Which SEO Training Format Is Right for Me?

As more sales move online, businesses and entrepreneurs increasingly look to digital marketing to promote products. This means using SEO to optimize websites and drive traffic. If you want to learn SEO to change careers, there are many factors to consider before signing up for classes.

Everyone learns differently, and choosing the right kind of training is critical to your experience.

Keep reading to find out more about the different formats of SEO training, how they compare to each other, and how to determine which is best for you.

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.

Training Formats for SEO

You can learn SEO in-person, live online, on-demand, or through free tutorials. The method you choose should depend upon how you learn best and what you plan to do with SEO.

In-Person SEO Training

Many people find it easier to learn new information when they take a class, especially a technical subject like SEO. When you sign up for a class, you have a teacher to talk to; you can ask and answer questions and get help when you need it. Although, schedules for in-person classes can be limited, plus you have to travel to a physical destination, which can be inconvenient.

If you want to take an in-person class, you can sign up for Noble Desktop’s SEO Bootcamp in New York City. This two-day bootcamp covers the fundamentals of SEO with an experienced instructor in the classroom and hands-on lessons on how search engines work, keyword research techniques, tips on writing quality content, and how to do an SEO audit. Brain Station offers an in-person Search Engine Optimization Certificate, as does Ledet Training and Academy X. You can find in-person SEO classes near you on Noble Desktop’s Classes Near Me page.

Live Online SEO Training

You also have the option to take live online classes to learn SEO. These classes run in real-time in conjunction with an in-person class, but you can attend from anywhere. As long as you have a computer and a stable internet connection, you can interact with the instructor and ask questions. With your permission, the instructor can take over your screen to demonstrate techniques. Live online classes are like in-person sessions, except you can attend class from home or work if you choose, and you don’t have to commute anywhere.

Noble Desktop’s SEO Bootcamp is available live online. The instructor and in-person students are in a classroom in New York, but you can see everything the instructor puts on the screen and follow along. You get the same high-quality content in a much more convenient way.

Other schools offer live online SEO training classes, too. Tampa’s SEO Training Academy has a two-day and a five-day SEO training class. Certstaffix also offers a two-day SEO class, as does Dolfi Formation. You can find additional live online SEO classes on Noble Desktop’s Classes Near Me page.

Free Online Courses & Tutorials

If you are not quite ready to commit the time and funds to a bootcamp or certificate course, there are numerous free tutorials and online courses available. These tend to be overviews and introductions to SEO, but there is enough information to help you decide if you want to go further.

You can learn SEO online for free. Here is a list of possibilities:

• SEO for Beginners from Yoast
• SEO Training Course by Moz through Udemy
• Free SEO Course from ClickMinded
• Building Sustainable Traffic for Business Growth at Hubspot
• On-Page and Technical SEO Course from SEMRush
• Search Engine Optimization Specialization by Coursera
• Free SEO 6-part video series from Moz
  
  

The Pillars of Digital Marketing on the Noble Desktop YouTube channel is about different types of digital marketing and strategies. Dominate Local Search with Google My Business covers what GMB is, how to set up a profile, and where to get help if you need it.

Some other free tutorials include Coursera’s Strategy of Content Marketing program, which covers how to plan, organize, and implement a successful content marketing campaign. Fundamentals of Digital Marketing by Google is a free class, including practical exercises in SEO and digital marketing. Finally, HubSpot Academy has an SEO Training Course that covers how to improve website performance, along with link building and keyword research.

Read about more free SEO videos and online tutorials.

On-Demand Classes

How you choose to learn SEO is up to you. You can watch free video tutorials like Noble Desktop’s Pillars of Digital Marketing to get an introduction to SEO and other topics. If an entire class feels like too much right now, you can attend free online seminars like Noble Desktop’s Dominate Local Search with Google My Business or free SEO seminars on Hubspot Academy, SEMRush’s Learn SEO, and Udemy’s free SEO Training Course by Moz. These free seminars will give you an idea of what SEO is about and whether you want to explore it further.

Comparison of SEO Training Formats

You can learn SEO in different environments: in-person, live online, or on-demand online. Each setting has its own advantages and disadvantages, and your choice of how to study SEO will depend upon your comfort level, the time you have to devote to study, and how much you want to interact with students and an instructor. Don’t worry that you won’t learn as much in an online class as you would in an in-person class. Research shows that students learn just as well (and sometimes even better) when taking virtual courses.

In-person instruction and live online classes are the most engaging and interactive formats. Students can ask questions and get immediate feedback, receive guidance on building portfolios, and interact with like-minded peers. Face-to-face training offers additional bonuses like networking opportunities and computer labs with up-to-date software.

Live online SEO classes, bootcamps, and certificate programs provide the same advantages as their in-person counterparts: they’re interactive, comprehensive training courses led by expert instructors. Virtual courses offer flexibility for attendees who may not be able to travel to in-person classes, so students have the chance to master SEO from the comfort of their homes or offices. Thanks to virtual options, you can benefit from online classes taught anywhere, no matter where the school is based.

On-demand learning is typically the most affordable option and can be a good way to start learning the basics, but this method doesn’t offer the benefits of live instruction and has the potential to be outdated; however, you can watch videos at your own pace from anywhere with a stable internet connection.

Is it Possible to Teach Yourself SEO?

How you choose to learn SEO is up to you. You can watch free video tutorials like Noble Desktop’s Website Fundamentals to get an introduction, but afterwards the best plan is to sign up for a class. You can take in-person classes or choose live online instruction. Some people prefer to attend brick-and-mortar sessions when learning new information. They prefer having an instructor in the room and like to get to know other students. Unfortunately, that option isn’t always available. If you can’t find an in-person digital marketing class, you can take one online.

On-demand classes are the most prevalent, and one of their greatest advantages is that many are free. These classes are pre recorded, and you can watch them whenever and wherever is convenient. YouTube hosts hours and hours of on-demand classes on SEO. The main drawback to most on-demand classes is that you can’t contact the instructor and ask questions or get help if you need it. It can also be difficult to tell whether the information is current and accurate, since anyone can upload a video to YouTube.

One of the best ways to learn SEO is through live online classes. This hybrid model blends the best of in-person classes with the convenience of online instruction. You have access to a real-time live instructor, but you don’t have to commute and can take the class from anywhere with internet access. Live online classes usually run at the same time as an in-person class, and tuition costs are the same.

How to Decide the Best Way to Learn SEO

What is the best way to learn SEO? That is up to you to decide. You can take an in-person class or study through a live online program. You can choose courses that meet during the week, on the weekends, or in the evenings. And you can select the level where you feel comfortable starting.

If you are just getting started with SEO, you might be more interested in a general overview of the key features of SEO, such as what it is, how you do it, and what tools you need. Many free introductory seminars, like Website Fundamentals & Conversion Optimization from Noble Desktop, offer this high-level survey for SEO beginners.

Once you understand the fundamentals of SEO, you might want to learn more about how to drive traffic to your website or help a friend with a small-business marketing project. You can sign up for a bootcamp course that covers SEO in-depth, like one of Noble Desktop’s SEO bootcamps. These programs deliver targeted instruction on a specialized subject such as Google Analytics, web optimization, or 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.
• You can learn SEO techniques for free, but it is easier to learn to use the tools by taking classes.
• You can choose from in-person instruction, live online classes, or on-demand videos.
• Learning SEO on your own is possible, but taking classes is much more efficient.
• The method you choose should depend upon how you learn best and what you plan to do with SEO.