Best SEO Courses Online – Free & Paid Options

SEO success comes from staying ahead of competitors and changes to Google’s search algorithm – and education is key to that.

Earning a degree is valuable for many professions.

After all, you wouldn’t want a dentist who learned his trade via YouTube videos giving you a root canal, 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 professions.

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.

Like many industries, the SEO field is in a constant state of flux – and it’s more than just competitors tweaking their strategies to jump ahead of you; it’s also regular and sometimes major changes to Google’s search algorithm.

There are free and paid courses; some come with certifications. Depending on your goals, some types of SEO certifications can be worth your time and money, but you should choose carefully.

If you aren’t sure where to start, check out our SEO beginner’s guide that introduces the basics of SEO and use it as a jumping-off point.

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

Free SEO Courses

SEO Certification Course (HubSpot)

As a marketing and sales software development tool, 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 to improve search performance.

• Length: Under four 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 to rank higher in search engines.

• Length: 14 lessons over 2 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 basic knowledge of SEO, as well as tips on how to positively impact your site’s ranking as quickly as possible.

• Length: Two hours.

SEO Training For Beginners (Shopify)

When it comes to ecommerce, Shopify is one of the top players in the market. 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 ecommerce entrepreneurs looking to optimize their Shopify store.

• Length: Just over one hour.

Navigating On-Page And Technical SEO (Semrush)

The makers of the keyword research and analytics tool, Semrush, offer a course for intermediate SEO professionals covering on-page and technical SEO.

The course includes how to optimize web elements for higher rankings, as well as identifying and resolving issues that could have a negative impact on search engine visibility.

Upon completion of this, you can test for certification.

• Length: Eight 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 and foundation of SEO.