Friday, May 29, 2020

How to learn SEO without dying trying

Are you interested in learning SEO but don't know where to start? We are going to get straight to the point through a small guide so that you see with some perspective the steps to learn about this exciting discipline. Mainly we will focus on Google for being the most used search engine. Of course, like all good learning, it will be necessary to dedicate time.

Index


First steps to learn SEO from scratch

Official documentation from Google

Have a website or make it

Learn the elements and technologies of a website

Other resources and sources to learn free SEO

Videos

Blogs

Podcast

Twitter and LinkedIn / Slide Share

Congresses and meetups

Webinars

First steps to learn SEO from scratch

I take as a base that you have a voracious interest in becoming a good SEO, that you like the web world, digital marketing, and, in short, playing around to get to appear in the first positions. If so, the adventure begins!

Official documentation from Google


Yes, it is not necessary to pay anything to know the good practices that Google recommends and understand how the search engine works.

Beginner's Guide to Search Engine Optimization


First of all, I recommend you access and download this mythical guide (which almost all of us have gone through) to begin to better understand the recommendations that Google proposes within a web page. In his day, he had even printed it for me to underline and make notes. Very useful for the first contact.

The online version of the guide


You can also access the online version from the Search Console help center, which also describes the best practices to perform for the different aspects of website SEO.
Many of the mistakes that are made at first can be avoided by reading the basic guides provided by Google.

How Google search works

The previous document is already a few years old, so I advise reading updated information on how Google works. I would also recommend looking for concepts on keyword crawling and indexing or analysis. This page is perfect for learning free SEO, getting to know Googlebot, and the above concepts.

Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines


This is the guide that Google gives to the evaluators (that is, real people) to “score” the search results when there is an update to the algorithm. It is important to be aware of this information because if your content is about the health niche, for example, and Google begins to be more restrictive with the theme to prevent fraud, surely you will have to adapt to its rules to avoid falling into the SERP.


Have a website or make it


Nowadays, thanks to CMS or content managers, it is not difficult at all to make a website for yourself. The best known and recommended, especially for its versatility when practicing SEO techniques, is WordPress.

And why are you going to get into making a website now? Well basically to put into practice what you are reading in the guides. Practicing is how you gain experience and lose the fear of doing certain things, such as modifying meta titles, meta descriptions, registering your domain in a Google property ... And, of course, learning SEO step by step based on errors. Because yes, we all commit them and it is where you learn the most, so it is better to commit them with the web in production.
Doing SEO is not theorizing, it is experimenting. Hence the importance of practicing what you are learning and, above all, of creating a working methodology.

At this point, I recommend what I did in its day: create a local website to "play" everything you want without messing up. You can use Flywheel, a simple program to carry out the web installations you need on your computer in a very simple way.

Learn the elements and technologies of a website


You don't have to be a programmer to study SEO, but you do need to know the elements that make up a web page (headers, metadata, text, images, domain name, frames, ...), as well as the different technologies with which they can be made (HTML, CSS, java script, progressive web app, https….).

Here are some interesting links for this purpose:

Starting with HTML + CSS

Tutorials with visual examples and codes to practice

You may be wondering why you need to know code if, in total, with WordPress and plugins you already have it. Well, I'm sorry to tell you that that is not the philosophy.
As a good future SEO, you must know how a website has been created and thus try to discover problems in the code and propose solutions. You can even scan websites to get useful information if you know what a div, a class, a selector, JS Path, or XPath is, among other concepts.

Other resources and sources to learn free SEO content writing services

As you begin to discover the first concepts when considering SEO on a web page, you can look at other sources of information that will make you understand how to apply them in a more practical and enjoyable way.

Videos


Without a doubt, the fastest and most direct source to learn SEO from scratch and for free are YouTube channels. Here are some:

SEO web positioning of the Luís M Villanueva channel.


One of the leading SEOs in the sector, whose value contribution consists of explaining practical work methodologies, conducting experiments with the aim of verifying the truth behind the theories, and conducting interviews with professionals in the sector.
Concepts, methodologies, and SEO interviews of the Webpositer channel.

It is another of the channels through which I have learned different concepts and practices. Concepts are explained clearly and very didactically.

SEO for beginners of the Romuald Fons channel.


I recommend that you try to replicate the tricks or methodologies of the videos to become fluent and apply them to your project. Perhaps he is the most charismatic communicator in the SEO world for his way of explaining concepts and strategies that he himself puts into practice.

It is more focused on niches, but of course, you can get many good ideas from your channel.

Blogs


Here there are a lot of options, but we leave you some of the most common in the sector so you can be updated:

  1. Webmaster Central Blog
  1. Search Engine Land
  1. Search Engine Roundtable
  1. Search Engine Watch
  1. Moz - Blog
  1. Deep crawl - Blog

Podcast


For a few years now, the power of podcasts has been expanding to all areas of the marketing sector. And to learn web positioning it was not going to be less. Here are some for you to listen to on a daily basis:

Emilio García Web Camp


A great podcast full of interviews with professionals in the sector on how they work in their day today. Emilio also reflects on different topics, news, and SEO experiments.

Andrés Kloster's SEO machine

These are entirely interviews with SEO professionals from both Spain and Latin America.

Paradise Marketing Paradises (that is, we… hehe)

Where all the members of the team explain doubts about the specialty of each one, always in a pleasant and close way.

Planeta M, a weekly digital marketing gathering

With professionals from the sector chatting about concepts and experiences of their day today.

Twitter and LinkedIn / Slide Share


It is important to keep up to date with SEO news, more than anything because Google updates its algorithm every two by three, and in some way, it may be affecting the rankings of the websites. For this, what better social network than Twitter thanks to the speed of the transmission of information to be aware of everything. In addition, so you can stay up to date with new tools, tricks, or tips.

National SEO Twitter accounts:

Iñaki Huerta

Fernando Macia

Juan Gonzalez

Álvaro Peña

Lakil Essay

MJ Cachón

Nazir Torrado

Sergio Simarro

Linen Uruñuela

LM Villanueva

International SEO Twitter accounts:


John Mu

Google Webmasters

Matt Cutts

Barry Schwartz

Rand Fishkin

Aleyda Solis

Gary Illyes

When it comes to LinkedIn when learning SEO positioning, it is very useful not only because it is a social network to establish contacts at a professional level, but because it integrates Slide Share. On this platform, many professionals upload and share their presentations to be able to access them for free. We leave you some very interesting examples, although with somewhat more advanced topics:

A 4-piece puzzle called SEO

Pages, the black hole of indexing - Clinic Seo
Keep indexing # seoplus19
Data Studio to the Rescue - SEonthebeach 2019

Take advantage of the presentations that the speakers upload to their Slide Share. Please note that they are sharing high-quality information ... for free!

Congresses and meetups


Without a doubt, the best way to network and meet the professionals you follow in person.
Some of the most relevant national conferences are Professional SEO Congress, SEOnthebeach, Salad SEO, SEO Clinic, Eshow, or Pro Marketing Day.
On the other hand, there are meetups, which are either training or leisure meetings. You can enter the web or download its application to join different groups because among them there are many SEOs. Every month there are interesting talks that you can sign up for, and many of them are totally free.

Webinars


It is another resource where you can learn a lot, from interviews to practical exhibitions. The vast majority are made through YouTube or Hangout, so they are almost always recorded for the community. Below we leave you the most relevant, among which the Webmaster tools channel where @JohnMu and collaborators speak:

Official SEMrush channel in Spanish
Official channel of Google Webmasters
SEO Ministry official channel

I hope that all these tips on how to learn SEO online help you. Above all, because they have brought back many memories of how I started. And, if it helps you in any way in your beginnings, I will be even happier. And you, where do you study SEO? Do you have any source that is your particular Bible? We want to meet her!

Wednesday, May 20, 2020

The Best Computers / Laptops for Music Production

The Best Computers / Laptops for Music Production

If we think about the fact that today virtually all musical recordings take place digitally ...

The first question that comes to the mind of any musician when it comes to music production is:

Which computer should I buy?

Although I am sure you already know it, I tell you that there is no one- size- fits- all answer.

Among the variables to consider we have:

budget available

data processing speed

portability

The ideal option would be completely different from that of another.
For this reason, in today's post, I will give you an overview of everything you need to know to choose the perfect PC / laptop for YOUR needs.

Let's start: first ...

Laptop vs. Desktop

desktop vs laptop more and more these days, as technology becomes more " mobile " ...

Desktop computers are slowly sliding into the past.

But for music recordings, they are still used in ALL professional studios.

Computer Accessories Price In Bangladesh

Here because:

They are generally faster - the cabinets offer plenty of space, ideal for maximizing PC performance and meeting the high demand for resources of today's DAWs and plugins.

They have more IN / OUT - and this will allow you to have more sophisticated and numerous connections, so as to keep your setup constantly updated.

They allow for greater customization - it will, therefore, be possible to add more RAM, extra hard drives, additional video cards, and more ... if necessary.

They solve the "noise" problem - allowing you to keep the tower in a room separate from your studio monitors and microphones.

In spite of all these advantages, the ONLY thing desktop computers lack is the… PORTABILITY.
and in today's world, made up of DJs and mobile studios, the portability of a laptop is a MUST.

Also ... since most of us still use a laptop for school/work, it eliminates the need to make two different purchases.

At this point, I think you've already decided if a desktop or laptop computer is better for you...

So let's continue with ...

Mac Vs. PC

mac vs plant to know what's the best way to piss off a recording enthusiast? Here's how to do it :
If he uses a PC in his studio, tell him that Macs are better.

If he uses a Mac, tell him that PCs are better.

For some strange reason, this topic triggers violent debates ... which have always lasted, without real conclusions.

And in fact, I absolutely HATE to have my say on this topic.

Anyway, here it is:

Personally, I prefer Macs. Not just for recording, but for everything. And these days, most of those who revolve around the world of music (and not only) agree.




If YOU are among them too ... just take a Mac.




So why choose a PC? Usually for one of these 3 reasons :




Price - Macs usually cost more than one PC, and not everyone can afford it.

Customization - The "nerds" typically prefer PCs, as it is much easier to modify/update them in the hardware part.

Windows - Some simply prefer a Windows operating system.

If you don't recognize yourself in any of these 3 reasons ... take a Mac.




However, whatever your choice, be aware that there is a lot of fantastic music that has been created with both one and the other, and this topic is actually not as important as someone might have made you believe.




Assuming you made your choice ... let's move on.




Let's continue with ...




Mac Desktop

mac desktops with desktop Macs, we have 3 options:




Mac Pro

iMac

Mac Mini

Let's now compare them:




In the first place is the Mac Pro.




For studio recording, there is probably nothing better. Put your nose in any professional studio ... and in all probability, you will find one of these.




In any case…




The truth is this: for most of us, a Mac Pro is simply too expensive. One might then think ... of the iMac.




Although it doesn't even come close to the Pro's performance, the iMac is very practical for anyone who is starting out, as it combines the computer and monitors into one object.




If you can afford it, it's probably the ideal choice for most home studios.




If you CAN'T, the final option is the Mac Mini.




How many times have you heard someone say:




I would like a Mac, but they cost too much




Well, the Mac Mini is proof that this isn't completely true.




It may not have the speed or flexibility of the more expensive models ... but it offers ALL the advantages of a Mac operating system, at a very modest reference price.




Mac Pro - ( price )

iMac - ( price )

Mac Mini - ( price )

Let's continue with ...




Desktop PC

modified echo among you likes to build your own PC ...




I have no doubt that you know much more about it than I know ...




Then…




If you can assemble something faster and better than a Mac Pro ... do it.




I wouldn't dare try to convince you otherwise.




If, on the other hand, you DO NOT fall into this category, and in reality, you don't even know much about computers ...




Then I advise you to stay away from desktop PCs.




And here's why:




If you're NOT a big PC fan, the only reason you should choose one for studying would be because you're starting out and trying to save money.




Since the main advantage of desktop computers is MORE PROCESSOR POWER, it makes little sense to take a PC that isn't incredibly fast.




If you have a budget of around € 500, you could take a laptop, so you also have the advantage of portability.




Having said that, let's move on with ...




The 4 KEY specifications of a Laptop

We have seen how laptops can be ... somehow ... " a little less suitable " for music production ...




Here are 4 potential issues to watch out for:




Mechanical Noise - If you are a DJ in a noisy club, this point obviously doesn't matter. But in a bedroom studio, it matters a lot. One way to check this is to read a lot of reviews. Or: choose an SSD (solid-state drive) with no moving parts, instead of a traditional HDD (the classic hard disk).

Backlit Keys - in low light environments such as clubs and discos, they are a MUST-HAVE.

Screen Size - You may think it's not that important, but after spending some time using a DAW, you will understand how much value a larger screen has.

Ports - The trend of laptops is to decrease the size, and so the number of inputs/outputs also decreases. So make sure you have enough for your purpose.

Now is the time to take a look at some laptops ...




Mac laptops

portable iMac with Mac laptops we have 3 options:




The first is precisely the Macbook Pro.




My idea is that ... MacBook Pros are the most popular laptops for home recording.




They are ultra-fast

They have many entrances

They have large high definition screens

If you can afford it, take one. Otherwise…




The Macbook and Macbook Air are both in 2nd place, albeit remotely.




They are not that fast, and they don't even have the same number of inputs, but they are extremely thin and light ... especially the Macbook Air!




Here they are:




Macbook Pro - ( price )

Macbook Air - ( price )

Macbook - ( price )

Let's continue with ...




Portable PCs

laptops the one hand, laptops are EXCELLENT ...




As they offer an unlimited number of models to choose from.




On the other hand, though, laptop PCs are AWFUL ... for the exact same reason.




And with that, what I mean is ...




While having many options is a good thing, the more they are, the more difficult it will be:




choose from one of them

be sure you made the right choice

be happy with your own after doing it

And unfortunately in music production, there is no clear winner that stands out from the rest.




As most people rightly think ... the best laptops for music tend to be usually the best laptops in general.




So here are the 5 most popular and best-reviewed options:




HP Envy - ( price )

Asus Zenbook - ( price )

HP Special Edition w / Beats Audio - ( price )

Dell Inspiron - ( price )

Lenovo Yoga 3 - ( price )

Let's continue with ...




System Requirements for the DAW

system requirements dawAn important point worthy of mention, and which is rarely mentioned ...




These are the system requirements necessary for the DAW you have chosen.




Although most computers are compatible with most DAWs today ...




In some rare cases... It is NOT so, so you should always make sure of this.




If you don't have a favorite DAW yet or don't even know what a DAW is, then don't worry about this part.




However, for those who KNOW IT, here are the links to the system requirements for each of the best DAWs available today:




PreSonus Studio One

Cakewalk Sonar

FL Studio

Propellerhead Reason

Ableton Live

MOTU Digital Performer

Steinberg Cubase

Apple Logic Pro X

Avid Pro Tools

Let's continue with ...




3 Essential Computer Accessories

Once you have finally identified the computer, you will have to choose the ACCESSORIES.




For recording studios, the 3 accessories that I recommend are:




a keyboard

a mouse

a monitor

And now let's understand what you want from each of them ...




1. The keyboard

studio keyboardsHaving said that any old keyboard could work ...




Your ideal keyboard should include 3 features:




DAW shortcut markers (marks shortcut) - will help you to store many shortcuts MUCH faster.

Numeric keypad - including LOTS of useful shortcuts for most DAWs.

A wireless connection - to access and control your computer from anywhere in the room.

NOTE: Even if you have a laptop, you might consider buying an external keyboard: p to be very useful.




Here are my favorites:




Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard - ( PC / Mac ) - in addition to having a numeric keypad and wireless connection, this keyboard has a unique feature that you will not find in (almost) any other: it works on solar energy. And this means neither cable nor batteries forever.

Customized Keyboards for LogicKeyboard DAW - ( web site ) - Probably the best known of "marker shortcuts" manufacturer for software, LogicKeyboard has both of customized keyboards that keyboard cover for virtually any combination DAW / imaginable keyboard.

Let's continue with ...




2. The Mouse

Logitech performance mouse main ... any mouse (or trackpad) might be fine ...




With a really good mouse ...




Some programmable buttons can give you access to the most frequently used shortcuts on your DAW without ever touching the keyboard.




This tool alone can speed up your work significantly.




Although there is an almost infinite number of mice to choose from ... I recommend Logitech.com to start your search.




My favorite mouse of their line is the Logitech Performance Mouse MX - ( price ). If you still don't have clear ideas, I recommend you evaluate it.




Some great alternatives:




Logitech MX Master - ( price / reviews )

Logitech MX Anywhere 2 - ( price / reviews )

3. The Monitor

Apple Thunderbolt DisplayWhen you start with home recording ...




You don't immediately understand the value of a REALLY GOOD monitor.




But in the end, after working for a while with one of the poor quality ...




You will notice 3 things:




Low-resolution screens can only display a small number of tracks at a time.

TV screens often have pixels highlighted and are strange to watch closely.

Screens with low refresh rates cannot display level meters in sync with the track.



None of these problems, taken individually, is unbearable. All 3 together will drive you crazy.