Last Updated on July 28, 2023 by Vishnu Nambiar
We will check out details about SEO course and training in this article! SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. We will see what this course is all about, the career prospects associated with it, types of courses and training available, course duration and some other very important facts and figures. In the first section of this article, I’ve given basic details about SEO. In the second section, you will be reading about reasons why this field will thrive in near future. The third section is about different formats of SEO courses and training available right now. In the final two sections, I’ve mentioned some skills required to thrive in this field and career prospects associated with SEO field. Let us start with section number one!
What SEO Courses are all about?
Many of you out there might not be quite used to this term- SEO. Let me explain to you in detail what this term means. SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. It is all about tweaking, optimizing and making changes to web entities like- websites/blogs/E-Commerce platforms etc, so that they may rank better in SERPs (Search Engine Results Page) and thus get high visibility.
SEO- Search Engine Optimization
SERP- Search Engine Results Page
You must have observed how a Search Engine works. Take Google as an example. First, the user needs to enter a search term or query and press enter or click the search button. Quickly, Google will come up with a SERP. SERP stands for Search Engine Results Page. The SERP will contain the most relevant search results that will be useful to the user. Along with the search results, some promoted ads might also appear.
How do you think Google manages to rank websites and blogs and present them according to relevancy to the search query? For this task, Google depends on its complicated search Algorithm. This Algorithm is constantly being improved and updated by Engineers at Google.
So, if a site wants to rank higher in a SERP, it has to meet the standards set by the Algorithm and satisfy many requirements! SEO field is all about dealing with such Algorithm, readying sites/blogs to meet the standards set by them, making necessary changes to sites/blogs etc.
SEO is a very vast field. It can broadly be said to be made up of two parts- On Page SEO and Off Page SEO. On Page SEO deals with settings, tweaks and changes that have to be applied on the website/blog itself. Off Page SEO is all about optimizing things off the website/blog, such as building links, Branding, Press Releases, Social Media promotion, paid promotion etc. A typical SEO course covers these two parts- On Page and Off Page sections in a detailed manner.
Reasons why this field is promising-
This is the age of Internet. More and more people are having access to Computers, Smartphones as well as cheap Internet connection! Thanks to this trend, the Internet/web user base is expanding at a furious pace! And this is good for SEO professionals! Wondering how? Hang on, I will explain in detail.
I’ve mentioned how web user base is increasing very fast. Thanks to this trend, more and more people are using the internet for performing day to day tasks such as- shopping, reading NEWS, accessing Social Networking sites etc. They are also relying more and more on Search Engines to deal with such stuff.
For example, if a layman wants to buy a camera, he/she will visit a search engine and type in the keyword and search for the product. Similarly, if they want to search for any other piece of information, they will do the same process!
Businesses big and small are keen to outrank competitors’ sites and rank their website on the top of the SERP. This is because of the fact the many people don’t care to visit the second page of SERP! All they care about are the first three or four SERP links!
So, if businesses are to get visitors to their site, they need to be on the very top of the SERP. For this task, they depend on SEO professionals! With the increase in Internet user base, the competition is also increasing. More and more online businesses and websites are being created each day and all of them are competing to rank better than others! This means that SEO professionals (skilled and capable ones) are in demand!
This trend doesn’t look like slowing down in the near future. If the current pace is something to go by, it is quite safe to say that the competition will only increase in the future, thus increasing the demand for SEO professionals and increasing their value!
Different formats of SEO courses-
There are both online and regular courses available, when it comes to this field. Let us take a look at some common formats of SEO courses available-
#1 Regular Classroom courses and training
Duration- 3 months, 6 months or 1 year (depends on the program- crash course, detailed course etc). Normally, such classes offer certificate courses. At the end of the training program, successful students will be provided a certificate showcasing their skills. There are loads of Institutes out there offering regular SEO training. But please note that not all Institutes offer value for money course material! Be careful while choosing an Institute!
One may also attend SEO workshops that are held by SEO professionals and learn the trade. Usually, these workshops offer just the basic knowledge. Starters, who just want to get a look and feel of this field may attend such workshops.
#2 Online courses
Duration- 3 months, 6 months or 1 year (depends on the program, as mentioned in the above section). Within the online courses sector, there are different formats available, such as- video training course, ‘over e mail’ training, through premium E Books, through Webinars etc.
Premium E Books and Video training modules are the best among the various online SEO course formats. There are even Course packs, which contains all the above mentioned elements too!
#3 Useful tip- you may learn the trade using free resources too!
Apart from the above mentioned formats, one may also make use of free resources available online and learn SEO techniques! There are many blogs and websites out there, offering blogging training, SEO training etc. One may get free resources such as E Books, tutorials etc from them. Two such cool sites that I love are- Problogger.net and Shoutmeloud.
Skills required to thrive in this sector-
One must have the willingness to learn continuously! SEO is a field where new techniques and methods are being introduced frequently. I mentioned at the beginning how search engines rely on Algorithm to create SERP and rank sites. These search engines, from time to time, makes changes to such algorithm, in a bid to improve the quality of their search results. This means that one needs to constantly learn new things and must adapt according to these algorithm changes. One must be willing to keep the learning process a continuous one!
Basic knowledge related to coding sites will give one an edge. Though it is not required, having this skill set will surely come handy.
Networking skills will also come handy! Yes, you read it right! Many aspects of SEO, such as link building, will be made easy, if you have sound networking skills.
Job opportunities and Career Scope-
With the ever expanding internet user base, opportunities will only increase for SEO professionals! These days, for businesses both big and small, making their online presence felt is important. Having a good SERP presence will boost their traffic stats, sales and revenue. For this task of boosting their sites’ SERP standings, they rely on SEO professionals.
After completing the course, one may find job in SEO firms. Getting into such firms and agencies depends on your skills and aptitude.
One may also start up on one’s own. One could set up a site, offering his/her SEO services. One could also become an Independent Consultant! Here are some common job posts/opportunities-
- Freelancing
- Digital Marketing Agencies
- Entrepreneurship
- Consultant
- SEO Agencies
- Online Publishing Houses such as website/blogs/online magazines/NEWS portals (as an SEO Professional)
- E-Commerce sites (as an SEO Professional)
If you are not willing to create your own website, you may also make use of freelancing opportunities. One may easily find SEO related jobs on sites such as Fiverr, Freelancer.com etc.
Also read: Best job oriented Online courses in India
Digital Marketing courses in India
I hope that this article has been of help to you! To be honest, SEO is a field that is developing at a good pace. Along with this development, job opportunities are also increasing. The advantage of taking SEO course/training is that after completing it, there are ample freelancing opportunities. Especially students and teenagers could make use of this course and easily land decent part time jobs.
I am Vishnu Nambiar a career and educational blogger from India. I am also a full time educational consultant having more than 12 years of experience in the educational sector.
I share articles related to courses, colleges, careers, exam tips and more here.