Home » How to Start Learning SEO – 6 Simple Steps
by Maciek Serafin
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So you want to teach yourself SEO? Look no further, take a seat, relax, and get ready to learn (it will be fun – I promise). Your presence here tells me a few things, but mainly, that you realized that in today’s connected world, learning SEO is crucial for the growth of your organization and your website. Fear not, it’s not as intimidating as you think. Before we start you’ll need to know 2 things: What it SEO, and why is it important?
What is SEO?
Search Engine Optimization is the practice of improving, and promoting a website in order to increase the number of visitors the site receives from search engines. Basically, it’s about ranking higher in the search engine results for keywords related to your site. After all, how many people click on a link on the 4th page of a Google search?
The many aspects that determine SEO range from the words on your page, and the way other sites link to you on the web, to simply structuring your website in a way that search engines understand.
Why is SEO important?
Many people use the major search engines – Google, Bing, and Yahoo – to discover. Organic traffic visits are usually from users who haven’t heard of your organization before. These search engines allow your website to reach new audiences. If your site is the destination, then search engines are the roads that will get people there. In other words, they provide new, targeted traffic. For example – if on your site you sell shoes, google will send you people specifically looking to buy shoes. So if you can get your site to the first page of Google, you gain incredible opportunities. Want your site to be authoritative and relevant? Yes? Then that’s why SEO is so important.
Sounds simple right? OK, so let’s start. Here are the steps of teaching yourself SEO in 6 steps:
STEP 1 – Find a resource for beginners
I recommend starting with thisSEO strategyby the GrowthMarketing Pros and getting yourself a keyword research tool likeGrowthBar. For a longer journey on learning about SEO, the best place for that is “The Beginner’s Guide To SEO”.
The Pros at MOZ really lay it out in the simplest, most enjoyable way out there. (I swear they don’t pay me for this. Maybe they should, hmm). Get ready to thank them now since it’s also completely free. Other notable resources are:
- “Search Engine Optimization” – Bruce Clay
- “Search Engine Optimization Starter Guide” – Google
STEP 2 – Practice!
I love planes. I love watching them, learning about them, and have the theory of flying one pretty much in my pinky finger. But put me in the cockpit, and we are going down fast. Theory is one thing, but putting what you learned into practice is key. The best way to do that is to practice on your own website, by setting up a blog. Don’t have one yet? It’s never too late to start. WordPress is a good resource. Setting up your own domain will help you see – in real time – what is the impact of each SEO technique you implement.
Setting up your own domain helps you see the impact of your SEO techniques! Click To Tweet
STEP 3- Find a Mentor
Towards the end of a deep conversation my friend once said, after a long thought – “Things take time.” Ah, such Shakespearean golden words. Finding a mentor might take a bit of time, but it will be one of the most crucial steps. Remember, there will always be somebody smarter than you somewhere in the world. So, why not learn from that person? How do you find that person? Networking – ask around, talk to your friends, search on LinkedIn, go to SEO networking events, etc. Be creative about it, but make sure to find a mentor. A good dose of inspiration never hurts so: “A mentor is someone who sees more talent and ability within you, than you see in yourself, and helps bring it out of you.”
STEP 4 – Join an SEO Group
This is one of the best pieces of advice to live by – “If you want to be a gardener, hang around people who are gardeners. If you want to be a race car driver, hang around race car drivers. If you want to be somebody in the future, be around the people you want to become.” Joining an SEO group in your area will help you become an SEO professional. Why don’t you give this a try: SEO Meetups
If you can’t find something in your area, then follow the advice from Step 3 and backtrack to networking. Again, ask your friends, search the web, or be proactive and start your own meetup.
STEP 5 – Know what’s going on in the SEO world
The world of SEO is forever changing, so keep up with what’s current. One of the keys here is: Follow SEO specialists on Twitter. Moz’s founder Rand Fishkin is one of many. Get in the Twitter game to get the best out of your SEO experience, get the most recent updates, and to learn as fast as those new changes come along. However, don’t stop there. If you enjoy a good read, follow some of these outstanding blogs below. If you need a place to start, here’s a great article, if we do say so ourselves.
STEP 6 – Rinse & Repeat
Following each step thoroughly, and determination will get you to the finish line in no time. Learn, Do, Repeat. Don’t get discouraged, and remember that each journey towards greatness begins with a single step. When you feel like you’ve mastered the basics, start focusing on the nuances: meta descriptions,alt tags, and Google Search Console.
Have any other recommendations, or links you would like to share? Tweet them at @wholewhale and let us know what you thought of this article.
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FAQs
How to Start Learning SEO - 6 Simple Steps? ›
Keyword research should be the very first step on your SEO journey. It is especially important in two common scenarios: Getting to know your niche – when starting a new website, keyword research can provide a great overview of what sub-topics are interesting for people in your niche or industry.
How can I learn SEO by myself? ›- Set Your Organic Search Baseline.
- Research Keywords and Relevant Search Queries.
- Publish Optimized Content.
- Analyze Your Backlinks.
- Explore Technical Issues.
- Stay Informed.
Keyword research should be the very first step on your SEO journey. It is especially important in two common scenarios: Getting to know your niche – when starting a new website, keyword research can provide a great overview of what sub-topics are interesting for people in your niche or industry.
What are the six general phases of SEO process? ›The SEO process includes six general phases: Research, including business research, competitor analysis, current state assessment, and keyword searching. Planning and strategy, including decisions on how to handle content, build links to the website, manage social media presence and technical implementation strategies.
Can I learn SEO without coding? ›The short answer is: no, SEO typically doesn't require much (or any) hands-on coding. You can absolutely do a fine job of SEO without touching code.
How can I get SEO with no experience? ›- Take an SEO course (or several SEO courses)
- Learn SEO by optimizing their own website.
- Work at a marketing agency.
- Take on SEO clients.
- Get an online SEO certification or degree.
- Work as an “in house” SEO professional.
SEO is built on keywords: the words that people type into search engines when looking for the kinds of products and services you sell or information you provide. The same words that must appear in your website, in the right places, in order for your pages to be regarded as matches for those searches.
How long does it take to learn basic SEO? ›Average Time it Takes to Learn SEO
Experts say it usually takes one to three months to learn the foundations of SEO and a year or more to master the practice fully. The length of time it takes to learn the basics of SEO depends upon several factors.
SEO is not that hard to learn, but it can be confusing and overwhelming to get started. Learning SEO means learning about a long list of individual digital marketing strategies, which can feel a bit like adding new weapons to your arsenal as you learn how to wield them.
Can I learn SEO in one month? ›While it's a career-long journey, you can indeed learn SEO in about a month — enough to make a huge impact on your website and thus your business as a whole.
What is the golden rule of SEO? ›
The Golden Rule of SEO is "create content for users, not for search engines". This means that when creating website content, the primary focus should be on providing value to users and meeting their needs, rather than trying to manipulate search engine rankings by using keyword stuffing or other unethical tactics.
What are the 5 pillars of SEO? ›SEO consists of a number of different factors, but there are five main pillars that underpin any effective SEO strategy: foundational, technical, content, business listings and citations, and link building.
How do you write SEO in 4 easy steps? ›- Gather research in Topic Research and the Keyword Magic Tool. ...
- Analyze keywords by Keyword Difficulty. ...
- Generate an SEO Content Template and outline your content. ...
- Grade yourself as you write with the SEO Writing Assistant.
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.
Can I learn SEO from Google? ›Google does not provide any kind of general SEO specialist certification. However, they do recommend some SEO courses and have their own learning platform called Digital Garage, where you can improve your knowledge in the areas of digital marketing, career development, and data analysis.
What is the salary of SEO beginners? ›Average starting Salary for SEO Specialist in India is around ₹1.8 Lakhs per year (₹15.0k per month).
How much does a SEO beginner make? ›| Annual Salary | Hourly Wage | |
|---|---|---|
| Top Earners | $66,000 | $32 |
| 75th Percentile | $50,000 | $24 |
| Average | $44,406 | $21 |
| 25th Percentile | $33,000 | $16 |
SEO can be extremely lucrative—but it does take time, effort, and a bucketload of determination to make the big bucks. It's worth remembering that the people making the most money in SEO are not always the most well-versed technical SEOs. Crucially, however, they know how to leverage their skills to make money.
What is keywords in SEO for beginners? ›A keyword, or a focus keyword as some call it, is a word that describes the content on your page or post best. It's the search term that you want to rank for with a certain page. So when people search for that keyword or phrase in Google or other search engines, they should find that page on your website.
What does an SEO strategy look like? ›SEO strategy is a detailed plan to improve a website's search engine rankings in order to capture more organic traffic. This plan should draw from several foundational pillars, including technical SEO, content strategy, on-page SEO, link building and user experience.
Can I learn SEO in 10 days? ›
If you can learn SEO for a couple of hours every day, then you can master the basics of SEO within 4-8 weeks and land your first SEO job in 3-6 months. If you can learn SEO full-time, then you can master the basics even within 1-2 weeks.
Is it easy to do your own SEO? ›Yes! In fact, most search engine optimization (SEO) experts got their start with do-it-yourself (DIY) SEO. And with some time, a few free SEO tools, and this guide on how to do SEO yourself, you too can become an SEO expert. Keep reading to learn how to do SEO on your own!
What are the 4 pillars of SEO? ›Optimizing your website to be pleasing to both humans and robots is a complex endeavor. The best way to approach it is to break down your efforts across the 4 pillars of SEO – technical SEO, on-page SEO, content, and off-page SEO. These foundations allow you to better organize your optimization process.
What are the 4 types of SEO? ›- On-page SEO. Our Beginners Guide to SEO outlines the basics of search engine optimization, and on-page SEO is one of the easiest and most common ways to boost site visibility. ...
- Off-page SEO. ...
- Local SEO. ...
- Technical SEO.
Each component builds on and complements the others. The stronger the connections between each of the 4 SEO components—technical SEO, on-page SEO, off-page SEO, and content-—the better the results. Being aware of the connections will help us to better understand how to best utilize them effectively.
Can I learn SEO in one day? ›Learning all the intricacies of SEO in a single day is not a realistic goal. SEO is a multifaceted and constantly evolving field that requires significant time and effort to grasp fully.
What is the most difficult part of SEO? ›- Finding Trusted Information. ...
- Taking a Comprehensive Approach. ...
- Convincing Others that SEO Matters. ...
- Paving the SEO Road. ...
- The Importance of a Great SEO Strategy.
The short answer is between 4-12 months. The longer answer has to do with all those factors we discussed that tie into your SEO strategy. If you target low-competition keywords, you can start to see results within 4-6 months.
How much should I pay for SEO per month? ›While many businesses pay between $1,500 to $5,000 per month for SEO, you could pay as little as $100 per month or upwards of $30,000, depending on several factors. SEO pricing can vary largely depending on the size of your business, the scope of your project, and your SEO provider.
How much I can earn as a SEO in a month? ›With an SEO business, there's no limit to how much your agency can earn. You're limited by the number of clients you have and the size of your team. In general, monthly retainer rates for SEO services are around $5,000.
How much should SEO cost per month? ›
On average, quality SEO should cost $3,000+/month, at an average hourly rate of $150+. SEO campaigns can cost anywhere from $5,000/mo to $100,000+/month depending on the vertical. Local SEO can be slightly lower. On average, quality SEO should cost $3,000+/month, at an average hourly rate of $150+.
What is 80 20 rule in SEO? ›The gist of it is that 20% of your invested input is responsible for 80% of the results obtained. That means there are a handful of elements you can focus on to improve your SEO drastically. And the best part is that this principle can be used in just about every industry.
What is rule of 3 in optimization? ›Understanding the optimization problem that is order-routing for best execution is complex. It requires a holistic analysis of the beginning (orderbook state), middle (likelihood of execution) and end (execution performance) of the order routing life-cycle – a 'rule of three'.
What is the thumb rule of SEO? ›SEO Basics: Keywords and Search Volume
As a rule of thumb, the more general a keyword is, the more search volume it will have. “Content marketing”, for example, will have a higher search volume than “programmatic native advertising”.
On-page SEO refers to the SEO elements you control on the webpage, or the webpage code, itself. Examples of on-page SEO include content, headlines and headers, image optimization, title tags, meta descriptions, structured data, and more.
What are the 11 steps to improve SEO rankings? ›- Understand your online customers.
- Use keywords on your website.
- Refresh your page content often.
- Gain referrals from other websites.
- Use meta tags in your content.
- Stay up to date on the latest SEO techniques.
- Know Your Keywords.
- Write High Quality Content (Naturally)
- Use Keywords in Your Website Page URLs.
- Don't Overlook Page Titles.
- Review Every Page for Additional Keyword Placement.
- Improve User Experience.
- Hire an Expert.
- Have a clean site structure. ...
- Feature substantial content. ...
- Use relevant title tags. ...
- Add alt tags. ...
- Optimize for mobile. ...
- Enable fast load times. ...
- Install Google Search Console and Analytics. ...
- Make sure your website and URL are secure.
- Write articles with SEO in mind.
- Get backlinks by doing outreach campaigns.
- Optimizing my website with technical or so-called on-page SEO.
- And start generating traffic.
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.
How do I get SEO skills? ›
- Develop your skills.
- Take a course and get certified.
- Understand how search engines crawl and index content.
- Gain perspective on what search engines value.
- Understand SEO strategies and tactics and why they matter.
- Research the field.
- Find a method/tool that works for you.
Experts say it usually takes one to three months to learn the foundations of SEO and a year or more to master the practice fully. The length of time it takes to learn the basics of SEO depends upon several factors.
Is SEO a well paid job? ›A mid-career SEO with 4-9 years of experience earns an average salary of ₹4.7 Lakhs per year, while an experienced SEO with 10-20 years of experience earns an average salary of ₹8.9 Lakhs per year. What are the top paying industries for SEO in India?
What are the 4 types of keywords? ›The four types of keywords to classify search intent are informational, navigational, commercial, and transactional.
How many keywords should I start with SEO? ›How Many Keywords Per Page Should I Use For SEO? Ideally, you should try to use one keyword per page, whilst also using three variations of keyword. Each page should focus on a single topic, including the main keywords within your content. You should choose one to three keywords per page.