SEO course

Module 1: Introduction to SEO

   1. What is SEO?

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the process of improving your website’s visibility in search engines (like Google or Bing) to attract organic (non-paid) traffic.

   2. Importance of SEO

• Brings free traffic from search engines

• Builds credibility and brand trust

• Helps in reaching targeted audience

• Supports long-term digital marketing growth

• Improves user experience (UX)

    3. How Do Search Engines Work?

1. Crawling – Search engines use bots to scan web pages.

2. Indexing – The scanned pages are stored in a huge database (index).

3. Ranking – Pages are shown in order of relevance based on the search query.

    4. Types of SEO

   5. White Hat vs Black Hat SEO

   6. Major SEO Terminology

• SERP – Search Engine Results Page

• Organic Traffic – Free visitors from search engines

• Bounce Rate – % of visitors who leave without interaction

• CTR (Click-Through Rate) – % of people who click your link

• Backlink – A link from another site to yours

   Assignment / Task

• Search for any topic on Google.

• Observe the top 3 results – What kind of content are they providing?

• Try to identify title tags, meta descriptions, and URL structure.

Module 2: Keyword Research

   1. What is Keyword Research?

Keyword Research is the process of finding the right words or phrases that people search on Google (or other search engines) and using them to optimize your website content.

   2. Why Keyword Research Is Important

• Helps target the right audience

• Drives qualified organic traffic

• Improves ranking on search engines

• Builds content around user intent

   3. Types of Keywords

    4. Understanding Search Intent

   5. Free Keyword Research Tools

• Google Keyword Planner

• Ubersuggest

• AnswerThePublic

• Google Trends

• SEMrush (freemium)

• Ahrefs Keyword Generator

• Moz Keyword Explorer

   6. How to Do Keyword Research (Step-by-Step)

1. Brainstorm topics related to your business

2. Use tools to find related keywords

3. Analyze keyword metrics:

   • Search volume

   • Difficulty

   • CPC (cost per click)

4. Pick long-tail & low-competition keywords

5. Group them by intent and topic clusters

   7. Keyword Placement Best Practices

• Title tag

• Meta description

• URL

• H1 and H2 tags

• First 100 words of the content

• Image alt attributes

• Anchor text (if internal linking)

   8. Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Keyword stuffing

• Ignoring search intent

• Focusing only on high-volume terms

• Not updating keyword strategy

   Task:

Use Ubersuggest or Google Keyword Planner to:

• Search for a keyword related to your niche

• Note down the volume, competition, and suggestions

• Create a small content outline around one long-tail keyword

Module 3: On-Page SEO Optimization

   1. What is On-Page SEO?

On-Page SEO refers to optimizing individual web pages to rank higher and earn more relevant traffic in search engines. It includes both the content and HTML source code of a page.

   2. Key On-Page SEO Elements

   3. Optimizing Title Tags

• Keep under 60 characters

• Include the target keyword

• Make it click-worthy

Example:
Best Digital Marketing Courses in India – 2025

   4. Writing Effective Meta Descriptions

• Limit to 155–160 characters

• Include main keywords

• Add CTA (Call to Action)

Example:
Learn digital marketing from industry experts. Enroll now to boost your career in 2025!

   5. URL Optimization

• Keep it short and descriptive

• Use hyphens (-) not underscores

• Include target keywords

Example:
example.com/digital-marketing-course

   6. Header Tags Usage

• H1: Only one per page (main title)

• H2, H3…: Use for sub-sections and structure

• Helps both SEO and user readability

   7. Keyword Placement

Use your primary keyword in:

• Title Tag

• Meta Description

• URL

• First 100 words

• Header tags (H1, H2)

• Throughout the content (naturally)

Avoid keyword stuffing.

   8. Image Optimization

• Compress for faster load speed

• Use descriptive filenames

• Add alt text with keywords

Example:
Filename: digital-marketing-infographic.jpg
Alt Text: Infographic showing digital marketing strategies in 2025

   9. Internal Linking Strategy

• Link to related blog posts or service pages

• Use anchor text with keywords

• Improves crawlability and user experience

   10. Content Formatting

• Use short paragraphs

• Include bullet points

• Add images/videos

• Use bold/italics to highlight

   11. Mobile Optimization

• Ensure responsive design

• Use mobile-friendly font sizes

• Avoid popups that block content

   12. Page Load Speed

• Use tools like PageSpeed Insights

• Compress images

• Minimize CSS/JS

• Use lazy loading

   13. Technical HTML Elements

• Canonical Tag: Prevents duplicate content

• Schema Markup: Adds rich snippets to SERPs

• Open Graph Tags: Helps with social media previews

   14. Task for Practice

• Choose a blog/article page

• Audit all on-page elements

• Write optimized Title & Meta description

• Update headers, images, and links

Module 4: Technical SEO

   1. What is Technical SEO?

Technical SEO involves optimizing your website’s infrastructure to help search engines crawl, index, and rank your site more effectively.

   2. Key Goals of Technical SEO

• Make website easily crawlable

• Ensure fast load speed

• Improve mobile usability

• Fix indexing errors

• Enhance site architecture

   3. Website Crawling & Indexing

   Use Google Search Console to check indexing and errors.

   4. XML Sitemap

• A file that lists all your website pages

• Helps search engines crawl the site

 Place it at:
https://yourwebsite.com/sitemap.xml

Tool to generate: XML-Sitemaps.com

   5. Robots.txt

• Tells search engines which pages not to crawl

• Useful for admin pages, internal files

Place at:
https://yourwebsite.com/robots.txt

Example:

   6. Site Architecture & Navigation

• Use logical hierarchy of pages

• Create clear navigation menus

• Link important pages from the homepage

• Avoid deep nesting (no more than 3 clicks to important pages)

   7. Page Speed Optimization

• Use Google PageSpeed Insights

• Compress images (use WebP format)

• Minimize CSS, JavaScript

• Use caching and CDNs (e.g., Cloudflare)

  8. Mobile-Friendly Design

• Use responsive layout

• Avoid Flash

• Keep touch elements spaced

Test: Mobile-Friendly Test

   9. SSL & HTTPS

• Ensure website uses SSL certificate

• Use HTTPS, not HTTP

Check:
https://yourdomain.com instead of
❌ http://yourdomain.com

   10. Fix Broken Links & 404 Errors

• Scan website for broken internal/external links

• Redirect 404s using 301 redirects

Tools: Screaming Frog, Ahrefs, Broken Link Checker

   11. Canonical Tags

Avoids duplicate content issues.
Place in <head> section:

   12. Structured Data (Schema Markup)

Enhances listings with:

• Ratings

• Product info

• FAQs

• Events

Add using Schema.org

Test with: Rich Results Test

   13. AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages)

• Special version of your website that loads faster on mobile

• Not mandatory, but helps news/media sites

   14. International SEO (if applicable)

Use:

• hreflang tags for multiple languages

• Regional domains like .in, .us, etc.

   15. Tools for Technical SEO

• Google Search Console

• Screaming Frog

• GTmetrix

• Ahrefs Site Audit

• SEMrush

• Yoast SEO (for WordPress)

   Task for Practice

• Run a technical SEO audit on your website

• Fix one major issue (e.g., page speed or mobile usability)

• Submit sitemap to Google Search Console

Module 5: Keyword Research

   1. What is Keyword Research?

Keyword research is the process of finding the words and phrases (keywords) that people use to search on Google and other search engines.

   2. Importance of Keyword Research

• Drives relevant traffic

• Targets user intent

• Improves SEO rankings

• Guides content strategy

   3. Types of Keywords

   4. How to Do Keyword Research

Step-by-step:

1. Brainstorm topics related to your niche.

2. Use Google Suggestions (autocomplete) and People Also Ask.

3. Use keyword tools (see below).

4. Analyze competition and search volume.

5. Choose high intent + low competition keywords.

    5. Best Tools for Keyword Research

   6. Keyword Metrics to Analyze

• Search Volume – how many people search monthly

• Keyword Difficulty (KD) – how hard to rank

• CPC (Cost Per Click) – useful for PPC

• Trend – keyword popularity over time

• Click Potential – likelihood to get clicks

   7. Understanding Search Intent

   8. Keyword Placement Best Practices

Use keywords in:

• Page Title Tag

• Meta Description

• URL

• First 100 words

• Headings (H1, H2)

• Image alt text

• Internal links

   9. Keyword Mapping

Assign specific keywords to relevant pages on your site.

Example:

   10. Avoid Keyword Stuffing

Bad:

“Buy shoes, cheap shoes, best shoes, latest shoes.”

Good:

“Explore the best collection of affordable, stylish footwear.”

   Task for Practice

• Find 5 long-tail keywords in your niche.

• Identify the intent for each.

• Create a keyword map for 3 pages of your website.

Module 6: On-Page SEO

   1. What is On-Page SEO?

On-Page SEO refers to optimizing individual web pages to rank higher and earn more relevant traffic in search engines. It focuses on content and HTML source code.

   2. Importance of On-Page SEO

• Boosts search engine visibility

• Improves user experience

• Helps target specific keywords

• Enhances click-through rate (CTR)

   3. Essential On-Page SEO Elements

   4. Title Tag Optimization

Best Practices:

• Include main keyword

• Keep under 60 characters

• Make it compelling and relevant

Example:
Best Digital Marketing Tips for Small Businesses – 2025 Guide

   5. Meta Description Optimization

Best Practices:

• Use target keyword

• Write between 140–160 characters

• Include a call-to-action (CTA)

Example:
Learn the top digital marketing strategies for 2025 to boost your brand online. Start now!

   6. URL Optimization

• Keep it short and keyword-rich

• Use hyphens (-), not underscores (_)

• Avoid numbers or irrelevant characters

Example:
✅ example.com/seo-tips
❌ example.com/page?id=123

   7. Heading Tags

• Use H1 for page title (only one per page)

• Use H2–H6 to structure content hierarchically

   8. Content Optimization

• Include primary and secondary keywords

• Use LSI keywords for context

• Write original, high-quality, useful content

• Maintain keyword density of 1–2%

• Use bold, bullet points, and short paragraphs

   9. Image Optimization

• Use relevant images

• Compress for fast loading

• Add alt text with keywords

• Use descriptive filenames: seo-strategy-2025.jpg

   10. Mobile-Friendliness

• Use responsive design

• Ensure proper layout on all devices

• Test using Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test

   11. Page Speed Optimization

• Compress images

• Minify CSS/JS

• Use caching

• Test using Google PageSpeed Insights

   12. Internal Linking Tips

• Link to related content

• Use descriptive anchor text

• Keep links natural (avoid stuffing)

   13. Schema Markup (Structured Data)

• Helps search engines understand content

• Can show rich results (ratings, reviews)

• Use Schema.org or Google Tag Manager

   14. SEO-Friendly Content Checklist

• Original and valuable content.
• Proper keyword usage.
• Optimized title and meta.
• Optimized headings.
• Internal and external links.
• Mobile-friendly.
• Fast loading.

   Task for Practice

• Optimize one blog post with proper title tag, meta description, headers, images, and internal links.

Module 7: Off-Page SEO

   1. What is Off-Page SEO?

Off-Page SEO refers to all activities outside your website that help improve your website’s ranking in search engine results.

   2. Importance of Off-Page SEO

• Improves Domain Authority (DA)

• Builds trust and credibility

• Increases website visibility

• Attracts referral traffic

   3. Key Off-Page SEO Techniques

   4. What are Backlinks?

Links from other websites to yours. Also called inbound links.

Types:

• DoFollow: Passes SEO value (link juice)

• NoFollow: Doesn’t pass link juice, but still useful

   5. Characteristics of a High-Quality Backlink

• From relevant and authoritative sites
• Placed within content (not footers orsidebars)
• Uses natural anchor text
• Comes from a site with high DA/PA
• Drives real traffic

   6. Guest Posting

• Find relevant blogs in your niche

• Reach out with topic ideas

• Include a natural backlink to your site

• Focus on value, not just links

   7. Social Bookmarking

• Share your URLs on bookmarking sites like:

  • Reddit

  • Mix

  • Pocket

  • Slashdot

  • Digg

• Can increase initial traffic and indexing

   8. Influencer Marketing

• Connect with influencers in your industry

• Ask them to review, share, or link to your content

• Build relationships, not just links

   9. Brand Mentions

• Even unlinked brand mentions (your business name without a link) can improve SEO

• Tools: Google Alerts, Mention, Brand24

   10. Broken Link Building

• Find broken links on other websites

• Offer your content as a replacement

• Use tools like Ahrefs or Check My Links

   11. Local Listings & Citations

• Submit your business to:

  • Google My Business

  • Yelp

  • JustDial

  • Sulekha

  • IndiaMart

• Ensure NAP consistency (Name, Address, Phone)

   12. Press Releases

• Distribute newsworthy content via:

  • PRWeb

  • Business Wire

  • PRLog

• Gain visibility and potential backlinks

   13. Forum & Community Engagement

• Join forums like Quora, Reddit, Stack Overflow

• Answer questions with value and relevant links

• Avoid spammy behavior

   14. Influencer Testimonials

• Provide testimonials for products/services

• Get featured on their site with a backlink

  Off-Page SEO Best Practices

• Focus on quality over quantity
• Diversify your link profile
• Avoid black hat link-building techniques
• Monitor backlinks regularly with tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush

   Task for Practice

• Create a list of 10 websites for guest posting

• Build at least 3 backlinks via outreach or submissions

Module 8: Local SEO

   1. What is Local SEO?

Local SEO is the process of optimizing your online presence to attract more business from relevant local searches on Google and other search engines.

Example: “best coffee shop near me” or “web designer in Dehradun”

   2. Importance of Local SEO

• Drives foot traffic to local businesses

• Increases calls and inquiries

• Improves visibility in Google Maps

• Targets ready-to-buy customers

   3. Key Elements of Local SEO

  4. Google My Business (GMB) Optimization

• Claim and verify your listing

• Add:

  • Business Name

  • Phone Number

  • Address

  • Business hours

  • Photos & Videos

• Select relevant categories

• Keep your listing updated regularly

   5. Local Keyword Research

Use tools like:

• Google Keyword Planner

• Ubersuggest

• Keywords Everywhere

Examples:

• “best SEO company in Delhi”

• “mobile repair in Chandigarh”

   6. On-Page SEO for Local Pages

• Add location-based keywords in:

  • Page Title

  • Meta Description

  • URL

  • Header Tags (H1, H2)

  • Content

• Create location-specific landing pages (e.g., /dehradun-seo-services)

   7. Local Business Citations

Submit your site to:

• JustDial

• Sulekha

• IndiaMart

• Yellow Pages

• Yelp

• Foursquare

• Hotfrog
   Ensure NAP accuracy in all citations

   8. Reviews & Ratings

• Ask happy customers to leave a review

• Respond to reviews (positive or negative)

• Platforms:

  • Google

  • Facebook

  • Yelp

  • Trustpilot

   9. Google Maps Optimization

• Embed Google Map on your contact page

• Use schema markup for business location

• Add driving directions

   10. Schema Markup for Local SEO

Use LocalBusiness Schema to tell search engines about:

• Business type

• Location

• Opening hours

• Contact info

Use: https://technicalseo.com/tools/schema-markup-generator

   11. Local Link Building

• Partner with local bloggers, newspapers, events

• Sponsor local events or charities

• Collaborate with other local businesses for content and links

   12. Mobile Optimization

Since most local searches happen on mobile:

• Make sure your website is responsive

• Load time < 3 seconds

• Use click-to-call and easy navigation

   Task for Practice

• Claim your Google My Business listing

• Create one location-specific page

• Submit your business to 5 local directories

• Ask 2 customers for Google reviews

Module 9: E-Commerce SEO

   1. What is E-Commerce SEO?

E-commerce SEO is the process of optimizing an online store to improve its visibility in search engine results, attract more traffic, and increase sales.

   2. Why is E-Commerce SEO Important?

• Increases organic traffic

• Reduces dependence on ads

• Brings qualified buyers

• Improves user experience and conversions

   3. Keyword Research for E-Commerce

Focus on:

• Product-based keywords
  (e.g., “wireless headphones under 2000”)

• Category keywords
  (e.g., “men’s sports shoes”)

• Long-tail keywords
  (e.g., “best DSLR camera for beginners under 50000”)
  Use tools: Google Keyword Planner, Ubersuggest, Ahrefs

   4. On-Page SEO for E-Commerce

Apply these on Category and Product pages:

   5. Site Architecture

• Use clean navigation

• Category > Subcategory > Product

• Keep URL structure logical and SEO-friendly

• Internal linking for related products

Example:

   6. Technical SEO for E-Commerce

• XML sitemap for products

• Robots.txt configuration

• Mobile responsiveness

• Fast loading speed

• HTTPS secure website

• Avoid duplicate content (via canonical tags)

   7. Schema Markup for Products

Use structured data to show:

• Product Name

• Price

• Ratings

• Availability

• Reviews

Helps your products appear as rich snippets in Google.

Tool: Schema Markup Generator

   8. Product Page Optimization

• Add detailed product description

• Include customer reviews and ratings

• Use high-quality product images

• Add video if possible

• Use breadcrumbs for easy navigation

   9. Mobile SEO

Since many users shop via mobile:

• Make sure your e-commerce site is mobile-friendly

• Enable click-to-buy buttons

• Optimize for speed

   10. URL Parameters & Filters

Avoid duplicate content from filtered URLs by:

• Using canonical URLs

• Blocking unnecessary parameters in robots.txt

• Using noindex tags when needed

   11. Link Building for E-Commerce

• Reach out to niche blogs for product reviews

• Guest post on industry websites

• List products on high-authority marketplaces

• Collaborate with influencers

   12. Monitor SEO Performance

Tools:

• Google Search Console

• Google Analytics

• Ahrefs / SEMrush

Track:

• Organic traffic

• Rankings for category/product keywords

• Conversions

  Practice Task

• Optimize one product and one category page

• Write a unique meta title and description

• Add schema markup for product

• Submit sitemap to Google Search Console

 Module 10: SEO Tools & Reporting

   1. Importance of SEO Tools

SEO tools help you:

• Analyze website performance

• Track keyword rankings

• Audit on-page and technical SEO

• Monitor backlinks

• Understand competitor strategy

• Generate reports

   2. Essential SEO Tools

Free Tools

💼 Paid Tools

   3. Keyword Rank Tracking Tools

• SERPWatcher

• AccuRanker

• SE Ranking

Track how your keywords perform over time on Google.

   4. Backlink Monitoring Tools

• Ahrefs

• Moz Link Explorer

• Majestic SEO

These tools help track backlinks, referring domains, and authority scores.

   5. Site Audit Tools

• Screaming Frog SEO Spider

• SEMrush Site Audit

• Ahrefs Site Audit

• SEO Site Checkup

Use to fix:

• Broken links

• Missing alt attributes

• Duplicate content

• Crawl errors

• Redirect issues

   6. Technical SEO Tools

• Google Lighthouse – for performance & accessibility

• GTmetrix – for loading speed

• Schema Markup Validator – test structured data

• Robots.txt Tester – test bot access

   7. Local SEO Tools

• Google Business Profile Manager

• BrightLocal

• Whitespark

• Moz Local

   8. SEO Reporting

  What to Include in SEO Report:

• Keyword rankings

• Organic traffic growth

• Bounce rate

• Backlink growth

• Top-performing pages

• Technical SEO issues (if any)

   Tools for Reporting:

• Google Looker Studio (formerly Data Studio)

• SEMrush Reports

• Ahrefs Dashboard

• Excel/Google Sheets (custom reports)

   9. Creating an SEO Report (Step-by-Step)

1. Define goals (traffic, ranking, conversions)

2. Collect data (from GSC, GA, SEMrush, etc.)

3. Organize by sections: rankings, traffic, backlinks

4. Add visuals: graphs, tables

5. Provide insights & next steps

   10. Automation in SEO Reporting

Use tools like:

• Google Looker Studio + Google Sheets

• Zapier (for data automation)

• API integrations (e.g., Ahrefs API, GA API)

  Practice Task

• Sign up for Google Search Console & Google Analytics

• Perform a full SEO audit using Screaming Frog (or SEMrush)

• Track 5 target keywords in a rank tracking tool

• Create an SEO report using Google Looker Studio.