Learn the ins and outs of optimizing a website, from conducting an initial audit to presenting your findings and recommendations. Hands-on activities include learning how to select and apply appropriate keywords throughout a website, incorporating keyword research in a content marketing strategy, and optimizing a site for local search. You will also learn strategies for setting goals and client/stakeholder expectations, building effective analytics and reports, and communicating SEO improvements.
This course is part of the Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Specialization
Optimizing a Website for Search
Offered By
About this Course
4.7
616 ratings
What you will learn
Use keyword research to select best keywords to optimize your website in search results
Examine how to analyze, organize, create, and build content utilizing various strategies
Use best practices to develop a high quality local SEO approach
Develop a solid approach for achieving a productive and successful relationship with your client
Skills you will gain
Keyword ResearchMarketingContent MarketingMathematical Optimization
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
Week
15 hours to complete
Introduction
Welcome to week 1! As you may remember from Module 4 within the last course, Search Engine Optimization Fundamentals, keywords are an extremely important tool for helping your customers find you in an often crowded field. Effective use of keywords on your optimized website can result in free targeted traffic to your site, helping you to reach your business goals. In this module, you will use the keyword research you conducted in the last course and you will learn a process for selecting the best keywords to optimize your website in search results. We will look at concepts like relevancy to the site, keyword intent, how competitive the keyword is in organic search, and how well that term might convert once it receives traffic. We’ll also discuss how to identify and evaluate competitors, how to map keywords to pages, and how to create a keyword map for your clients and your own site. There is a lot to discuss in our first module, so if you are taking this course without learning the materials of module 4 within the SEO Fundamentals course, I highly recommend you complete that module before diving into this one. So, let’s get started learning how to apply keyword research!
12 videos (Total 53 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz
12 videos
Applying Keyword Research Introduction48s
Why do a Competitive Analysis?2m
How to Perform a Competitive Keyword Analysis5m
Analyzing Your Competition6m
Develop a Plan to Compete10m
Competing With Page Level Information4m
Dealing with Larger Sites4m
Mapping Keywords to Pages3m
Questions to Ask3m
Keyword Mapping Processes4m
Creating a Keyword Map for Clients4m
1 reading
A Note from UC Davis10m
1 practice exercise
Optimizing A Website For Search20m
Week
27 hours to complete
Advanced On-Page SEO
Welcome to week 2! While keywords help users locate relevant web pages, it’s the content itself that determines whether a click converts to a sale or increased site traffic. In many corners of the SEO world, the expression “Content is King” is a generally accepted rule, and in this module we’ll examine content from many perspectives: how to analyze it, organize it, create it, make it great and build it into our strategies. You’ll also learn how to conduct effective competitive content analysis and internal content audits. And finally, you’ll learn how to create a site-wide content strategy building on the data we uncover in our study and analysis of content.
12 videos (Total 62 min), 1 quiz
12 videos
Benefits of a Competitive Content Analysis3m
Dissecting the Competitive Content Analysis3m
What Kind of Content Will Resonate with Your Customers?4m
Conducting an Internal Content Audit2m
How to Begin Your Content Analysis5m
Organizing and Evaluating Content6m
Creating a Strategy for Optimizing Content3m
Domain Level Content Strategy7m
What Makes Content Great?7m
Different Types of Content and How to Use Them8m
Creating Impactful Content6m
1 practice exercise
Advanced On-page SEO20m
Week
35 hours to complete
Local SEO
Welcome to week 3! In the lessons that follow, you will take a close look at local SEO strategy. You will see how to optimize your Google business pages, on-site content and external references such as citations, backlinks, and reviews to help your local business have higher visibility in the local search landscape. By the end of this module, you should be able to not only describe a bit of the history of how Google displays local searches but also utilize best practices to develop a high quality local SEO approach.
10 videos (Total 55 min), 2 quizzes
10 videos
Why's Local SEO Important?2m
Local SEO History3m
Current Local SEO Landscape3m
Organic Search Versus Paid Advertising5m
Google My Business!8m
Improving Your Local Visibility10m
Importance of Off-site Citations4m
Quality Off-site Link Building8m
Importance of Customer Reviews7m
1 practice exercise
Local SEO20m
Week
47 hours to complete
Creating an SEO Campaign
Welcome to week 4! In this module, we are going to discuss the human factor of SEO - how to manage your relationship with clients. We’ll talk about what should be discussed in the critical first meetings, how to manage your client’s expectations, and how to track and report on progress toward your client’s goals. By the end of this module, you’ll have developed a solid approach for achieving a productive and successful relationship with your client.
10 videos (Total 51 min), 1 quiz
10 videos
Scoping an SEO Project5m
Proving Your Value to Potential Clients6m
Managing Client Expectations8m
Asking the Right Questions7m
Importance of Achieving Quick Wins2m
Developing SMART Project Goals4m
Establishing Benchmarks and Tracking Metrics8m
Reporting Progress to Your Client5m
Course Summary1m
1 practice exercise
Creating an SEO Campaign20m
4.7
117 Reviews50%
started a new career after completing these courses
50%
got a tangible career benefit from this course
Top Reviews
This course provides the essential fundamentals for optimizing a website for search. The course was a refresher in certain areas as well as helped fill in the gaps on things I didnt know.
Excellent course. There is always new and exciting information available in the ever changing world of SEO. Great insights on Google's ever-changing algorithms and methods. Thanks!
Instructor
Rebekah May
SEO Manager & Lead SEO Instructor, Lead QualUC Davis Division of Continuing and Professional Education
About University of California, Davis
UC Davis, one of the nation’s top-ranked research universities, is a global leader in agriculture, veterinary medicine, sustainability, environmental and biological sciences, and technology. With four colleges and six professional schools, UC Davis and its students and alumni are known for their academic excellence, meaningful public service and profound international impact.
About the Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Specialization
This Specialization will teach you to optimize website content for the best possible search engine ranking. You'll learn the theory behind Google search and other search engine algorithms; you'll also build practical, real-world skills that you can apply to a career in digital marketing or online content development, including on-page and off-page optimization, optimizing for local and international audiences, conducting search-focused website audits, and aligning SEO with overall business strategies. Each course is intended to build on the skills from the previous course, thus we recommend you take the courses in the order they are listed. The Specialization culminates in a hands-on Capstone Project, in which you will apply your skills to a comprehensive SEO consulting task.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Once you enroll for a Certificate, you’ll have access to all videos, quizzes, and programming assignments (if applicable). Peer review assignments can only be submitted and reviewed once your session has begun. If you choose to explore the course without purchasing, you may not be able to access certain assignments.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
What is the refund policy?
Is financial aid available?
More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.
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