Gain an understanding of search engine algorithms and how they affect organic search results and websites. Building on this knowledge, you’ll learn the key elements for creating an effective SEO strategy, including how to select keywords and perform keyword research; consumer psychology and search behavior; and how to conduct on-page SEO analysis to identify opportunities to improve a website’s search optimization.
This course is part of the Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Specialization
Search Engine Optimization Fundamentals
Offered By
About this Course
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What you will learn
Complete a competitive analysis on a webpage
Interpret brand recognition through social media
Create sitemaps and robot.txt files, plan redirects, and manage site errors
Use a variety of SEO tools to conduct an audience analysis and develop personas of your ideal buyer
Skills you will gain
Social MediaKeyword ResearchMarketingMathematical Optimization
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
Week
17 hours to complete
Getting Started and Introduction to On-page SEO
Welcome to Week 1. This module will introduce you to On-page SEO. The lessons will start with introducing you to key areas of SEO so you’ll have a strong understanding of the differences amongst the strategies. Then we’ll dive into using On-page SEO techniques so that you’ll know how to optimize keywords in meta data as well as perform competitive analysis on a web page. By the end of this module, you’ll know how to identify meta-tags and use these to make recommendations for On-page SEO.
11 videos (Total 66 min), 4 readings, 1 quiz
11 videos
Introduction to On-page SEO48s
Key Areas of SEO2m
Meta Data and Meta Tags4m
Title Tags 10110m
Meta Descriptions Help Too!11m
A Note About Meta Keywords3m
URL Optimization6m
How to Use Heading Tags8m
Creating and Optimizing Unique Content8m
Analyzing a Website Using a Web Crawler5m
4 readings
A Note from UC Davis10m
On-Page SEO: Anatomy of a Perfectly Optimized Page15m
Blame the Meta Keywords Tag - Duane Forrester15m
The Basics of Search Engine Friendly Design & Development15m
1 practice exercise
On-page SEO Review20m
Week
25 hours to complete
Introduction to Off-page SEO
Welcome to Week 2. This module will introduce you to Off-page SEO. While these strategies are more indirect than On-page SEO, they’re still important to maximize page authority. This module will clarify what Off-page SEO is as well as help you understand building links to your site and understanding brand recognition through social media. Once you complete this module, you’ll be able to understand link analysis as well as how social media can help improve your page authority.
4 videos (Total 19 min), 2 readings, 1 quiz
4 videos
Off-site SEO Elements6m
Who is Linking to Your Content?6m
Social Media: Help or Hinder?5m
2 readings
Growing Popularity & Links15m
Suggested Reading - How Social Media Helps SEO15m
1 practice exercise
Off-site SEO Review20m
Week
36 hours to complete
Introduction to Technical SEO
Welcome to week 3! In the lessons that follow, you will take a close look at the third leg of a solid SEO Strategy: Technical SEO. You’ll see how important structural components like sitemaps, redirects and other components lay a foundation for your content that will help your site get noticed. By the end of this module, you should be able to define Technical SEO and explain some of the basic aspects of this strategy. As you begin creating sitemaps and robot.txt files as well as planning redirects and managing site errors, you’ll learn how to employ best practices in your Technical SEO strategy.
7 videos (Total 39 min), 2 readings, 1 quiz
7 videos
Laying the Structural Foundation With Technical SEO2m
HTML Sitemap vs. XML Sitemap8m
The robots.txt File Protocol6m
Overcoming Pesky Error Codes6m
Redirects 1018m
404 Pages Best Practices5m
2 readings
The Beginner's Guide to Technical SEO: 7 Resources You Should Use15m
Art of SEO30m
1 practice exercise
Technical SEO Review20m
Week
411 hours to complete
Keyword Theory & Research
Welcome to week 4! In this module, we are going to discover a variety of strategies for developing keywords for your site. This critical step is what helps direct your ideal buyer to the content that meets his or her needs. In the lessons that follow, we’ll learn about keyword theory and how understanding the common behaviors of web searchers can help you hone your list of keywords. We’ll also see how you can use a variety of SEO tools to conduct an audience and use this data to develop personas of your ideal buyer. Once you’ve completed this module, you should be able to craft a list of optimal keywords that will help get your site recognized.
8 videos (Total 38 min), 1 reading, 2 quizzes
8 videos
Choosing the Right Keywords4m
Stages of Search7m
Heads, Tails, and Long Tail Keywords5m
The Science of How Users Conduct Searches5m
Getting to Know Your Audience6m
Creating Your Ideal Buyers Persona6m
Course Summary and Wrap-up1m
1 reading
The Art of SEO30m
1 practice exercise
Keyword Theory & Research Review20m
4.7
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started a new career after completing these courses
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got a tangible career benefit from this course
Top reviews from Search Engine Optimization Fundamentals
Highlights
Great introduction
(3)Practical and applicable
(19)This is not a trivial subject. Nevertheless, I feel completely confident in my newfound knowledge of it. Not only that, but I am very motivated to keep going with the rest of the specialization now.
this is amazing SEO course . i am first time learning about SEO . its really informative and help me to improve my skill. i really thanks to coursera to give this opportunity to learn this course.
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.