When it comes to marketing content, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is king. There are few things more important than mastering these strategies. Thankfully, there is tons of information available, ranging from the basics to advanced tactics. The downside is that there are thousands of channels on YouTube or courses from SEO teachers to sift through. It can feel overwhelming, and as the saying goes, the first step is always the hardest. This saturation of information can make SEO seem opaque and intimidating, but we’re here to clear the air. Read on to find out where the best place to start is and who can help you.
The Basics
When starting to master the fundamentals of SEO, it’s important to find resources that are authoritative but also easy to consume. People learn in many ways, so finding courses that present information in multiple ways, through videos or downloadable pamphlets, is crucial. The best bet is to start with an SEO academy. These are proven organizations that often offer beginner information for free.
Yoast, Google SEO Fundamentals, and BlueRay Academy are excellent academies to start with, and their beginner courses are free. Other places like HubSpot Academy, Google Analytics Academy, Ahrefs, and Semrush Academy offer completely free certification and training to help you master SEO. These places not only offer beginner courses but also have lessons covering advanced SEO topics such as Local SEO, Technical SEO, and Advanced Link Building.
If video lessons aren’t the best way for you to learn, fear not. There are plenty of excellent books on SEO available for beginners. Like the academies, these will start you off with the basics, covering topics such as page rankings, website indexing, keyword research, different types of traffic, and how to guide someone from browsing to purchasing.
What’s Next
Once you start to process the basic principles, it’s time to reinforce the information you’ve learned. Most academies and some SEO books will provide lessons for you to practice, but if you are going the YouTube route, it’s best to develop some of your own. Repetition is so important when learning new information, so creating exercises for yourself can make all the difference between advancing your SEO skills or being stuck.
Another good strategy is to get on the search engines and do some hands-on research. Search for products within your field or even just general searches. Look through the highest-ranking pages and see if you can notice how SEO strategies are being applied.
Once you understand what information you need when developing and applying SEO strategies, it’s time to find tools to help you streamline that process. Fortunately, many automated tools are programmed to help you gather, sort, and present data in a useful way for what you need. Find reviews or use free trials for products such as Website Grader, Ahref’s Keyword Tool, Seobility, Google Analytics, Jasper AI, and dozens more. These will be invaluable in sorting the information you need to optimize your page for SEO.
