for people looking to pick up domains that already have rank and authority in the search engines and either develop a site or business around it, or use it to drive traffic to an existing website.  This tool alone is worth the price, please check it out if your at all serious about building an online business.

ShoeMoney Tools is a definite “recommend” from us; and something everyone who runs a business online, or is thinking about developing an online business should take a serious look at.

New SEO Tool to Build your Business is a post from: Palaestra Training

Those things are of course extremely important and a necessary piece of the puzzle.

What many people overlook however, is the importance of building relationships.  Just as interconnecting networks of computers, routers and switches are the building blocks of the Internet; Interconnecting networks of people are really the life blood of business, of careers and ultimately of success.  Never downplay the importance of a connection, for that unlikely match-up might lead to the dream job, contract or business down the road.

Treating everyone with respect, and going out of your way to help others without the thought or need of an immediate return goes a long way to forging a reputation that mountains can be built upon. People will naturally gravitate toward things that make them feel good or better about themselves.

What this means in practical terms is don’t only give special treatment to the CEO or executive management of a company.  Treat everyone (co-workers, vendors, customers and so on) with respect and give them all your best effort.

You might not see an immediate return on that “investment” but over the long-term it will return in multiples.  People that may not be in a direct position to help you today can most definitely grow to be “the person” you need in the future.  By laying the groundwork, not only will they be much more willing to help in the future, but they will also pass that information on to others and your network will silently grow behind the scenes.

In the IT field, the power of relationship building is a much overlooked concept and something that we all need to get better at.  Often times IT identifies themselves as a separate part of a company because, as we all know, the IT department is typically vastly different from what the rest of the company does (i.e. healthcare, pharmaceuticals, finance, banking, etc).

However, the decision-makers both in and out of IT talk to each other, jump companies, start new ventures, etc., and are always looking for good people they can rely on to get the job done.  The mail clerk today can be the CEO of THE killer startup tomorrow.

So as the old saying goes, “be careful of the toes you step on today, for they may be attached to the butt you have to kiss tomorrow!”

The Power of Relationship Building is a post from: Palaestra Training

Running a business online requires the obvious:

1. Dedication to developing a great product or service
2. Researching what your customers need (and even more importantly what they want)
3. Finding ways to differentiate yourself from your competitors

As a business owner what you might not realize is that you need equal dedication to ensuring your website can be found when potential customers are searching for what you sell.

The days of “build it and they will come” are over.  Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a continuous process that is a requirement for online success. 

In an ideal situation, hiring a professional SEO consultant is your best bet.  If you don’t have the budget for professional SEO services (or even if you do but want to gain a better understanding of what SEO is all about), here is our list of 10 SEO sites you need to follow:

SEO Book

SEOMoz

Search Engine Land

Google’s Matt Cutts Blog

Todd Malicoat’s Blog

Dave Naylor

Joost de Valk’s blog

SEO By the Sea

GrayWolf’s SEO Blog

SEO Theory

If you are serious about your online success, then SEO is something you’ll need to become familiar with.  If you’re going to be doing your own SEO, then you’ll need to become intimately familiar with the information contained on these sites. 

The 10 sites listed above represent some of the greatest talent in the SEO industry and allow you to quickly learn from their combined experience.

If you’re going to be hiring an SEO consultant or firm (or even hiring a full-time employee to do your site’s SEO work), having a working knowledge of SEO will help you ensure your SEO is doing a good job and not pulling the digital “wool over your eyes”.

10 SEO Sites You Need to Build Your Business is a post from: Palaestra Training