20 Best SEO Courses (October, 2026)

The search engine world keeps evolving, and knowing the best SEO courses can help you stay updated. Fortunately, the digital space has made it more manageable to access SEO classes remotely.

You can find some of the best SEO courses in the world available in both the free and paid course categories. In terms of free SEO courses, we recommend the SEMrush Academy SEO course.

However, the HubSpot Academy course is definitely worth checking out. But when it comes to the best paid SEO courses, the ClickMinded SEO Training course leads the pack.

This blog post looks at the top courses to learn SEO and how to take the classes. Moreover, these courses are free and paid for your budget and convenience.

We have grouped them into beginner, intermediate, and advanced for easy following. So read on to learn more about the best SEO courses you should take to grow your digital marketing career.

What is SEO

SEO is the abbreviation of search engine optimization. It entails a set of processes to improve website ranking in search engines like Google.

With a good SEO strategy, your web pages have the potential to appear on the first page of search engine results. This increases the chances of gaining traffic and engagement to your site. According to Backlinko, the number one SERPs result has a higher chance of earning a click than one appearing in the tenth position.

The Importance of Learning SEO

As mentioned above, the SEO scene keeps evolving because search engines keep updating their algorithms. As a beginner, it can be challenging to understand the many SEO terms and tools available.

So learning from the best SEO course can help you increase your proficiency. While beginner courses explain SEO basics, you can take advanced ones to learn deeper SEO’s ins and outs and command higher pay.

Best SEO Courses: Free Courses

1. SEMrush’s Academy

This company has been in digital marketing for over a decade, starting in 2008. Besides SEO, the academy offers content marketing, SMM, and PPC courses.

The comprehensive on-page and technical SEO course offer various SEO aspects a digital marketer needs. Some of the topics include:

International SEO

This aspect helps search engines identify the target countries where your audience is located. Therefore, when a user from that specific region conducts a search engine search, they are likely to see your site in the results.

Linking

An excellent SEO strategy includes appropriate website linking across relevant site pages. You will learn the best linking practices and all there is to know.

Crawlers and Indexes

This topic lets you understand the search engine‘s crawling and indexing processes. You will have a deeper understanding of the two processes and the best management practices.

Site Performance

According to Google’s 2010 excerpt, a website should aim to have a fast-page load speed. This course helps you learn effective page optimization techniques to ensure faster load times and improve user experience.

How SEMrush Offers Classes

SEMrush offers video lessons to its learners, with more materials added at the end of each lecture. You can partake in practical activities to test your understanding of the topic.

In the end, you can take the technical SEO examination, which lets you attain a free certificate. You can skip the training part if you are knowledgeable in SEO and take the examination.

2. HubSpot Academy’s SEO Certification Course

HubSpot is a significant digital marketing player, offering businesses sales CRM software and marketing solutions. Besides their services, HubSpot has an academy that provides a free SEO certification course.

The course features 26 videos, five quizzes, and six lessons which you can complete in less than four hours. Moreover, HubSpot updates its courses based on search engine updates, ensuring credible training.

In this SEO certification course, you will learn the following:

• How to develop an effective SEO strategy.
• How to increase your backlinks.
• How to conduct effective competitor research.
• How to produce top-ranking content through blogging.

How HubSpot Offers Classes

HubSpot trains its learners through videos. Moreover, these lessons are grouped in an advancing order, with SEO basics offered first. At the end of the course, HubSpot offers a free certificate to show your SEO proficiency.

3. Udemy’s Moz SEO Training Course

Udemy is another hub hosting the best SEO courses worth checking. While most of the courses here are paid, Moz’s SEO certification course is not.

Moreover, Udemy capitalizes on how they display their courses since they allow ratings and reviews. You can also see the number of students enrolled in each course. In our case, Moz’s SEO certification course has a rating of 4.4 stars, with 18,630 reviews and a total of 298,762 students.

The course has seven sections featuring 18 sections, totalling three hours and 25 minutes. However, the information offered has not been updated since its release, so most of it may need to be updated.

This Moz course offers:

• The basics of keyword research.
• Link building and off-page SEO.
• Effective SEO strategy development.
• Guidance on website audits and structuring.
• On-page SEO strategy.
• What to know about featured snippets.
• SEO reports.

How Udemy Offers Classes

Udemy’s learners take courses through video lessons. The course features 18 video lectures, and the good news is that you can learn the ropes in under three and a half hours. Udemy does not mention issuing a completion certificate after completing the course.

4. LinkedIn Learning SEO Training

Formerly known as Lynda, LinkedIn Learning’s SEO training joins our list of the best SEO courses for its popularity. According to the site, 347,396 people have enrolled, and 20,715 have liked the resource. It also has a 4.7-star rating from 8,942 reviews.

The course starts its learners with the basics of understanding what SEO is. It explains more profound facts like local and mobile SEO, e-commerce, keywords, and link-building strategies.

How LinkedIn Learning Offers Classes

You can access this course on the LinkedIn Learning platform. The platform allows free monthly access to the material. However, you must pay a specified amount to continue accessing the resource after the month ends.

5. Shopify’s SEO Training for Beginners

Shopify is one of the leading e-commerce platforms, and statistics show that over 1.75 million merchants use it. So, it is an excellent resource for individuals seeking to learn about digital shopping.

According to Shopify, the course includes topics like:

• The benefits of SEO for your business.
• How to set up your analytics to track success.
• What is a keyword, and how to conduct keyword research for your business?
• What is on-site SEO, and how to optimize your Shopify store?
• What is off-site SEO, and how to use it to get discovered by ideal customers?

How Shopify Offers Classes

You can find Shopify’s SEO training for beginners on its website under the courses section. It features 16 lessons taking one hour, and you must create an account to start learning.

6. Ahrefs Free SEO Tutorial

Statistics show that YouTube has over two billion active users. Ahrefs capitalizes on this since the SEO course is on its YouTube channel.

Sam Oh, an Ahrefs SEO expert, presents the course through short videos, going from the basics to the technical aspects. The course is divided into four modules covering specific SEO aspects.

In this course, you learn:

• What SEO is and its importance.
• Keyword research.
• On-page SEO.
• Link Building
• The basics of technical SEO.

How Ahrefs Offers Classes

Ahrefs SEO course is purely hosted on YouTube. It features 14 less-than-15 minutes videos which total two hours of watching. Unfortunately, no certificate is offered since you will be only watching videos.

7. Yoast Academy’s SEO Training

If you are a beginner without proper knowledge, this is one of the best SEO courses. It aims to equip beginners with knowledge of how search engines work.

Moreover, Yoast is the developer of one of the popular SEO plugins used in modern websites. That makes it an ideal hub for learning effective web optimization and blogging strategies.

Yoast Academy platform includes free and premium access. While you can learn through the free option, signing up for the premium access at $99/ year unlocks all courses offered and its plugin features.

In Yoast’s free course, you learn:

• SEO training for beginners.
• WordPress training for beginners.
• Yoast SEO training for WordPress plugin.
• WordPress block editor training.
• Structured data training for beginners.
• SEO news webinar replays.

How Yoast Offers Classes

You can access Yoast’s free SEO training on its website. All you have to do is create an account with Yoast to start learning.

8. Google’s Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Starter Guide

Where can you best learn more about Google than the company itself? This is why this SEO starter guide from Google makes it to our list of the best SEO courses.

You can access this information-rich course for free to get insights into how Google works. You will also learn the best SEO practices that enable your site to appear on Google’s search results.

Here is a breakdown of what the course has to offer:

• How to develop an effective on-page SEO strategy to help Google find your site.
• How to present your content so Google and its users can understand it. For example, clear titles, heading tags, and structured data markup.
• Use Google’s SEO tools, like the performance report and keyword planner, to enhance your site.
• How to develop a proper Technical SEO strategy that allows Google to index your site easily.
• How to develop an effective off-page SEO strategy that includes advertising your site to the relevant community for exposure.

How Google Offers Classes

Google offers this starter SEO course on its developers’ site. The course suits developers and site owners looking for first-hand insights into what Google wants websites to do.

The course is free to access, and it is self-paced. Google does not offer a certificate upon completion.

9. eMarketing Institute Free SEO Course

This eMarketing Institute resource makes it to our best SEO courses list for its popularity. According to the website, over 300 students from 100 countries have enrolled in various courses on the platform.

Among the free resources on the site is the SEO certification course. You can access this course through a downloadable PDF containing 156 pages.

In this course, you learn the following:

• Introduction to SEO and how it can help your business.
• How search engines work, index, and rank websites.
• How you can make your site user-friendly so search engines can position you in the SERPs.
• How keyword research and keywords work to elevate your content.
• How link building works and how to earn backlinks to boost your site’s authority.
• Actionable web optimization strategy to increase ranking.

How eMarketing Institute Offers Classes

The eMarketing Institute offers its learning resources through its website. It has a free PDF and HTML format eBook of 156 pages.

All you must do is sign-up to the site to start learning. You can also skip the sign-up process and download the eBook.

eMarketing Institute offers a certificate upon completion of the course. However, you must pass the 50-multiple-answers test with a 50% and above score.

10. Coursera’s UC Davis SEO Fundamentals

This free beginner course is offered by the University of California, Davis, to help individuals learn the fundamentals of SEO. It features a 4.8 rating on Coursera’s website from 739 reviews.

No requirements are needed to join the course, but some HTML knowledge is an added advantage. The syllabus includes the following:

• Introduction to on-page and off-page SEO.
• Getting started with Technical SEO.
• Keyword research and theory.

How Coursera Offers its Classes

You can access the UC Davis SEO course on Coursera’s website. It features four modules spread over four weeks.

You can audit the free course or pay a $59 fee to get a certificate upon completion. The $59 monthly or $399 yearly fee unlocks all the courses offered on the platform. The best thing about Coursera is that it offers financial aid in some select courses.

11. Mangools’ SEO Guide for Beginners

Ready to start learning SEO but need help figuring out where to start? Mangools’ free SEO course is your best SEO course to get started.

This guide features nine chapters allowing you to learn the SEO basics first as you advance higher. In a nutshell, the course features topics like:

• SEO basics
• Search engines
• Keyword research
• Content optimization
• On-page and technical SEO
• Backlinks and link building
• Analytics and metrics
• SEO test and certificate

How Mangools Institute Offers Classes

You can access Mangools’ free SEO course on its website. The course is divided into nine parts you can learn at your pace.

Additional materials like infographics and PDFs are available to help understand the topic better. You receive a free certificate at the end of the course.

Best SEO Courses: Paid Courses

1. ClickMinded SEO Training Course

Another resource making it to our best SEO courses list is ClickMinded’s training course. Its tutor, Tommy Griffith, has extensive experience in the SEO world, having managed Airbnb and Paypal’s SEO.

He uses these two successful companies’ approaches in SEO to get tangible results. The course takes you from a beginner level to a pro making it one of the best SEO courses.

The course teaches:

• How to set a successful SEO strategy.
• All there is to know about organic search.
• Understanding user intent and creating successful keyword strategies to beat your competition.
• How to create high-ranking content on search engines.
• Understand Google’s #1 ranking signals and factors affecting these ranks.
• Technical SEO for non-technical individuals looking to learn what it is all about.
• How to create an SEO-friendly site from scratch and score big on the market.

How ClickMinded Offers its Classes

You can access ClickMinded’s SEO training course on its website. Note that the course has three payment tiers, free, one, and multiple users.

The free plan offers SEO fundamentals which is an excellent starter pack. ClickMinded’s Premium one-user account goes for a one-time fee of $997. This payment unlocks the course, letting you learn the ins and outs of SEO at your own pace.

The premium complete course library for teams goes for $4,997. It also unlocks all the course’s resources and accommodates up to 10 users.

2. The Blueprint Training

This is one of the most advanced courses since it does not cover SEO basics. It is designed for agencies looking to execute SEO at a higher level, onboard clients, and project management. SEO-proficient individuals wanting to create their agencies can also take this course.

Built by SEO experts David Krevitt and Ryan Stewart, the course features free sections that let you try before buying. Moreover, the SEO processes taught follow real-case examples from previous projects.

Ryan teaches this course following the processes he implemented in WEBRIS, his web agency before From The Future acquired it in 2018. This course teaches:

• Deep technical SEO
• How to build and scale your agency.
• Effective client onboarding strategies.

How The Blueprint Training Offers its Classes

Once you sign up for the training, you access the following:

• A Slack channel you will use to consult with the experts.
• 17 SEO training modules.
• Over 200 easy-to-follow videos.
• Over ten automation tools.
• Over 30 advanced SEO templates

You can buy an individual module ranging from $0 to $499. However, you can save by buying the whole course at $2,999.

3. Simplilearn’s SEO Training Course

According to Simplilearn, this course transforms you into a full-stack SEO professional. The course features a 4.5-star rating and has 2623 learners.

Some skills covered include content marketing, URL management, SEO, keyword management, and research. The syllabus is spread along four topics:

• SEO Foundations
• Advanced SEO
• Advanced content marketing
• Advanced web analytics

It also features five actionable projects to test your knowledge as you learn.

How Simplilearn Offers its Classes

You can access this advanced course on Simplilearn’s website. It features three training options, self-paced learning at $320, online boot camp at $427, and customized corporate training. You receive a completion certificate at the end of training.

4. DistilledU’s SEO 101 and Further SEO

This course has been discontinued.

This resource is filled with 133 hours of video content and makes it to our best SEO courses list for its interactive modules. The course features a 4.4-star rating from 37,598 reviews.

The course allows you to explore three modules on a demo account. However, you have to pay to access the complete material. The modules in SEO 101 include:

• Search engine basics
• Interactive: search operator basics
• On-page optimization
• Technical SEO
• Interactive: robots.txt
• Keyword research
• Information Architecture
• Competitor research
• Link Analysis
• Interactive: google analytics set up training
• Google search console set up guide

Further SEO contains advanced topics like link bait, content strategy, and SEO tools, taking your skills to a notch higher.

How to Access DistilledU SEO Course

You can access this course on DistilledU’s website. You must create an account to access the demo or paid option. The demo is complimentary, while the paid option charges $33 if you pay annually or $40 if you choose monthly payments.

5. Bruce Clay’s SEO Training

This course makes its way to our list of best SEO courses for its popularity. The course has a 4.7-star rating from 298 reviews.

Its founder, Bruce Clay, is nicknamed the father of SEO because he was one of the earliest individuals to help websites rank. The course is stretched into 12 modules starting with the SEO basics and to more profound knowledge like technical SEO.

You will have to sign up for a membership plan which unlocks access to training and live Q&A sessions with Bruce Clay. Other perks include a discussion forum, a premium SEO toolset, eBooks, and FAQ videos.

How Bruce Clay Offers Classes

You can access this course by paying an annual fee of $1,495. Other payment options include a monthly renewal plan of $149 or a quarterly payment plan of $395.

6. SE Ranking’s SEO Basics

This course, prepared by Jason Barnard, offers a walk-through into the SEO aspects and how to tweak them in your favour. It has eight modules consisting of 41 lessons covered in six hours.

The training covers technical SEO, SEO analytics, link building, website setup, and content creation. Its learning model involves theory, practice, and a mandatory test after each lesson to test your understanding.

How to access SE Ranking’s Class

You need to create an account with SE Ranking to access this SEO course. The course goes for $39.20 per month. You will get a completion certificate at the end of the course if you pass the exam with an 80% and above score.

7. SEO That Works

Individuals more invested in SEO can take this Brian Dean’s course. The course makes it to our list of best SEO courses for its expensive price tag.

It offers lessons in

• Link-building and content promotion strategies.
• Real-life cases of people achieving first-page in the SERPs.
• A proven step-by-step SEO system.

The enrollment process is closed at the moment. You must join the waiting list and wait until Brian Dean announces enrollment.

It is divided into three tiers, with the complete course costing $397 monthly. The advanced tier is $197 monthly, and the standard one is $97 per month.

8. MarketingProfs’ Marketers Guide to SEO

This course aims to equip non-techie individuals with the proper SEO knowledge to beat their sites’ competition. The course teaches what web users want to see on your website as it’s prepared with a marketing view.

The class comprises seven learning objectives with an estimated 60 to 90-minute completion time. You will learn the SEO basics, linking power, Technical SEO, and the power of influencer collaborations.

How to Access the Course

You can access this course by enrolling on the MarketingProfs website and paying $59. However, note that this fee unlocks the SEO course only. You can pay $395 to unlock all the courses and resources on their pro version.

9.  Jellyfish Training SEO course

Jellyfish Training’s SEO course makes it to our list of the best SEO courses for its virtual and on-site training. The company has opened training centers across continents, with offices in New York, San Francisco, and London, amongst other locations.

Jellyfish’s SEO course has a 4.9-star rating from 261 verified reviews. It covers link building, introduction to SEO, technical and local SEO, content strategy, and YouTube optimization and marketing.

How to Access the Course

As mentioned above, you can learn in a physical or a virtual classroom, depending on your schedule. The individual class costs $549, while the private option depends on the tailoring needed, location, and the number of students.

10. Traffic Think Tank’s SEO Training

Hosted by Slack, this course closes our best SEO courses list. The course features excellent webinars, templates, premium SEO tools, videos, and content to equip you to face the extensive SEO world.

You can expect to interact with SEO experts like Nick Eubanks, Ian Howwells, and Matthew Howells-Barby. With these individuals in the picture, you can be sure of interacting with the real pros who execute SEO tasks daily.

You will learn many SEO aspects like link building, content creation, and solving technical SEO issues. Since the training is on a messaging platform, you can also interact with like-minded individuals and build career-growing relationships.

How to Access the Course

You can access the course on Traffic Think Tank’s website. The resource has two tiers, self-guided learning and the full accelerator.

The Self-Guided Learning tier unlocks the academy, which is $99 monthly, or you can pay the annual fee of $990. The Full Accelerator tier unlocks the academy and mastermind, which costs $119 monthly or the annual fee of $1190.

Conclusion

Learning the SEO ropes should be manageable from now henceforth. The above comprehensive list of the best SEO courses gives you an insight into where to start.

Moreover, we have grouped the courses with a budget view in mind. You can choose one from the free or paid section and take on the SEO learning journey. Remember that learning SEO is easier than it may seem. All you have to do is have the proper mentality and choose to settle on one course to learn SEO.

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