I encourage potential search engine optimisation (SEO) clients to read up on the sector through the internet. I want firms to understand the role of our service so they can appreciate the benefits resulting from it.

However, there is a vast amount of information, opinion and sometimes startling-opposed conjecture scattered across the web and for a newbie, it can be pretty difficult to figure out what is sense and what is silly – or even potentially damaging.

If you are considering investing in search engine promotions to boost your businesses online, here are two good articles straight from the search engine’s mouths, covering both SEO and search engine marketing.

Google: Ethical SEO can benefit a website

Google recently admitted cautious approval of SEO agencies. It warned webmasters to be careful what company they use to avoid being penalised because of cowboy tactics – a sentiment I agree with wholeheartedly.

Yahoo!: Use Common Sense for Search Marketing

I like Yahoo!’s search marketing blog, it always offers very simple but useful commentary for new starters. This recent post holds nothing groundbreaking for those already working in the sector but is an excellent advice source for businesses considering search marketing. From bidding on the right keywords to filling pages with acceptable content, the blog outlines some basic search marketing tenets.