This course is part of the Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Specialization

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Rebekah May

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Search Engine Optimization (SEO) SpecializationUniversity of California, Davis

About this Course

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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.

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Earn a Certificate upon completion

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Course 2 of 5 in the

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Specialization

Approx. 29 hours to complete

English

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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 Media
Keyword Research
Marketing
Mathematical Optimization

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Coursera Labs

Includes hands on learning projects.

Learn more about Coursera Labs

Course 2 of 5 in the

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Specialization

Approx. 29 hours to complete

English

Could your company benefit from training employees on in-demand skills?

Try Coursera for Business

Instructor

Instructor rating

4.76/5 (526 Ratings)

Rebekah May

Head of Organic Acquisition at Fishbrain

UC Davis Division of Continuing and Professional Education

321,661 Learners

4 Courses

Offered by

University of California, Davis

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Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating97%(13,448 ratings)

Week1

Week 1

8 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.

8 hours to complete

11 videos (Total 65 min), 4 readings, 1 quiz

11 videos

Course Introduction1mIntroduction to On-page SEO44sKey Areas of SEO2mMeta Data and Meta Tags4mTitle Tags 10110mMeta Descriptions Help Too!11mA Note About Meta Keywords3mURL Optimization6mHow to Use Heading Tags8mCreating and Optimizing Unique Content8mAnalyzing a Website Using a Web Crawler5m

4 readings

A Note from UC Davis10mOn-Page SEO: Anatomy of a Perfectly Optimized Page15mBlame the Meta Keywords Tag15mThe Basics of Search Engine Friendly Design & Development15m

1 practice exercise

On-page SEO Review30m

Week2

Week 2

5 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.

5 hours to complete

4 videos (Total 19 min), 2 readings, 1 quiz

Week3

Week 3

6 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.

6 hours to complete

7 videos (Total 39 min), 2 readings, 1 quiz

Week4

Week 4

10 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.

10 hours to complete

6 videos (Total 25 min), 1 reading, 2 quizzes

Reviews

4.8

751 reviews

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HIGHLIGHTS

"Great introduction " in 3 reviews

"Practical and applicable" in 19 reviews

TOP REVIEWS FROM GOOGLE SEO FUNDAMENTALS

by MDMay 16, 2019

Great course that gives an overall very good picture of what SEO is all about. Very clear lectures and the lecturers are spectacular! highly recommend! cant wait to learn more...

by SJJan 30, 2022

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.

by INJan 23, 2017

Ms May provided so much information and so many resources regarding SEO. For each aspect of SEO I definitely walk away with a lot more knowledge that I can already apply right now!

by RSMay 1, 2020

This course was very well explained and the resources were easy to understand. It helped me a lot to understand SEO principles that I can now apply to my site.

Thanks a lot.

View all reviews

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?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
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?
If you subscribed, you get a 7-day free trial during which you can cancel at no penalty. After that, we don’t give refunds, but you can cancel your subscription at any time. See our full refund policy.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.

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