Getting a degree is a good thing for some occupations. After all, you wouldn’t want a doctor who learned the trade from a YouTube video to remove your appendix, would you? Of course not.
But for other professions, you can learn just as much, if not more, than the value of an online college curriculum 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 expert getting a degree—any education is a good thing, especially 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 adjusting their strategies to jump ahead of you; they are also regular and sometimes major changes to Google’s search algorithm.
If you’re new to SEO, a mid-level professional looking to add tools to your toolbox, or even a seasoned veteran looking for the latest tricks, we’ve got you covered.
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)
HubSpot, a marketing and sales software developer, always has the needs of marketers in mind. And that includes the SEO certification course. It covers the basics of SEO, including evaluating your current site, building backlinks, and doing keyword research.
Duration: less than three hours for a total of six lessons
SEO Training Course: Learn How To Get Organic Traffic From Search (Ahrefs)
Another provider of SEO software tools, Ahrefs, offers a free course for beginners in SEO. This program starts from the ground up, explaining why SEO is important and taking participants through the basics of keyword research, on-page optimization, and beginning technical SEO.
Duration: 14 lessons over two hours
Free SEO Training: SEO For Beginners (Yoast)
The creators 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 make a positive impact on your site’s ranking as quickly as possible.
SEO Training For Beginners (Shopify)
When it comes to e-commerce, Shopify is the big dog on the block. To help online merchants increase their influence and revenue, Shopify offers free SEO training for beginners. With a focus on digital shopping, this course is ideal for entrepreneurs.
Duration: 16 lessons in just over an hour
On-Page And Technical SEO Course (Semrush)
Keyword research and analytics tool makers Semrush offer a course for intermediate SEO experts covering on-page and technical SEO. Once you’ve done that, you can test for certification.
Duration: Seven lessons in one hour
Intro To Search Engine Optimization (WordPress)
The popular blogging platform WordPress offers a beginner’s course to learn the basics of SEO. The content is available on demand, and you will receive a confirmation of completion.
SEO Basics (Conductor)
Conductor offers several free SEO courses, including SEO Basics, Paid & Organic synergy and SEO evangelism. All are intended to help you maximize your digital marketing strategy and increase your search rankings.
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 really matters. This course from BrightLocal Academy will equip you with the knowledge and skills to start appearing in those searches that are being conducted in your neighborhood.
Duration: Eight lessons + certification in approximately one hour
Google SEO Fundamentals (Coursera/University Of California, Davis)
Designed by UC Davis, this course will help you quickly master the basics of search engine optimization. Contains information on strategy development, keyword research and search behavior.
Duration: 11 videos, eight hours to complete
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Specialization (Coursera/University Of California, Davis)
In more detail than the previous one, this program will teach you how to conduct competitive analysis, develop relationships with influencers, and create reports on your findings.
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 investing in a paid course. Here are some of the best:
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Training Course (Simplilearn)
Simplilearn is an online “boot camp” educator. His advanced SEO course aims to prepare you for the role of a comprehensive SEO professional. This in-depth program focuses on everything from search field basics to advanced skills like off-page optimization, developing a content marketing strategy, and managing analytics.
Duration: 58 lessons ranging from less than five minutes to approximately an hour and a half.
Price: Self Study – $1199, Online Boot Camp – $1499
SEO Essentials Certification (Moz)
SEO software vendor Moz offers a wide variety of training opportunities through its Moz Academy. The SEO Essentials Certification is particularly interesting. This course aims to provide you with the knowledge you need to get started with SEO, including developing an understanding of how search engines work.
Duration: six hours of content under the guidance of an instructor
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 will learn about crawling, indexing, accessibility and website performance.
Duration: three hours of instructor-led content
SEO Competitive Analysis Certification (Moz)
Another Moz Academy course aimed at intermediate and advanced SEO professionals, this on-demand program will teach you how to identify and analyze your competitors’ SEO campaigns, conduct audits, and assess your rivals’ social media presence.
Duration: three hours of instructor-led content
SEO Certification (ClickMinded)
ClickMinded, an online continuing education platform for marketers, offers an SEO certification course designed for working professionals. You will learn the basics of search engine optimization, and after passing the final exam, you will receive a certificate. It also includes lifetime access to five mini-SEO courses.
Advanced Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Certification Training (Market Motive/Simplilearn)
This in-depth SEO course goes far beyond the basics, helping you take your skills to the next level. A larger time investment than some of the courses on this list, it is intended to be a comprehensive course on all things SEO.
Price: Self-study for $1,199, online boot camp for $1,499
SEO 101 (DistilledU)
Learn everything from basic skills to advanced concepts at this online university. SEO 101 focuses on how search engines work and the skills and principles you need to know to improve your rankings.
Duration: Eight modules over 32+ hours
Price: $40/month paid monthly; $33 per month paid annually
SEO Training (Bruce Clay)
Bruce Clay programmed the world’s first web page analysis tool. He now shares his expertise in search engine optimization through SEOTraining.com. This comprehensive course is self-paced and covers everything from basic SEO training to advanced tactics.
Duration: 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 content SEO course to further expand your knowledge.
Duration: 41 lessons over six hours
Price: Basic subscription starting at $39.20 per month
The (Non-Techie) Marketer’s Guide To SEO (MarketingProfs)
This program is designed for people who do not have degrees in computer science or related fields. It breaks down how search engines work and gives you specific steps to help you increase your rankings without having to learn a coding language.
Duration: Seven lessons, 60-90 minutes each
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) And Marketing (University Of California, San Diego)
Learn the basics of SEO and how to structure your website in this UC San Diego online course. You will gain practical experience performing the duties of an SEO expert while learning to use various online tools.
Search Engine Optimization (University Of Phoenix)
In this online course, learn to conduct competitive analysis, create a keyword strategy, and develop an indexable website architecture. This program will provide you with a solid understanding of SEO tactics and best practices.
Duration: three credit hours, five weeks
Search Engine Optimization (University Of Cape Town)
This online course will equip you with the work-ready skills to take on an SEO role with confidence. In addition to a hands-on understanding of best practices, you’ll also receive an industry-recognized certificate from Africa’s top university.
Duration: 10 weeks with 10 hours per week
Foundations Of Search Engine Optimization (University Of Toronto)
Learn how to conduct competitive research and develop SEO strategies in this micro-course. You’ll gain a thorough understanding of how Google works and learn best practices that will help you climb the rankings.
Other Resources
The great thing about the internet (besides the fun of optimizing websites for search engines) is the absolute wealth of information it brings you. Here are some 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 so many to choose from, there’s sure to be something worthwhile for every skill level.
PluralSight
PluralSight’s online technology learning platform is a great way to learn new skills – including digital marketing and SEO.
A great place to get technical certifications, you can even use it to learn coding if you want to add to your growing web skill set. A free trial is available, and plans start at $299 per year.
Udemy
Another learning platform that helps you level up your skills, Udemy has a number of SEO videos.
Each video lesson is sold separately, but this gives you the advantage of choosing exactly which aspect of SEO you want to learn more about. Each course starts at $14.99.
Skillshare SEO Courses
Skillshare offers a wide range of original videos on a variety of creative and technical topics, including, you guessed it, SEO.
It’s a great place to brush up on the basics or focus on a specific area for improvement. Pricing starts 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 the same. And as long as Google keeps tinkering with its algorithm, trying to fine-tune its search results, there will always be a need for a skilled professional to help websites climb the rankings on the search results pages.
The course discussed runs the gamut from free courses for absolute beginners to in-depth lectures 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 complete. Keep learning – it’s the only way to ensure your website gets the ranking it deserves.
Featured image: GaudiLab/Shutterstock
Can I learn SEO in a day?
No, it’s not rocket science, but you also won’t learn how to do it overnight, or even in a year. If you start doing your own SEO, you will most likely hurt your rankings and end up in a worse position than before.
Is the SEO course easy to learn? SEO is not that hard to learn, but it can be confusing and overwhelming to begin with. Learning SEO means learning about a long list of individual digital marketing strategies, which can feel like adding a new weapon to your arsenal as you learn how to wield it.
Is it hard to study SEO?
SEO is not necessarily difficult to learn, but it does take time, effort and persistence. If you’re just starting out and don’t know anything about search engines and how they work, you can expect to feel overwhelmed at first, especially if you’re trying to learn SEO on your own. However, it is important to keep trying.
Why is SEO so difficult?
It’s a very complex set of tasks and on top of that SEO changes dramatically all the time, so the core best practices are often very very similar from year to year, but there are always nuances, new additions, new opportunities, new ways that search engines are changing how they look results, how…
Can I learn SEO myself?
Moving towards SEO at an expert level By investing a few hours a month, you can become a real SEO expert yourself and then you will have the knowledge to know what those you hire to do SEO for you should be doing, and you can better assess their readiness before what hire them.
Can I learn SEO on my own?
It is a fact of learning that all education is self-education. Although others can facilitate learning, no one can teach you anything – they can only inspire you to teach yourself. This means that if you want to learn search engine optimization (SEO), you’ll have to take matters into your own hands.
Can I learn SEO for free?
Thanks to the hard work of many generous SEOs, you can learn how to do search engine optimization for free. All you need are powerful resources written or created by SEO experts. We’ve compiled a list of the 50 best SEO blogs, courses, videos, podcasts, conferences, and tools to get you started.
How long does it take to learn SEO?
If you can learn SEO for a few hours every day, then you can master the basics of SEO within 4-8 weeks and get your first SEO job in 3-6 months. If you can learn SEO consistently, then you can master the basics even within 1-2 weeks.
How quickly can I learn SEO?
Experts say it usually takes one to three months to learn the basics of SEO and a year or more to fully master the practice. The length of time it takes to learn the basics of SEO depends on several factors.
Can I learn SEO in 1 month?
Although it’s a career-long journey, you can really learn SEO in about a month – enough to make a big impact on your website and therefore your business as a whole.
Can I learn SEO myself?
Moving towards SEO at an expert level By investing a few hours a month, you can become a real SEO expert yourself and then you will have the knowledge to know what those you hire to do SEO for you should be doing, and you can better assess their readiness before what hire them.
How do I rank my website on Google first page?
How to get on the first page of Google [recap]
- Create a keyword strategy to target the terms your target users are searching for.
- Include keywords in your website content as well as HTML tags.
- Write for people (not search engines).
- Target location-based searches.
- Optimize for mobile devices.
- Focus on the user experience.
Why is my website not on the first page of Google? It will take 1 or 2 weeks for Google to visit and index your website. Second, remember, Google will only display web pages that are relevant to the keyword being searched for. The first step is to check if your website text is related to the keyword in question. If not, chances are Google won’t show it.
How long does it take to rank on page 1 of Google?
According to seo.co, it can take anywhere from three to six months to rank on the first page of Google, assuming you write good content and optimize your website for search engines. If there is a lot of competition or you haven’t optimized your site, it can take six to 12 months to see results.
How much does it cost to rank #1 on Google?
Approximate CPC is $2. 6,600 searches multiplied by $2 CPC multiplied by a 30% click-through rate = $3,960. So, using Google tools, we can estimate that we would pay $3,960 per month to be #1 on Google for âSalon Nashville.â The annual value of that #1 ranking on Google would be $47,520.
Is it possible to rank #1 on Google?
You usually get to #1 if you have a good online reputation. Well-known brands have a good reputation. These brands are also at the top of Google. Reputation increases with the number of quality websites that link to any page on your website.
How much does it cost to get your website on the first page of Google?
However, it is possible to get your website to the first page of Google results without spending a lot of money. SEO agency fees typically start around $500 per month, but can vary depending on the size of your website and the competition for your target keywords.
Can you pay to be on the first page of Google?
Google Ads (Pay to Play!) The fastest and easiest way to get on the first page of Google for a specific keyword is to pay for an ad. You sign into Google, choose the keywords you want to target, and then “bid” (yes, like an auction) how much you want to pay each time your ad is clicked.
How much does it cost to be on the front page of Google?
I’ll start with a one-word answer to the question, “How much does it cost to get your website on Google?” FREE! It costs nothing. Google will put you on their website for free.
Does SEO require coding?
The short answer is: no, SEO usually doesn’t require much (or any) hands-on coding. You can absolutely do a good job of SEO without touching code. But the longer answer is that yes, a good sense of how programming works, or even the ability to code a little yourself, is always a useful skill.
What coding do you need for SEO? All it takes is a general understanding of JavaScript, CSS, and HTML to understand what needs to be done to make a website run faster.
Is SEO a tech job?
A technical SEO expert is someone who focuses on all the ways you can optimize a website from the backend. This includes things like creating sitemaps and reducing server response times by removing unnecessary page load processes.
What does SEO mean in tech?
Technical SEO refers to website and server optimizations that help search engine spiders crawl and crawl your website more efficiently (to improve organic rankings).
Is an SEO specialist a marketing or IT?
SEO experts are marketers who use research and analysis to improve a website’s ranking on search engines like Google. They find the most popular and relevant keywords used in search engine queries and insert them into web pages, helping search engines find those sites and show them to web users.
Can I learn SEO on my own?
It is a fact of learning that all education is self-education. Although others can facilitate learning, no one can teach you anything – they can only inspire you to teach yourself. This means that if you want to learn search engine optimization (SEO), you’ll have to take matters into your own hands.
How long does it take to learn SEO?
If you can learn SEO for a few hours every day, then you can master the basics of SEO within 4-8 weeks and get your first SEO job in 3-6 months. If you can learn SEO consistently, then you can master the basics even within 1-2 weeks.
Can I do SEO by my self?
If you were wondering “Can I do SEO myself?†the answer is definitely. You don’t need to hire an outside agency to improve your SEO, and this guide gives you some basic SEO tips to get you started.
How can I do Google SEO for free?
Can SEO be done for free? There are tons of free SEO tools that can help you increase your traffic. Of course, you may know of some, such as Ubersuggest, but there are many more options besides my own tool. Before I dive into the tools, I’ve divided them into the following categories: Keyword Research.
Can I do SEO by my self?
If you were wondering “Can I do SEO myself?†the answer is definitely. You don’t need to hire an outside agency to improve your SEO, and this guide gives you some basic SEO tips to get you started.
Is SEO good for beginners?
SEO is not simple. But it’s not rocket science either. There are things you can implement right away, and there are concepts that will take much more time and effort. So yes, you can do SEO yourself.
Why is SEO so difficult?
It’s a very complex set of tasks and on top of that SEO changes dramatically all the time, so the core best practices are often very very similar from year to year, but there are always nuances, new additions, new opportunities, new ways that search engines are changing how they look results, how…
Why is SEO difficult? The answer is simple. Learning SEO is difficult because there is a lot of information to read about search engines and how the optimization process works, and it can be overwhelming at first.
Why people are afraid of SEO?
Fears that SEO is too complicated, technical, bogus, and that it involves possible penalties are common misconceptions that people who are new to SEO have. After learning more about SEO yourself, you will become more comfortable and confident in implementing your own strategy or working closely with an agency.
Why should I bother with SEO?
It increases both the quality and quantity of traffic to your website. This means making changes to the content and design of your website that will rank it highly on various search engine results pages.
What negatively impacts SEO?
Negative SEO is a set of activities aimed at reducing the ranking of competing sites in search engine results. These activities may include knowingly creating unwanted, unnatural links to a website, content scraping, and even website hacking.
How long does SEO take to learn?
Experts say it usually takes one to three months to learn the basics of SEO and a year or more to fully master the practice. The length of time it takes to learn the basics of SEO depends on several factors.
Is it hard to learn SEO?
SEO is not necessarily difficult to learn, but it does take time, effort and persistence. If you’re just starting out and don’t know anything about search engines and how they work, you can expect to feel overwhelmed at first, especially if you’re trying to learn SEO on your own. However, it is important to keep trying.
Can I learn SEO in one month?
Although it’s a career-long journey, you can really learn SEO in about a month – enough to make a big impact on your website and therefore your business as a whole.