Search engine optimization (SEO) is a powerful marketing tactic that is valuable to entrepreneurs. However, since SEO has many facets, knowing where to begin can be challenging. That’s where SEO courses come in handy.
In this article, we will discuss the best SEO courses for learning how to optimize your content to rank higher in the SERPs. To get started, we will quickly cover who needs an SEO course. From there, we will provide a roundup of the best courses on SEO.
DIY vs. DFY: Who needs an SEO course?
All businesses need SEO, but it’s expensive. According to the latest data, the average small business allocates about $500 per month to SEO, while the average SEO agency charges over $3,200 per month. How can small businesses keep up?
One option is to do-it-yourself (DIY). While DIY is definitely easier on the purse strings, it takes more time and effort. Business owners typically need all the help they can get with adding hours to their days, so an investment into done-for-you (DFY) SEO might be worth it.
It all depends on your unique situation and your business goals.
Why DIY?
Taking the do-it-yourself (DIY) approach makes the most sense if you’re running a startup with a tight budget. In this case, you should definitely take an SEO course.
SEO courses are also great for those who want to pursue a career in SEO or marketing professionals who want to add SEO skills to their toolkit. It’s also worth taking an SEO course if you’re embarking on an entrepreneurial endeavor focused on affiliate marketing, website flipping, or something similar.
Why DFY?
On the flip side, taking the done-for-you (DFY) approach and hiring an SEO professional to carry out your campaigns is typically the ideal route for brands that have sufficient marketing budgets for the initiatives. This approach saves time, allowing the team leaders to focus their efforts elsewhere.
It’s worth noting that if you’re hiring a specialist, there is still value in developing a basic understanding of SEO. By taking a course that covers SEO basics, you can better manage the team member or contractor responsible for your SEO efforts. Even some understanding of the subject matter will help you weigh in on the strategy and monitor the results more effectively.
What to consider when comparing SEO courses
Before we jump into our roundup of the best SEO courses on the market, let’s take a second to review some criteria to consider when comparing SEO courses. Some things to keep in mind include:
- Topics covered: There is much to learn about SEO, ranging from technical backend practices to on-page content creation. Consider which topics are most relevant to your needs and choose accordingly.
- Cost: What sort of budget do you have for SEO education? How much are you willing to invest? Look for a course that fits your budget.
- Regularity of updates: Since search engines are regularly rolling out updates, learning from a resource that regularly updates its materials is essential. Choose a course that evolves with the industry.
- Length: How much time do you have to commit to learning SEO? Choose a course that makes sense with your schedule.
- Results from past students: You want to ensure that the course you’re investing in provides value. Look at testimonials to see what results past students have gotten when they applied the knowledge from the course you’re interested in.
10 Best SEO courses in 2025 and beyond
Ready to learn the ins and outs of SEO? Here are some of the best SEO courses you can use to learn how to optimize your website and improve your rankings.
1. SEO Power Plays
SEO Power Plays is an online learning community for SEO professionals who want to boost their rankings. Jeremy Moser, the co-founder and CEO of uSERP, curates this collection of resources.
In addition to the community membership, SEO Power Plays offers several free resources to those interested in SEO. Among these resources is a free four-hour video course that covers the optimal keyword research strategy, troubleshooting operational mistakes, link building, and getting strategic on leveraging team talent in different roles.
Members of SEO Power Plays also receive quick SEO tips every Wednesday and info on more comprehensive SEO strategies every Sunday, right in their inboxes. What’s great about a biweekly newsletter like this is that recipients get timely updates to SEO news and technological developments.
2. Local SEO Shuriken
Local SEO Shuriken is a highly recommended SEO course that focuses on increasing conversions. While many SEO courses discuss how to get traffic, Local SEO Shuriken takes it a step further by teaching you how to create content that ranks and converts site viewers into leads.
This video training includes an in-depth review of dozens of SEO-related topics, ranging from the optimal hosting setup to optimizing your brand name for search. In addition to the training materials, this course comes with access to an exclusive community of other marketing professionals, a certificate of completion, and an SEO cheat sheet for easy reference.
For $97, you can get lifetime access to this course, and with that comes guaranteed lifetime updates to the materials.
3. Reliablesoft
Reliablesoft is a digital marketing course bundle that covers a wide variety of topics, including SEO, for $149. Some of the SEO-specific courses in the bundle include:
- The Complete SEO Course: Ideal for beginners who want to learn a little bit of everything
- eCommerce SEO Course: Ideal for entrepreneurs who want to optimize their online storefronts and product listings
- Keyword Research Course: Ideal for people who want to hone their keyword research skills to create more effective SEO strategies
- Google Analytics Course: Ideal for entrepreneurs who want to learn more about Google Analytics to better monitor the performance of their SEO and SEM campaigns
- YouTube Marketing Course: Ideal for creators and entrepreneurs who want to drive more traffic to their YouTube content
- Content Marketing Course: Ideal for those who are new to content marketing in general
What is particularly impressive about Reliablesoft is that it’s been around for over two decades, making it a pioneer in the digital marketing space. Furthermore, this course is regularly updated and guarantees lifetime updates, so you can continue to reference this guide for years to come.
4. LearningSEO.io
LearningSEO.io is a database of nearly 700 guides, videos, newsletters, and resources that cover any topic related to SEO that you can think of. While it’s not exactly a course, it is a phenomenal resource for anybody who wants to break into the SEO space or currently works in SEO and is looking to deepen their knowledge.
There are nine levels within the LearningSEO.io database, ranging from Learning SEO Basics and Learn to Execute an SEO Process to Free SEO Tools to Use and Complement your SEO Knowledge.
This resource is regularly updated, and it is completely free to access.
5. Google SEO Fundamentals
Google SEO Fundamentals from UC Davis is a course that covers the basics of SEO. The course is like a mini college course with four modules you can finish in three weeks. The four modules include:
- Getting Started and Introduction to On-page SEO
- Introduction to Off-page SEO
- Introduction to Technical SEO
- Keyword Theory & Research
This course has a 4.8-star average from over 3500 past students. Plus, it is available in 22 different languages, making it accessible to students worldwide.
Another perk of this course is that it comes with a LinkedIn certification upon completion, which is great if you want to appeal to prospective clients or employers who are looking for someone with this knowledge.
6. Practical Programmatic
If you’re looking to learn more about the technical side of SEO, Practical Programmatic is an excellent choice for you. This $197 course educates students on the backend elements of SEO.
Practical Programmatic has eight modules that start with the basics of programmatic SEO and wrap up with a showcase of a real-life application of the techniques. It also runs through important SEO information for different technical setups, including code, low code, and no code.
You can complete this course in just over seventeen hours.
7. SEO Unlocked
Neil Patel is a legend in the SEO industry, so his course SEO Unlocked is certainly worth considering. You should complete this free course over seven weeks to implement the information in real-time.
This course contains three modules: Setup, Execute, and Optimize. With this structure, you can think of SEO Unlocked as a crash course in SEO since it covers various topics, ranging from the basics of content marketing to more technical aspects, like schema.
Although it’s geared towards beginners, anybody can jump into a specific module if they need a refresher on a topic since it is fully accessible to the public.
8. Affiliate Lab
Matt Diggity is also a thought leader in the SEO space, so his course Affiliate Lab is another option worth considering. Past students say that they were able to apply the methods from this course to grow their traffic exponentially and start earning money in as little as a few months.
As the name suggests, this course is specific to entrepreneurs who focus on affiliate websites. It offers the tools you need to rank, monetize, and flip affiliate websites.
Affiliate Lab costs $997. It includes over a hundred hours worth of training materials, templates, SOPs for SEO best practices, and access to an exclusive Facebook community.
9. Semrush Academy
Semrush Academy offers a variety of free courses on SEO. Since there are so many courses available, you can find information on any SEO-related topic you’re looking for. There are materials for people new to SEO, and there are materials for people looking to hone their skills in a particular area, such as international SEO or SEO for LinkedIn.
Content-Led SEO with Brian Dean is a particularly valuable course from Semrush Academy that’s worth checking out if you’re looking to learn more about on-page SEO. Navigating On-Page and Technical SEO is another great option for those who want to learn a mix of backend and frontend SEO.
In addition to the SEO courses, Semrush Academy has a plethora of courses geared toward other realms of digital marketing, including analytics, PR, social media, and more. They even have a collection of classes geared toward maximizing success with their product.
10. HubSpot Academy
Similar to Semrush Academy, Hubspot offers a database of free courses on SEO and other essential business topics. HubSpot Academy has over a dozen SEO courses that cover the following topics and more:
- The basics of SEO
- SEO reporting and analytics
- Guest blogging strategies for SEO
- Scaling a YouTube Channel with SEO
- SEO for website migrations
- Technical SEO
HubSpot Academy also offers an SEO course specific to its platform, which is particularly valuable if you use the CRM’s SEO tools for blogging and landing page building.
Other SEO resources
In addition to the online SEO course we’ve covered here, there are other resources to consider when embarking on your SEO journey. Plenty of blogs, forums, YouTube videos, podcasts, and newsletters provide free SEO education.
Many of these resources are just a Google search away. However, you can also find valuable resources through Reddit, Facebook Groups, and other online communities.
Oh, and don’t forget about the treasure trove of information that you can find on LinkedIn. From professional insights, networking opportunities, and industry updates abound, there’s always something new and interesting to learn.
For example, have you ever heard of content pruning? Multiple case studies show that if you cut 30-50% of your site’s low-quality content, the overall site quality rank improves significantly.
So, when in doubt, cut it out! And that’s just one lesson of many you can learn from SEO leaders on LinkedIn. Don’t sleep on this powerful resource.
Choose the best SEO courses for you in 2025
There are plenty of courses available to improve your knowledge of SEO and boost your search rankings. From SEO beginners to seasoned professionals, there is a lot to learn.
As you compare courses, keep the criteria we reviewed in mind. Pay close attention to the topics covered, results, and cost.
In our list of the best SEO courses, you’ll learn the importance of link building to improve your site’s authority and boost your rankings. Book a call to learn more about how uSERP can help you land backlinks on high-quality sites to maximize your SEO efforts!
