About this course: SEO is a dynamic and growing career field that demands knowledge and skills in a variety of website optimization strategies and tactics in order to be successful. This course is designed to provide you with a solid foundation in SEO including the different elements comprising a website optimization client report, and arm you with skills you need to develop a tactical approach to SEO. Whether you have successfully completed the other courses in the Search Engine Optimization specialization or are taking just this course, this project is your chance to apply the knowledge you’ve acquired to practice important SEO tactics and optimize a site of your choice from the ground-up. You will identify optimization opportunities on a site and discover valuable tips for pitching your plan and managing your relationship with your client, you will then develop a customized SEO solution for the website you chose, and go through each of the major steps needed to execute your strategy including keyword research, competitive analysis, improving the site’s meta-data and on-page elements. Along the way, you will receive feedback through the peer review process. This community of fellow learners will provide additional input to help you refine your approach to SEO and present your findings to clients and management.
Created by: University of California, Davis
Taught by: Rebekah May, SEO Manager & Lead SEO Instructor
LeadQual & UC Davis Extension
| Basic Info | Course 6 of 6 in the Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Specialization |
| Level | Intermediate |
| Language | English |
| How To Pass | Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. |
| User Ratings |
Syllabus
WEEK 1
Getting Started and Milestone 1: Gauging a Site's Opportunity for Improvement
In this first milestone, you will identify a potential client’s website by using your skills to gauge a website’s opportunity for improvement and higher ranking. Once you have selected a website, you will create an SEO pitch to inform and persuade a potential client to adopt a new SEO strategy. Finally, you will develop a set of kick-off questions that will help gather the information you need to begin to develop your SEO strategy.
2 videos, 4 readings
- Video: Project Welcome and Overview
- Discussion Prompt: Your Learning Goals
- Video: Milestone 1 Assignment Overview
- Discussion Prompt: Questions For Your Peers
- Reading: Identifying a Potential Client - Resources (Part 1)
- Reading: Create an SEO Pitch - Resources (Part 2)
- Reading: Develop Kickoff Questions - Resources (Part 3)
- Reading: Kick-Off Questions Template
Graded: Gauging a Site's Opportunity for Improvement
WEEK 2
Milestone 2: Initial Research Phase
In this milestone, you will focus on the initial research required to begin optimizing a website. This milestone has three main activities including developing a buyer persona, conducting keyword research, and performing competitive research. These activities will help you identify your target audience, frame your keyword research, and gain insight into your competition. The information you gather from this research process will help you develop a successful strategy for the website.
1 video, 6 readings
- Video: Milestone 2 Assignment Overview
- Discussion Prompt: Questions For Your Peers
- Reading: Developing a Persona - Resources (Part 1)
- Reading: User/Buyer Persona Template
- Reading: Performing Keyword Research - Resources (Part 2)
- Reading: Keyword Research Example & Template
- Reading: Conducting a Competitive Analysis - Resources (Part 3)
- Reading: Keyword Competitive Analysis Template
Graded: Initial Research Phase
WEEK 3
Milestone 3: Conducting a Content Audit and Technical Review
In this third milestone, you’ll examine the content of your competitors’ sites through a content audit to better position your own SEO campaign. You’ll also conduct an internal content audit to compare your site to those of your competitors and identify areas for improvement. Also in this milestone, you will develop a keyword matrix to help you determine which keywords should be assigned to specific pages on your site. In the final part of the milestone, you’ll perform a technical review of the site to identify any technical factors that may impact the ranking of the website. Each of these activities is critical to On-Page SEO.
1 video, 9 readings
- Video: Conducting a Content Audit and Technical Review
- Discussion Prompt: Questions For Your Peers
- Reading: Competitive Content Analysis (Part 1)
- Reading: Competitive Analysis Template
- Reading: Internal Content Audit - Resources (Part 2)
- Reading: Internal Content Audit Template
- Reading: Keyword Mapping - Resources (Part 3)
- Reading: Keyword Mapping Template
- Reading: Technical SEO - Resources (Part 4)
- Reading: Error Tracking Template
- Reading: Technical Audit Template
Graded: Conducting a Content Audit and Technical Review
WEEK 4
Milestone 4: Presenting Your Findings
In this final milestone, you will develop a comprehensive presentation representing all the work you have done throughout the course. Using a standard outline, you’ll create one cohesive Word document and present your findings, analysis, and recommendations to your peers. The final presentation will also include a video in which you present your case to a potential client or employer outlining how your SEO strategy will improve ranking and business.
2 videos, 2 readings
- Video: Milestone 4 Assignment Overview
- Discussion Prompt: Questions For Your Peers
- Reading: Presenting Your Findings - Resources
- Reading: SEO Audit Template
- Video: Project Summary
- Discussion Prompt: Reflections
Graded: Presenting Your Findings
FAQs
How It Works
Coursework
Each course is like an interactive textbook, featuring pre-recorded videos, quizzes and projects.
Help from Your Peers
Connect with thousands of other learners and debate ideas, discuss course material, and get help mastering concepts.
Certificates
Earn official recognition for your work, and share your success with friends, colleagues, and employers.
Creators
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.
Pricing
| Audit | Purchase Course | |
|---|---|---|
| Access to course materials | Available | Available |
| Access to graded materials | Not available | Available |
| Receive a final grade | Not available | Available |
| Earn a shareable Course Certificate | Not available | Available |
Ratings and Reviews
Really enjoyed this course, it was consistent with everything I have learned in a professional SEO agency and taught many new things as well as provided good practical resources.
The course is really detailed and interesting
Great project to practice everything you learned in the specialization.
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II
Great course that gives you practical understanding of SEO concepts and encourages one to implement skills learned through modules 1-5 in the final project. Really worthwhile way to learn SEO and to make sure that it really sticks.