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Are SEO certifications worth it?
Quick Answer: YES.
Hear me out-
Clients, customers and employers all WANT to see that you have the necessary knowledge and skills.
Being SEO certified helps you demonstrate just that.
But there are tons of SEO certifications out there and not all of them bring value, so I’ve selected the 5x best SEO certifications for you.
Whether you are a beginner or seasoned SEO pro…
…These SEO certifications are sure to get you noticed.
What Will I Learn?
Upon completing an SEO course, you will receive a certification.
That’s all it is!
But it means more than just a piece of paper. The certification shows three things:
If you want to attract new clients or get a job in SEO, being labelled as a certified SEO professional won’t hurt.
Overall, SEO certifications prove that you’ve got the necessary training & knowledge to carry on SEO projects.
Each of the following certifications is run by recognised SEO professionals and has been built to help you:
…to do effective SEO that any client or company will love.
Price: $FREE
The 28 Day SEO challenge will teach you how to increase search traffic for any website.
After looking around at other SEO courses, I realised one thing:
Most certifications teach you the different pieces of the SEO puzzle, BUT none of them provide the structure or processes to put that puzzle together.
That’s why I created the 28 Day SEO challenge.
I focus on teaching SEO from a process-driven perspective.
We leave no stone unturned.
Each step shows a core SEO technique and how to practically implement it. From the basics to advanced strategies, you will learn:
The ultimate goal of the challenge is to give you all the keys you need to start implementing SEO techniques AND strategies on any website.
And if it isn’t enough for you, you can also follow my 45 step SEO checklist alongside the challenge.
Price: Free
Semrush is known for its powerful suite of SEO tools. (If you want to know more, take a look at my Semrush Review).
But did you know that they also have their own online academy where you can get free courses and basic SEO certifications?
My favourite course is the SEO Fundamentals Course composed of 8 fantastic modules.
What makes the Semrush SEO fundamentals course so great is that it is taught by the SEO expert Greg Gifford, who has worked for over 17 years in the SEO industry and has a wealth of SEO experience.
In other words: This guy really knows what he is talking about.
Once you have finished the course you can take one of the exams:
To earn a certification like this:
Just because it says “fundamentals” in the course name doesn’t mean it’s only for beginners.
Although the main target audience for this course may be SEO beginners, the course quickly takes you from very basic to in-depth on fundamental SEO practices.
They’ve packed the course with content like:
After completing this course, you will have a solid foundation of SEO best practices.
Price: Free
HubSpot is one of the biggest names in digital marketing software. It’s no surprise they have their own academy of digital marketing courses!
But what makes this academy so special?
Well, the first thing I want to point out is that they offer free courses and certifications-
Each certification is:
…Which means that no matter your background or budget you will be able to take the course you want.
But that’s not all. They offer courses about (online) Marketing, Sales and…SEO.
Their best SEO certification is called the HubSpot SEO Certification Course.
In this course, they cover all of the key areas of SEO and offer great practical strategies to implement on your own website.
This SEO certification starts at the very beginning of SEO, with the history of search engines, but once the foundations in place, the course speeds up quickly.
There’s a lot to learn in this course like:
The certification is only 6 modules long. Each lesson is broken down into bite-sized videos- being about 5-7 minutes each in length.
Quick and easy!
Price: $595
Moz are one of the founding parents of SEO education!
You might have heard of their famous “Whiteboard Friday” by Rand Fishkin. I used to watch this almost every Friday as he released it.
So it’s no wonder, they decided to create their own Moz SEO Essentials Certificate.
It’s a 6-part course that teaches the essentials of SEO in a very practical way. The thing I love most is that they get straight to the point. They avoid “fluff” in the course.
By the end of this SEO certification- you will have all of the knowledge you need to build and implement an effective strategy.
Each section of the course teaches one core concept on SEO.
The SEO course content includes:
To make things better:
This SEO certification is it help you build your own processes for SEO.
Price: $295
Do you want to learn the A-Z of SEO?
Market Motives Advanced Search Engine Optimization Certification Training covers everything you need to know!
The course starts with SEO foundations then quickly shifts gears into more complex SEO concepts.
With this certification you can either:
What’s the difference?
If you choose the Bootcamp, you’ll pay a bit more BUT you’ll get an instructor with means you’ll go through live training with support…
…while if you choose the self-paced course, you’ll get full access to the modules and go through them at your own pace.
This SEO certification is a long one…
Market Motive has packed in over 32+ hours of online video training.
The focus of the Advanced Search Engine Optimization Certification Training is to cover SEO from every aspect you can imagine.
Inside they have included topics such as:
This course is one of the most in-depth certifications on the list.
Each participant learns the key principles of SEO at an advanced level and receives a well-deserved certification at the end of the training.
Any proof of knowledge or training is a great way to boost:
Especially if you don’t have a stack of SEO case studies to share with your potential client or employer.
Certifications demonstrate that you know what you’re doing (without you having to say it).
But that’s not the only benefit. No matter if you are a:
…taking a course and get certified is always a good idea and these are the reasons why:
Getting an SEO certification is not only good for your CV but it’s also a great way to:
Unlike what most people think, professional SEOs can also benefit from certifications but for different reasons.
If you’re a professional, SEO courses and certifications can:
Indeed, the SEO industry is constantly moving (at a rapid pace). Google decides to make a change and every SEO in the world gets working on adapting to the update.
Advanced SEO certifications help you stay up to date with best practice while helping you think creatively and critically.
What else can you ask for?
While I am a big fan of SEO certifications, I would be remiss if I didn’t talk about the downside of them.
Well not so much the downsides of them…
More about the limitations of SEO certifications in general.
You can have all of the education in the world, but if you don’t have practical experience, you can’t call yourself an SEO expert.
You know how you see those “business coaches” online that have never run a business?
Don’t be like that.
SEO certifications do give you a great understanding about:
But you need more than just theoretical knowledge. You need practical knowledge as well.
My advice is simple:
This will help you develop practical experience at the same time as you are learning it. For example, you can follow the 28 Day SEO Challenge while applying it to any site to start seeing results as you learn.
While SEO certifications add credibility to your skills, they aren’t classified as “formal education“. It’s not like going to a college or university to get a degree in SEO.
Why bother then?
As the saying goes “the proof is in the pudding“.
SEO certifications prove to employers and clients that you have the necessary knowledge and training under your belt.
I don’t mean to be the carrier of bad news but- An SEO certification ≠ expert in SEO.
I don’t want you to run around thinking…
“If I just get this SEO certification I will be an expert“.
You need both the combination of knowledge and practice to really become a true SEO pro. Mastery doesn’t come from watching a 6-hour SEO course online.
To earn that title, you need to:o:
That’s how you truly become a great SEO with tons of case studies to share.
Want to improve your SEO skills and get noticed in the industry?
Get an SEO certification.
You gain a whole lot of knowledge plus a shiny certificate to prove your work.
Certifications won’t make you an expert but they do give you the foundation you need to grow and develop your SEO career.
I hope this list of the 5 best SEO certifications helps narrow down your choices.
Remember:
If you really want to grow as an SEO…
Practice. Practice. Practice.
The 28 Day SEO Challenge will allow you to “learn on the job” as it teaches you to increase the search traffic of any site step by step.
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