While blogs are usually the best way to keep up with SEO news and learn new things, there are other content formats that can sometimes give you new perspective or even help your SEO efforts. If you’re looking for a new way to read information, there are excellent EBooks, Google Docs, and Whitepapers out there on SEO—you just have to know where to find them. Below explains some of the different options out there to get you started.

EBooks

EBooks are great because they can go into more detail than a blog post, but they are still online-based and oftentimes are still written in a blog format. Many companies offer EBooks for free with a subscription, some companies write and publish EBooks free for download, and others ask for a fee. With the increased popularity of Kindle’s, EBooks are only getting better.

17 SEO Myths You Should Leave Behind in 2014. This EBook is a publication of HubSpot, so it offers incredibly detailed content on a very narrow subject. Understanding SEO myths can help lead you on the right path, and although the myths detailed in this publication focus on the myths of 2014, all of them still apply in 2015.

How to Create Compelling Content That Ranks Well In Search Engines. This is an EBook by copyblogger that not only helps you learn about content creation, but explains how to make sure your doing the best you can for your SEO. Although you have to be a member of copyblogger to get the EBook, it is free with a quick signup.

SEO: The Past, Present, and Future. This is another one by HubSpot and is great for beginners who want to learn about SEO and how it has evolved. I have found that understanding what used to be acceptable in the SEO world helps me navigate why certain tasks have such blurry lines, and this is a good EBook to help give you that type of knowledge. There is also a Keyword Development Worksheet to help you get started on your future strategy.

You can visit this link for more EBook options.

Google Docs

Google Docs are a very new option so they aren’t too popular just yet, but I expect them to be in the near future. More and more large SEO agencies and influencers are creating Google Docs that you can download for free. Once you download the doc, you have it in your Google Drive ready to go whenever you need it. Google Docs also move in real-time, so whoever has editing abilities is able to make changes and keep things up to date.

Most Google Docs are tools to help you with your SEO metrics and numbers, so they work more as a tool as opposed to a place to learn (like the other options in this article).

SEER Interactive SEO Toolbox. You have to get permission from the owner of the document to get started, but once you have permission this document lets you type in your business information and analytics accounts to have everything in one easy place. This includes Google Analytics, Moz rankings and metrics, Twitter counts, and more.

Managing Projects in Google Docs. This is a Google Doc by Alex Moss of 3 Door Digital. It’s a simple Doc that helps you manage and run different projects for your clients. It has sections for content audits, installing plugins, keyword audits, and more, and it has spaces for the time it takes, the budget, and any notes. It’s overall just a great way to stay organized if you’re not comfortable creating your own document with advanced features.

You can visit this link for more Google Doc options.

Whitepapers

According to HubSpot, one of the top producers of whitepapers in the SEO industry, a white paper is “a persuasive, authoritative, in-depth report on a specific topic that presents a problem and provides a solution. I think of whitepapers as being very similar to an EBook, but they are much denser in nature, meaning they’re more targeted and specific. They’re usually around the same length, but not always an easy read.

The Beginner’s Guide to Inbound Marketing. This whitepaper is from Powered By Search and helps give you the basics of marketing online. It discusses targeting potential customers, brand awareness, customized content, and how to make it all happen. In order to get the full whitepaper you do need to sign up with your email address, but it’s well worth it. Other than that, it’s completely free.

SEO 101: The Basics and Beyond. This whitepaper comes from Act-On and will teach you how search engines operate, what Penguin and Panda updates affect, techniques to choosing the right keywords, and other basic optimization tactics. Again, give your email address and it’s free.

You can visit this link for more whitepaper options.

Other Options

Of course, there are many other unconventional content types that you can visit to learn more about SEO including books, ted talks, video channels, infographics, and more. Visit here for a list of some of these other outlets and how they can help.

Do you have any resources you’d like to share? Let us know in the comment section below.