Search Engine Journal is holding its annual search blogs awards, and a variety of industry pundits are currently nominating each other for awards. Interesting that best Mobile Blog was a category this year, and that, as of this writing and 70+ comments, none of said pundits save this one have nominated a mobile blog (correction: #72, David, you read my mind). If you follow the space and you want to nominate a blog (even if it’s not this one), please don’t be afraid to contribute.
In the spirit of PageRank’s links as votes ethos, I’m reposting my list below, along with a link to each and a short explanation of my rationale. Kudos to Loren Baker and Search Engine Journal for annually allowing us to pat ourselves on the back.
Best SEO Blog: Search Engine Land
I’m not sure how they did it with a name that sounds like the least-fun amusement park ever, but in the past year and two weeks Danny Sullivan, Chris Sherman, Barry Schwartz, Greg Sterling, Vanessa Fox et al have managed to produce one of the most authoritative, comprehensive, innovative and useful online publications in the industry.
Best SEM Blog: Search Engine Watch
SEW suffered a bit after the loss of Danny Sullivan, and I don’t know that they’ll ever regain their reputation fully in his absence, but SEW still has Outsourced and a column by Resolution Media’s CEO, Matt Spiegel— who is not only consistently insightful with regard to enterprise SEM strategy, but one of the brightest SEMs I think I’ve ever met. And I’m not just saying that because he’s my boss. I don’t learn as much from their SEO columns typically, but Mark Jackson generally does a fine job.
Best SEO Plugin for WordPress: I’m on Mephisto and prefer MT to WP; N/A
Best Search Agency Resource Blog: Search Engine Watch
Great Finds, SearchViews, and Straight Up Search are all good blogs produced by search agencies, but as an agency SEO, I’ve learned more about agency issues from the two SEW columns mentioned above. Keep an eye out for the Resolution Media blog, Find Resolution, in 2008; as we’re bound to give the others a run for their money.
Best Link Building Blog: Matt Cutts
Not strictly a link building blog, but the most authoritative one out there, I think. Which other blog does every link builder in the world read?
Best Social Media Marketing or Optimization Blog: Inside Facebook
As a premium member, I enjoyed the SEOMoz SMO guide this year, and Mashable is similarly comprehensive and a great source for social networking news, but since 2007 was largely Facebook’s year, my nomination would have to go to the blog that recently released the ultimate guide for viral marketing on Facebook. Way to pull it off in the clutch!
Best Local Search Blog: Screenwerk
Also a fan of Greg Sterling’s LocalMobileSearch blog, which I’d recommend for consistently good information about mobile search as well. Screenwerk is more focused on the local side.
Best Video Search Blog: Google Webmaster Central Blog
Not strictly a video search blog, but has great video search tactics on occasion. Probably no bigger news in video search optimization than Video Sitemaps this year, which came from this blog.
Best Mobile Search Blog: Natural Search and Mobile SEO
Since self nomination is acceptable (and normal, actually) and I don’t know many Mobile SEO Blogs, I’m nominating my own. Other mobile search and/or mobile marketing blogs I’ve enjoyed in 2007: LocalMobileSearch, mSearchGroove, Paul Bennett’s blog, David Harper’s Different Things, InformationWeek mobile, Engadget Mobile, FierceMobileContent, Mobile Insight and Search, Mobile Insider, etc.
Best Google Blog Not Owned by Google: Vanessa Fox Nude
It says something about how deserving I think this blog is of traffic that I loathe Buffy the Vampire Slayer and I still consistently enjoy this blog by the Xoogler and one of the creators of Google Webmaster Tools, Vanessa Fox.
Best Search Engine Corporate Blog (owned by the search engines): Google Webmaster Central Blog
Google has really stepped up their communication with webmasters and SEOs in 2007, and this is where it all goes down, officially.
Best Contextual Advertising Blog
I’m an SEO. N/A
Best Affiliate Marketing Blog
I don’t make $50k per day. N/A
Best Search Engine Community/Forum: Sphinn
I don’t learn much from forums these days, but this one is usually entertaining.
Best New Search Engine of 2007: Hulu
A lot of interesting semantic search engine entries this year, but since video is already hot, I think NBC’s You Tube-killer-in-training is going to be the one to watch.
Best Search Engine Research Blog: SEO by the SEA
Bill Slawski still has his finger on the pulse. Ask Enquiro is a close second.
Best Search Linkbait of 2007:
Vanessa Fox Nude: Why the SEOMoz Quiz is Completely Wrong
This is what happens when you turn linkbait into linkbait. Well done.
Breakout Blog of 2007: http://GoodURLBadURL.com
It may be too early to tell, but this one from Search Insider Aaron Goldman gets my vote for creating a social media firestorm in the past few weeks. SomethingLikeAPhenomenon.com?
Best Search Conference Coverage of 2007: TopRank
Lee Odden’s group gets my vote for covering SIS as well.
Best Search Conference Coverage in Photos: TopRank
Best Search Marketing Facebook Group: SEMPO
Most Giving Search Blogger: Danny Sullivan, Barry Schwartz and Greg Sterling at Search Engine Land
I have no idea what this means, as search bloggers can post a lot and still not give me anything. Nonetheless, these gentlemen win for the quantity of quality posts they present.
Best Independent Search Blog (not owned by media company or marketing agency): Search Insider
Unless MediaPost is a media company? Still great information from a variety of agency heads.
Best Search Blog Post of 2007: Google Introduces Universal Search
No bigger news story in my mind for SEO this year.
As we close out 2007, I’d like to thank all of these blogs for a lot of great information about an industry that changes often. Happy Holidays to all. Looking forward to 2008!