Best SEO Courses Online – Free & Paid Options

Earning a degree is a good thing for some professions. After all, you wouldn’t want a doctor who learned his trade via YouTube videos taking out your appendix, would you? Of course not.

But for other professions, you can learn just as much, if not more, than a college curriculum’s worth online for a fraction of the cost. Search engine optimization is one of those things.

That’s not to say there’s no value in an SEO specialist earning a degree – any education is a good thing, particularly if it’s in a related field like computer science, marketing, or communications.

But as you probably know, the SEO field is in a constant state of flux. And it’s more than competitors tweaking their strategies to jump ahead of you; it’s also regular and sometimes major changes to Google’s search algorithm.

If you’re just getting started in SEO, you’re a mid-level professional looking to add tools to your toolbox, or even a seasoned veteran seeking the latest tricks, we’ve got just the thing.

Below, we’ve compiled a list of the best online SEO courses available, so you can find exactly what you’re looking for.

Free SEO Courses

SEO Certification Course (HubSpot)

A marketing and sales software developer, HubSpot always thinks of marketers’ needs. And that includes its SEO Certification Course. It covers the basics of SEO, including evaluating your current site, building backlinks, and performing keyword research.

Length: Under three hours for six total lessons

SEO Training Course: Learn How To Get Organic Traffic From Search (Ahrefs)

Another SEO software tools provider, Ahrefs, offers a free course for SEO beginners. This program starts from scratch, explaining why SEO is important and guiding participants through the basics of keyword research, page optimization, and beginning technical SEO.

Length: 14 lessons over two hours

Free SEO Training: SEO For Beginners (Yoast)

The makers of the popular SEO plugin for WordPress want to help you learn more about SEO with a free online course. Yoast’s program is designed to quickly equip you with the knowledge you need to impact your site’s ranking as quickly as possible positively.

Length: Two hours

SEO Training For Beginners (Shopify)

When it comes to ecommerce, Shopify is the big dog on the block. To help online retailers maximize their impact and revenue, Shopify offers free SEO training for beginners. With its focus on digital shopping, this course is ideal for entrepreneurs.

Length: 16 lessons in just over one hour

On-Page And Technical SEO Course (Semrush)

The makers of keyword research and analytics tool Semrush offer a course for intermediate SEO professionals covering on-page and technical SEO. Upon completion of this, you can test for certification.

Length: Seven lessons in one hour

Intro To Search Engine Optimization (WordPress)

Popular blogging platform WordPress offers an entry-level course to introduce you to the fundamentals of SEO. Content is available on-demand, and you will receive a certificate of completion.

SEO Basics (Conductor)

Conductor offers several free SEO courses, including SEO Basics, Paid & Organic Synergy, and Evangelizing SEO. All are intended to help you maximize your digital marketing strategy and increase search rankings.

Length: 1:30 for SEO basics

A Beginner’s Guide To Local SEO (BrightLocal)

Local SEO puts you in front of customers right when they’re looking for you – which means it’s really important. This course from BrightLocal Academy will equip you with the knowledge and skills to start showing up on those searches conducted in your neighborhood.

Length: Eight lessons + certification in roughly one hour

Google SEO Fundamentals (Coursera/University Of California, Davis)

This course, designed by UC Davis, will help you quickly get up to speed on the basics of search engine optimization. It includes information on developing a strategy, keyword research, and search behavior.

Length: 11 videos, eight hours to complete

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Specialization (Coursera/University Of California, Davis)

More in-depth than this previous one, this program will teach you how to perform competitive analysis, develop influencer relationships, and create reports on your findings.

Length: Five courses

Paid SEO Courses

Free is always a great thing, but if you’re looking for something a little more serious and focused, it might be worth your time to invest in a paid course. Here are some of the best ones:

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Training Course (Simplilearn)

Simplilearn is an online “boot camp” educator. Its Advanced SEO Course is intended to prepare you for a role as a full-stack SEO professional. This in-depth program focuses on everything from the basics of the search field to advanced skills like off-page optimization, developing a content marketing strategy, and managing analytics.

Length: 58 lessons ranging from under five minutes to roughly an hour and a half.

Price: Self-paced learning – $1,199, online boot camp – $1,499

SEO Essentials Certification (Moz)

SEO software provider Moz offers a wide variety of training options through its Moz Academy. Of particular interest is the SEO Essentials Certification. This course is intended to provide you with the knowledge you need to get started in SEO, including developing an understanding of how search engines operate.

Length: Six hours of instructor-guided content

Price: $595

Technical SEO Certification (Moz)

Looking for something more advanced? This on-demand course is designed to equip you with the skills you need to take your technical SEO expertise from beginner to intermediate. You’ll learn about crawlability, indexability, accessibility, and site performance.

Length: Three hours of instructor-led content

Price: $395

SEO Competitive Analysis Certification (Moz)

Yet another Moz Academy course intended for intermediate to advanced SEO professionals, this on-demand program will teach you how to identify and analyze your competitors’ SEO campaigns, conduct audits, and evaluate your rivals’ social media presence.

Length: Three hours of instructor-led content

Price: $395

SEO Certification (ClickMinded)

An online continuing education platform for marketing professionals, ClickMinded offers an SEO certification course designed with busy professionals in mind. It will teach you the basics of search engine optimization, and upon passing the final exam, you’ll be awarded certification. It also includes lifetime access to five mini-SEO courses.

Length: Three to six hours

Price: Single courses from $997

Advanced Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Certification Training (Market Motive/Simplilearn)

This in-depth SEO course goes far beyond the fundamentals, helping you take your skills to the next level. A bigger time investment than some courses on this list, it is intended to be a comprehensive course on all things SEO.

Length: 25+ hours

Price: Self-paced learning for $1,199, online boot camp for $1,499

SEO 101 (DistilledU)

Learn everything from basic skills to advanced concepts in this online university. SEO 101 focuses on how search engines work and the skills and principles you need to know to improve your ranking.

Length: Eight modules over 32+ hours

Price: $40/month paid monthly; $33/month paid annually

SEO Training (Bruce Clay)

Bruce Clay programmed the world’s first webpage analysis tool. Now, he’s sharing his expertise in search engine optimization via SEOTraining.com. This exhaustive course is learn-at-your-own-pace and features everything from beginning SEO training to advanced tactics.

Length: 15+ hours over 48 videos

Price: $1,495 for a one-year membership

SEO Basics (SERanking)

This structured online course is designed to walk you through every aspect of SEO and show you how to make it work for you. SERanking also offers a course on Content SEO to further expand your knowledge.

Length: 41 lessons over six hours

Price: Basic subscription starting at $39.20/month

The (Non-Techie) Marketer’s Guide To SEO (MarketingProfs)

This program is designed for people who don’t have degrees in computer science or related fields. It breaks down how search engines work and gives you specific steps to help you maximize your ranking without needing to learn a coding language.

Length: Seven lessons, 60-90 minutes each

Price: $595 annual subscription

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) And Marketing (University Of California, San Diego)

Learn the basics of SEO and how to structure your website in this online course from UC San Diego. You’ll gain practical experience performing the duties of an SEO specialist while learning to use various online tools.

Length: Three credit hours

Price: $695

Search Engine Optimization (University Of Phoenix)

Learn to perform competitive analysis, create a keyword strategy and develop a crawler-friendly site architecture in this online course. This program will provide you with a solid understanding of SEO tactics and best practices.

Length: Three credit hours, five weeks

Prices: $1,194

Search Engine Optimization (University Of Cape Town)

This online course will equip you with work-ready skills to allow you to take on an SEO role with confidence. In addition to a practical understanding of best practices, you’ll also receive an industry-recognized certificate from Africa’s top university.

Length: 10 weeks with 10 hours per week

Foundations Of Search Engine Optimization (University Of Toronto)

Learn to perform competitive research and develop SEO strategies in this micro-course. You’ll gain a thorough understanding of how Google works and learn best practices to help you climb the rankings.

Length: 15 hours

Price: $559 Canadian

Other Resources

The great thing about the internet (aside from the fun of optimizing websites for search engines) is the absolute wealth of information it brings you. Here are a few other resources you can use to learn more about search engine optimization:

LinkedIn Learning

LinkedIn is more than a professional networking site – it’s also a great place to learn.

At the time of writing, there were 521 SEO-related videos and courses available. And with such a large number to choose from, there’s sure to be something of value for every skill level.

PluralSight

Online tech learning platform PluralSight is a great way to learn new skills – including digital marketing and SEO.

A great place to earn tech certifications, you can even use it to learn to code if you want to add that to your growing set of web skills. A free trial is available, and then plans start at $299 per year.

Udemy

Another learning platform dedicated to helping you level up your skillset, Udemy has a number of SEO videos.

Each video lesson is sold separately, but this gives you the benefit of choosing exactly which aspect of SEO you want to learn more about. Courses start at $14.99 each.

Skillshare SEO Courses

Skillshare offers a wide range of original videos on a variety of creative and tech topics, including, you guessed it, SEO.

It’s a great place to brush up on the fundamentals or focus on a specific area for improvement. Prices start at $159 per year for teams.

A Great SEO Never Stops Learning

One of the best things about working in SEO is that no two days are ever alike. And as long as Google keeps tinkering away with its algorithm, trying to fine-tune search results, there will always be a need for a skilled professional to help websites climb the rankings on search results pages.

The course discussed runs the gamut from free courses for absolute beginners to detailed classes on one specific aspect of SEO.

Just remember, no matter how long you’ve been doing it or how good you are, your education is never done. Keep learning – it’s the only way to ensure your website gets the ranking it deserves.

More Resources:


Featured Image: GaudiLab/Shutterstock

7 Best Programming Languages to Learn for SEO

There are many programming languages to find out.

For Web optimization, the programming language you opt for depends on what you prepare to do with that language and how you system to carry out modifications from that language.

When Seo pros generate applications for Seo, they typically want to do some mixture of these four points:

  • Make their occupation easier.
  • Build a faster impact by adding automated efficiencies.
  • Increase a talking stage to their resume to aid improve their work prospective clients.
  • Grow to be a lot more easily aligned with the engineering crew they get the job done with.

That very last just one is usually the culprit, due to the fact Web optimization execs who really do not have programming knowledge might have a harder time pinpointing coding issues these as W3C validation challenges, and other issues that are not effortlessly exported from a software.

There is also a debate that rages on in the world of Seo: Does someone need to have to be a programmer (or know about programming languages) to find out Website positioning?

Let us get the most obvious response out of the way very first: No, you never have to know how to plan in purchase to discover Web optimization.

As a industry, Search engine marketing is anxious with how very well you can realize rankings for focused search phrase phrases.

And most evaluation details in Web optimization audits are worried with items like one-way links, articles, search phrase optimization, and the like. Coding will come as a distant resolution that is intended to enhance the person experience.

But, is it well worth it to learn to application for Search engine optimisation? Unquestionably.

In addition to helping you discover complications and remedies substantially more quickly, by discovering a programming language, there is a myriad of positive aspects that you increase to your talent set.

By doing the job to find out how to method, you do insert some major positive aspects to your general talent set, and you also make points much less difficult from an interdepartmental point of view.

In this report, we’ll glimpse at why Seo pros ought to understand a programming language and spotlight the 7 most effective programming languages to discover for Search engine optimisation.

Why Need to Search engine optimisation Experts Discover Programming?

Apart from the kinds stated higher than, there are even more rewards to mastering how to program for your Seo vocation.

Improved Interactions With Internet Builders

As Search engine marketing authorities, it is a occupation necessity to get the job done with world-wide-web developers.

Right after all, they are the types who are heading to apply our tips. It is essential to know why they are carrying out the factors they are accomplishing and why they make precise alterations.

Knowing the “why” section of this is a considerable value-increase since it’s an additional valuable attribute that you can use to operate with developer groups far better and enable make your improvements more powerful.

You don’t have to study every thing about programming to be on equivalent footing with builders.

You do, nonetheless, want to have a extensive knowledge of the matters that developers do under the hood so you can request the vital issues and give Website positioning tips in these types of a way that will resonate with them.

As a final result, you could see higher execution of your recommendations simply because you have that knowledge.

In addition to enhancing individuals collaborative associations, when you are an Search engine marketing professional, you do a great deal of complex investigative operate and challenge-solving.

Finding these complications and answers gets a lot less complicated when you know the principles and languages associated in programming.

That is what tends to make understanding these individual features of internet engineering necessary and not an optional endeavor.

Enhanced Price Management

How can studying to code guide to enhanced price management? Really don’t education programs signify much more bills?

In some scenarios, of course. But in the majority of circumstances, generating guaranteed that you understand how to method suggests that you have an edge above other Search engine optimisation specialists who never know how to do so.

You also raise your aggressive opportunity in an if not noticeably more competitive marketplace.

By mastering to system, you minimize fees because you really do not have to spend money to employ a person individually who does know how to code.

You can basically do that coding on your own. You will be able to troubleshoot code difficulties as effectively.

Enhance Your Details Analysis Capabilities

When it arrives to Web optimization, we are all deep in a sea of facts.

At least, I hope we are all undertaking info examination to notify our Website positioning selections.

Studying how to plan lets you to exceed your data set restrictions and raise your productivity numerous instances in excess of by automating how info sets are pulled.

If you discover anything like Python, it gets to be substantially a lot easier to manipulate numerous hundreds of thousands of rows of information to enable construct graphs that place all of your evaluation into simply digestible graphs for company stakeholders.

Strengthen Your Website positioning Area Literacy

As time goes on, several folks are understanding programming at a substantially more youthful age. It’s not unusual presently to learn to software as early as elementary school.

But, by discovering programming, you can assist make improvements to your Web optimization literacy as a end result, which can put you on equal footing with several some others who already know a person or far more programming languages.

It also helps arm you with the expertise to produce better insights from your information applying automated AI-dependent alternatives.

This also means that you don’t have to go as a result of a long time of university to grow to be a programmer.

As a substitute, you can turn out to be acquainted with the fundamentals, and this will give you adequate awareness (relying on the mastering route that you select) to be in a position to complete the several issues that getting a programmer does.

Finest Programming Languages To Find out (For Search engine optimisation)

In the entire world of programming, it can be pretty tricky to opt for a programming language. From C to C#, there are a range of utilizes for all of them.

One more profit to understanding to become a programmer means that you have a bigger knowing when it will come to how an overall web website page or doc object product (DOM) is truly rendered.

You will have to study about all the prevalent jobs commonly executed with JavaScript. Because of this better knowing, you also have further expertise about how a search engine crawler basically thinks.

In addition, you may well have figured out how significant it is to master HTML and CSS, so we will commence there.

HTML/CSS

Here’s the thing about HTML and CSS: they are normally perplexed with programming languages by laypersons.

Even so, they are not programming languages.

They are identified as markup languages. There are several inherent discrepancies between markup languages and programming languages:

Markup Languages

Markup languages are utilised to layout, render, and screen web site aspects in a web browser.

The world-wide-web browser interprets the markup language and then shows the remaining output in a
way that individuals can see.

Markup languages are not compiled. Instead, they are just there.

Programming Languages

Programming languages, on the other hand, are substantially additional complex. They involve language which is frequently interpreted by devices as device code. But, they do not get the job done on their possess.

In purchase to operate, they have to be compiled into a distributable package deal that is then unpacked by the machine it’s installed on.

From there, the device runs the code and interprets it into a human-usable graphical person interface (GUI) that enables any person to complete the capabilities of the program.

In addition, programming languages have much a lot more complex logic structures, which are needed for almost everything from financial applications to video clip games.

This is why it’s essential to differentiate concerning markup languages and programming languages.

For a person detail, markup languages are utilised to screen and existing information.

Programming languages are used to offer info to a pc so that it can use that facts to full a certain job in an automatic style.

Really don’t be that individual that confuses HTML and CSS with programming languages!

Study more: 9 HTML Tags (& 11 Characteristics) You Have to Know for Website positioning

1. Python

When it will come to doing work with data and strengthening your all round data examination, Python is the main language you will want to consider mastering.

It can make that in general data analysis a lot easier, and you can do substantially much more refined things with that information than you would usually.

Really do not miscalculation Python as “just another programming language” – it can be a very potent programming language mainly because of the edge that it gives you with that info examination.

The key matter that Python has likely for it, is that it previously has lots of pre-developed libraries that you can use for details examination.

As opposed to a language like R, its robust library will let you to accomplish numerous distinctive responsibilities than you would have been able to otherwise.

For illustration, 1 resolution you could do with Python is to compile details from various resources into a person presentable file.

One more solution you can execute with Python is to produce a GUI software that will help you combine information from Posting Forge into solitary article content.

The thoughts that you can use Python for are unlimited.

Study a lot more: An Introduction To Python & Equipment Understanding For Specialized Search engine optimisation

2. JavaScript

When it comes to programming languages, JavaScript is most usually employed as the backbone of creating and developing web-sites.

Learning this language has the capability to help you attain a quantity of issues, like making dynamic adjustments to your content, and controlling how your browser home windows complete.

In addition, it also helps to coordinate the interaction of consumer-side scripts.

There are also a quantity of Seo uses for it, from creating headless CMS themes, to processing forms info, and generating enhanced consumer ordeals.

It can complete all of this interaction without the want for advanced compilers or added plug-ins.

It also supports a range of programming types, from item-oriented programming to functional programming, both of these types are supported by JavaScript.

It’s vital to know about JavaScript, nonetheless, because developers employing JavaScript are quite often not knowledgeable of the simple fact that they can lead to show troubles with information.

For example, say that a developer coded JavaScript in this kind of a way that encoded visuals on a web site, but it added a complete bunch of code to the show of that image. And, that impression code was demonstrating up in the last render of the browser.

This could interfere with how Google reads the illustrations or photos, and consequently could also interfere with how Google reads the written content of the page in general.

Also, say you have a big team of WordPress plugins on your web site that are creating website page rendering troubles. Being aware of at least the principles of how JavaScript plugins interact can enable you establish and figure out particularly what problems these plugins are producing.

This can assistance you make superior recommendations to your developers.

Study extra: JavaScript Essentials for Seo Gurus

3. PHP – Hypertext Preprocessor

PHP is acknowledged as the hypertext preprocessor programming language. This is essentially a server-aspect programming language that was made for website advancement.

But it can also be employed for general-goal programming.

In point, here are some examples of platforms that use PHP to operate their backend: WordPress, Fb, Digg.

Most Seo gurus work with WordPress, although there are numerous diverse contenders for the greatest web growth platform, which includes Squarespace. With WordPress, on the other hand, it is all programmed with PHP.

The factor about PHP, nevertheless, is that it does not have as a lot of an affect on the rendered code, HTML, and CSS.

To turn out to be a extra successful Search engine marketing professional, if that is your purpose, you want to seem at understanding HTML and CSS, further than some thing like PHP.

Even though it doesn’t damage your resume to have a server-facet programming language at your disposal.

Examine much more: A Guidebook to Common PHP Frameworks for Newbies

4. Go (Golang)

Golang was developed to be a better-functionality programming language created by Google by itself.

It has a better benefit over other programming languages like Python, since it is not an interpreted language. Because of this, it is a lot quicker than Python, and it can benefit from many CPU threads with out much too a great deal further get the job done.

If you’re just finding into programming, it is a person of these programming languages that is terrific to master and experiment with at the outset.

5.  C

There are many versions of the C programming language, such as C, C++, and C#.

C is a equipment programming language utilized to produce automated programs to make daily life simpler for the Seo skilled.

Even although it was first published all over 40 a long time ago (invented in 1972 and then revealed in 1978), it is nevertheless a person of the most well-liked programming languages in use today.

Some older programmers are of the feeling that C is one particular of the greatest languages to commence with since several other programming languages construct off of the concepts in C.

There is also the suggestion that it may well likely be far better from a stability perspective due to the fact there are much less folks working with it, which would make it a less fascinating assault target for would-be hackers.

6. C++

C++ is truly deemed far more of an “extension” to C.

Developed by Bjarne Stroustrup in Denmark, his goal for C++ was to include enhancements for C this sort of as object-oriented programming abilities, all with out dropping velocity or effectiveness.

7. C#

C# was formulated by a crew around at Microsoft. This specific iteration of C is based mostly on the .Internet framework. This language makes use of a compiling procedure that uses byte-code, alternatively of device code.

The difference is that this code executes on a virtual equipment that translates the code into equipment-readable code almost instantaneously.

C# is most typically applied for organization programs, as opposed to industrial software. As these, it is most frequently used for shopper and server advancement that makes use of the .Internet framework.

What Can You Do With These Languages For Seo?

Effectively, for starters, you could create an application that helps you compile all of your scraped Web optimization details into display screen output for presentations.

You can also produce scraping purposes.

In addition, you could potentially establish other forms of purposes, which includes all those for link investigation and other purposes, which you can then market as a subscription service to the Seo community.

The possibilities are unlimited with these sorts of programming languages. As well as, the additional you can automate with programming languages, the extra you can support no cost up your time for more significant responsibilities.

Learning A Programming Language Has Lots of Positive aspects

As an Web optimization professional, learning a programming language can have quite a few rewards for your Search engine marketing vocation.

From increasing your interaction with builders to enhancing the automation of repetitive jobs, it is attainable to boost your generation tenfold by using the leap and understanding a programming language.

In addition, you also support your peers by leveling up your info examination.

When do you strategy on using a deep dive and discovering a programming language to amount up your Website positioning?

Additional resources: 


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