How Difficult is it to Learn SEO?

Are you curious about learning SEO but worried that it might be too hard? Of course, the difficulty that comes with learning a new skill is somewhat subjective. The challenges of learning SEO depend on factors likehow much you like to read and process new information, how much time you have to devote to study and practice, and how persistent you are. No matter your current schedule or comfort level with SEO, plenty of tools are available to help make learning more manageable than you might think.

What is SEO?

Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, is a way to drive more traffic to your website and gain more customers. It depends upon content, technical website optimization, link building, and keyword research to ensure that your website appears near the top of a Google results page. A BrightEdge survey conducted in 2019 found that SEO is 1000% more effective at driving website traffic than organic methods like social media posts. Professionals who work with SEO are often called Website Optimization Specialists.

The primary goal of SEO is to build trust between your business and your users. You can do this through high-quality content, ensuring your website loads quickly in desktop and mobile versions, and optimizing your site for voice search. Another way to improve your rankings on search engine results pages (SERPs) is to create a “Google My Business” listing.

Read more about what SEO is and why you should learn it.

What Can You Do with SEO?

SEO is used to determine search engine success in three crucial ways: technical SEO, on-page SEO, and off-page SEO.

Technical SEO looks at a website's technical features and how they affect search engine rankings. These include the site structure, schema, and URL. The site needs to be easy to navigate with a clearly understood organization. Other aspects of technical SEO are website loading speed, mobile friendliness, voice optimization, and the XML sitemap.

The primary goal of on-page optimization is meeting the intent of the searcher/user with high-quality content. On-page content is essential and refers to everything that appears on a website, including text, keywords, images, tags, and internal links. Researching and choosing the best SEO keywords shows that the website has authority and is trustworthy.

Off-page SEO involves building links and strengthening social media engagement. Backlinks and social media help build authority and trust with search engines. Link building refers to finding reputable and relevant websites to link to your website or content. The more references to your content on other reliable sites, the better. Additionally, building out social media presence across various channels will further establish your internet presence and boost your SEO. You can use different analytical tools to track SEO and conversion rates.

What Are the Most Challenging Parts of Learning SEO?

SEO is not necessarily hard to learn, but it does take time, effort, and persistence. If you are just starting and know nothing about search engines and how they work, you can expect to feel a bit overwhelmed initially, especially if you are trying to learn SEO on your own. However, it is important to keep trying. This is where classes can be a real sanity saver.

One of the things about learning SEO that can be challenging is the amount of information you need to read and process. You need to become familiar with powerful tools like Google Analytics, SEMRush, and Moz, which involves a lot of reading and practice. Once you begin to grasp the basics of SEO, it is also a good idea to read blogs and listen to podcasts to find out the latest developments in this ever-changing field.

Another challenge is learning the vocabulary of SEO like SERP, KPI, and CRO. Not only will you need to know the language of SEO but also of digital marketing. Most people find that the best way to learn this kind of information is by taking a class.

Another advantage of taking classes is that you will have an instructor who is already familiar with the field and can steer you in the right direction. It can be a challenge to wade through YouTube videos on SEO and figure out the best way to do things when you are just starting out. Having an expert to help you saves a lot of time and ensures you’re learning accurate information.

How Does Learning SEO Compare to Other Fields?

One comparable subject to SEO would be Google Analytics. Like SEO, Google Analytics involves working with computers and understanding how to collect data and what you can do with it. Website Optimization Specialists also need to learn how to use data analytics tools and interpret the data they collect. Most people find that learning Google Analytics is more challenging than SEO, so it could be wise to learn SEO basics before moving on.

Web development is another field that is comparable to SEO. Web Developers work with the code that builds websites and need to learn multiple coding languages depending on their specialty. Web Developers need to understand the best way to put websites together, which also affects SEO. Some people move from SEO into web development, and the two fields are equally complex, with front end development being somewhat less challenging than back end.

Other Factors

There are other factors that can help you tackle the challenge of learning SEO. Learn to use analytics and keyword tools and the basics of SEO to start with. Distinguish which actions give you the best results and focus on those at first. Learn how to build quality links. And probably the best way to learn SEO is to create your own website and dive in.

Build a Knowledge Foundation

Tools like Google Analytics, SEMRush, and Moz Keyword Explorer are the backbone of SEO. They collect the data you need to see if your digital marketing campaign is working, and they can help you fix things if it’s not. Again, you can follow tutorials to learn how to use tools or sign up for a class to concentrate your efforts.

Focus on the Big Results

When you are first learning SEO, it is a good idea to focus on the actions that will give you the biggest results quickly. The easiest way to get big results is by creating quality SEO content. Learn how to choose the best keywords and build pages that attract and engage your target audience.

Learn How Links Work

Links are connections from one website to another. They are also referred to as backlinks, external links, or inbound links, and they are a signal to search engines that you have quality, trustworthy content. The more links you have, the more organic traffic you will have, and the higher your page will rank.

Start Your Own Project

Even if you take a certification course in SEO, creating a website and trying these techniques is the best way to learn SEO. You can start a side hustle and earn a little extra cash, or choose a passion project to educate the public. Whatever the focus of your website is, it will give you valuable hands-on experience with SEO.

Learn SEO with Hands-on Training at Noble Desktop

If you want to change careers and become a Web Optimization/SEO Specialist, you can sign up for Noble Desktop’s SEO Bootcamp. This two-part class will teach you beginning and advanced SEO strategies to get your website to the top of the page. In the first class, SEO Level 1, you’ll learn how search engines work, how to do keyword research and competitor analysis, and how to use SEO-driven content to increase web traffic. SEO Level 2 covers how to do SEO audits and gives you hands-on experience with an expert instructor.

You can also sign up for a Google Analytics Bootcamp to learn how to set up an account, know which metrics to track, and understand the Google Analytics reports. You can also learn about paid advertising with Google Ads Bootcamp.

Another way to prepare for a career as a Web Optimizations/SEO Specialist is a digital marketing certificate course. Noble’s Digital Marketing Certificate includes the digital marketing, SEO, and Google Analytics bootcamps, plus Google Ads and classes on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok, and Twitter marketing, as well as content marketing with blogs.

Use Noble Desktop’s Classes Near Me to find other courses in digital marketing in your area.

Key Insights

• SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization.
• SEO is a way to drive traffic to your website, get more customers, and increase sales.
• There are three types of SEO: technical, on-page, and off-page.
• SEO can be challenging to learn because:
• There is a lot of information to read and process
• You need to learn how to use SEO tools
• You have to learn the vocabulary of SEO
• Classes can help with these challenges.
• Two subjects comparable to SEO are data analytics and web development.
• Other factors that can help you learn SEO are:
• Building a knowledge foundation
• Focusing on the big results
• Learning how links work
• Starting your own project