Where to Find
the Best Online SEO Courses in 2021
For those interested in the world of digital marketing and data analytics, a career in SEO might be an ideal choice for you. Today, websites from all sectors rely heavily on SEO to grab their audience’s attention.
If you want to become an SEO manager or other professional, you should try taking an online course. This article covers the best online SEO courses of 2021. Choose the option that suits your finances and educational background the best.
What Is SEO?
SEO, also known as search engine optimization, is the process of making a website’s content rank high on search engine platforms like Google. To successfully carry out this process, SEO experts conduct research and analysis. SEO encompasses areas such as digital marketing, target keywords, and social media marketing.
There are three primary types of SEO: on-page SEO, technical SEO, and off-page SEO. The on-page SEO refers to the SEO strategy implementation on the page, such as keyword optimization and content creation. Technical SEO refers to the website’s backend structure, which includes website speed, user-friendliness, and security.
Off-page SEO refers to one website’s relationship with other websites. Factors such as backlinks are covered in this type of SEO. As an SEO expert, you must be able to use all three types of optimization to help improve your website’s overall ranking and marketing strategy.
To achieve the above, you must be proficient in popular SEO tools and techniques. These include SEMrush, Google Analytics, WebPageTest, Screaming Frog, GTmetrix, and plenty more.
What Will You Learn in an SEO Course?
If you are a beginner in the field, then you will learn SEO fundamentals that include keyword strategies, crawling, site structure, and indexing. You can also enroll in courses that teach specific SEO tools such as Google Analytics, SEMrush, or SEO for WordPress to gain expertise in those tools.
If you don’t have any business background, we recommend enrolling in digital marketing and a general business administration course. An SEO expert must have well-rounded business knowledge so they can conduct competitor and market analysis and identify industry patterns.
Top Online SEO Courses in 2021 at a Glance
Read below to find the top online SEO courses in 2021. Choose the course that suits your preferences the most. Please note that prices may change.
Provider and Course | Price | Length | Certificate |
---|---|---|---|
Coursera by University of California Davis Advanced Content and Social Tactics to Optimize SEO |
Free | 18 hours | Yes, for $49 |
Coursera by University of California Davis Google SEO Fundamentals |
Free | 29 hours | Yes, for $49 |
HubSpot Academy SEO Certification Course |
Free | 2 hours, 20 mins | Yes |
Moz Academy Technical SEO Certification |
$295 | 3 hours | Yes |
Pluralsight SEO Fundamentals |
10-day free trial, then $29 per month | 3 hours, 7 minutes | Yes |
SEMrush Academy SEMrush SEO Toolkit Course |
Free | 3 hours | No |
University of California San Diego Extension Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Marketing |
$595 | 2 months | Yes |
Udemy The Complete Beginners SEO Course – Learn SEO Fundamentals! |
$94.99 | 3 hours | Yes |
Udemy SEO Masterclass: Rank Your Website Higher With Better SEO by Udemy |
$94.99 | 4 hours, 30 mins | Yes |
Udemy SEO 2021 – Complete SEO Training + SEO for WordPress Websites |
$94.99 | 10 hours | Yes |
Best SEO Courses of 2021
Now that you have a list of the best online SEO courses of 2021, keep reading to find an in-depth description below. We will cover what the course entails and who it is most ideal for.
Advanced Content and Social Tactics to Optimize SEO by University of California Davis on Coursera
If you have an intermediate background in marketing or business and are looking to gain further insights into SEO, this course is perfect. UC Davis is offering this flexible course to teach you advanced social media SEO strategies. You will learn mathematical optimization, social media marketing, content marketing, and social media practices.
We highly recommend this course for everyone wanting to further their SEO careers. Today, a website’s digital success is heavily linked to social media success. By the end of this course, you will be able to optimize SEO content to influence marketing and the website’s ranking.
Google SEO Fundamentals by University of California Davis on Coursera
Google is an important, if not the most important, search engine that most websites work to rank high on. This course offered by UC Davis via Coursera focuses on how to improve your search engine ranking specifically on Google. So, you will learn social media tactics, marketing, keyword research, and mathematical optimization.
After completing this course, you will be able to showcase your expertise in Google algorithms, effective SEO strategy, consumer psychology, and SEO analysis. This course is perfect for anyone wanting to enhance their SEO portfolio with Google skills.
SEO Certification Course by HubSpot Academy
HubSpot Academy’s SEO certification course is ideal for everyone interested in learning about SEO, including marketers and content creators. The course covers everything from basic to advanced SEO topics.
You will learn about on-page and technical SEO, keyword research, backlink strategy, SEO reporting, and SEO optimization. The course also covers Google Analytics, Google Search Console, search engine results pages (SERPs), structured data, Google Crawl, content strategy, and more.
Technical SEO Certification by Moz Academy
The Technical SEO Certification is ideal for those with intermediate SEO tools and technique understanding. It is also aimed at those with a digital marketing background looking to enhance their SEO skills. This is a set of courses to help you learn everything you need to know.
In addition, the certification course covers technical SEO factors such as accessibility performance, indexation, and site architecture. You will also gain an understanding of crawl budget, test structured data, mobile performance, and site security.
SEO Fundamentals by Pluralsight
Pluralsight is a massive and reputable online course platform that provides a 10-day free trial. You can use those 10 days to take this SEO Fundamentals course and begin your SEO career journey for free.
As the name states, the course covers basic SEO. You will gain a firm understanding of SEO rules, analysis tools, depth keyword research, segments, and more. This course is a good option for business owners and website managers wanting to understand the ins and outs of SEO.
SEMrush SEO Toolkit Course by SEMrush Academy
SEMrush is a popular SEO tool that SEO experts use for tasks like keyword research, content marketing, campaign management, and competitive research. This course by SEMrush Academy teaches you all the key features of this toolkit.
You will learn how to build and analyze your SEO campaign using SEMrush. SEO areas such as backlinks, keyword analytics, organic research, traffic analytics, and sensor, are covered. You will also learn to manage campaigns efficiently using SEO content template, on-page SEO checker, keyword magic tool, and PDF report.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Marketing by University of California San Diego Extension
This SEO and marketing course by UC San Diego Extension is offered live online for complete SEO beginners. The only background required is a basic understanding of computers, Microsoft Word and Excel, and web browsers. You will learn how to strategize SEO techniques on several search engine platforms.
Furthermore, the course also covers topics such as website architecture, code optimization, local SEO, backlink building, international SEO, keyword research, content creation, amongst others. You will also learn the key differences between black hat and white hat SEO tactics.
The Complete Beginners SEO Course - Learn SEO Fundamentals! by Udemy
If you have looked for any massive open online course platforms (MOOCs), you will have come across Udemy. It offers a multitude of courses covering a wide range of topics. Among them is this SEO course for beginners. The course covers how to utilize SEO basics for high website ranking.
You will learn keyword research, effective use of keywords, how to establish a domain strategy, content creation, and more. Additionally, you will also learn on-page SEO optimization, keyword strategy, search engine rankings, and SEO tools.
SEO Masterclass: Rank Your Website Higher With Better SEO by Udemy
This Udemy course is suitable for both website owners and those looking to polish their SEO strategies. It is an introductory course that covers everything from SEO fundamentals to website ranking improvement strategies.
You will learn to optimize a website’s homepage, back linking, keywords, website security, and website load time. This masterclass is an on-demand video that helps you increase your website’s engagement and Google search ranking.
SEO 2021 - Complete SEO Training + SEO for WordPress Websites by Udemy
This is another SEO course training offered by Udemy that is ideal for those with a basic SEO background and a wish to learn SEO for WordPress. Today, a lot of content management and web publishing is done through WordPress. So, having extensive knowledge of SEO for WordPress is crucial for your career.
You will learn how to use SEO to rank number one on Google using technical SEO, UX SEO, WordPress SEO training, keyword research SEO, and backlink SEO. The course covers website architecture, SEO’s impact on user experience factors, traffic optimization, visitor bounce rate, white hat tactics, and negative SEO attacks.
SEO Certifications
Along with online courses, getting formal SEO certifications will help advance your career. While there are no mandatory professional certifications for SEO, having formal certifications will help you stand out among the other job candidates.
Advanced Google Analytics Certification
Once you have a preliminary understanding of SEO and Google Analytics, this certification is a great way forward. Google Analytics Academy offers this certification that showcases your understanding of data collection, processing, custom metrics, custom dimensions, and more.
ClickMinded SEO Training Certification
This SEO certification is designed for SEO beginners who are looking to earn a ClickMinded certification. It includes seven courses, which cover all the foundational SEO topics such as SEO tools, the ClickMinded search framework, Google Search Console, plus social media and content marketing.
Next Steps After Your Course
To become an SEO associate and then move forward to an advanced SEO position, you must gain industry experience. Start by learning the technical aspects of SEO which includes programming languages.
Coding is gaining traction as a necessary skill for SEO. Therefore, it is wise to learn PHP, C++, HTML, and other popular languages. Then, you should move onto earning industry-relevant certifications and practice your SEO skills by building your own website.
Once you feel comfortable, it’s time to apply for freelance jobs and get professional recommendations. Use freelance websites such as Upwork and Fiverr to get SEO jobs. After taking all these steps to enhance your portfolio, you can apply for entry-level SEO roles.
Should You Learn SEO?
If you love a constantly evolving digital marketing career, then yes, you should learn SEO. A career in SEO brings both a promising future and a good compensation rate. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for advertising, promotions, and marketing managers, which SEO falls under, will increase by six percent by 2029.
According to ZipRecruiter, the annual salary for an SEO specialist is $54,144. You can earn even more after you take an online course. You should learn SEO to get an opportunity to work in an array of industries and achieve an impressive salary.