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University of California, Davis

Google SEO Fundamentals

Rebekah May

Instructor: Rebekah May

173,027 already enrolled

Included with Coursera Plus

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
4.8

(3,632 reviews)

Intermediate level

Recommended experience

Flexible schedule
Approx. 13 hours
Learn at your own pace
96%
Most learners liked this course
Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
4.8

(3,632 reviews)

Intermediate level

Recommended experience

Flexible schedule
Approx. 13 hours
Learn at your own pace
96%
Most learners liked this course

What you'll learn

  • Complete a competitive analysis on a webpage

  • Interpret brand recognition through social media

  • Create sitemaps and robot.txt files, plan redirects, and manage site errors

Details to know

Shareable certificate

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Assessments

7 assignments

Taught in English

Build your subject-matter expertise

This course is part of the Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Specialization
When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.
  • Learn new concepts from industry experts
  • Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
  • Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
  • Earn a shareable career certificate
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There are 4 modules in this course

Welcome to Week 1! This module introduces you to the fundamentals of On-page SEO—what it is, why it matters, and how it fits into a broader SEO strategy. You’ll start by exploring the key areas of SEO and how On-page optimization complements technical and off-page efforts. Then, you’ll dive into the core elements that make a page search-friendly, including metadata, title tags, headings, URLs, and structured content. You’ll also explore how AI is changing content creation and optimization, including how to use AI tools and prompts ethically and effectively in your workflow. Finally, you’ll practice analyzing and critiquing web pages using web crawlers and On-page SEO techniques, building the foundation for content-driven search success.

What's included

12 videos5 readings2 assignments5 discussion prompts

Welcome to Week 2. This module introduces you to the world of Off-page SEO—the factors that influence your site’s authority, trust, and visibility beyond your own domain. While Off-page tactics can feel less direct than On-page SEO, they play a crucial role in building credibility with both users and search engines. You’ll explore key Off-site elements like backlinks, brand mentions, and trust signals, along with the evolving role of social media. We'll also take a close look at link-building strategies and recent insights from sources like the Google API leak, helping you separate outdated myths from current best practices. By the end of this module, you'll know how to assess the quality of backlinks, evaluate referring domains, and understand how Off-page signals affect your search rankings.

What's included

6 videos2 readings2 assignments1 discussion prompt

Welcome to Week 3! This module dives into the backbone of every effective SEO strategy: Technical SEO. You'll explore how site structure, crawlability, and indexing impact visibility in search engines—and how even strong content can be buried without the right technical foundation. We'll cover essentials like sitemaps, robots.txt files, redirects, error handling, and URL structure, along with updated best practices and tools you can use to audit and monitor your site's health. You’ll also explore how recent shifts in how search engines process data are influencing the technical expectations for modern websites. By the end of this module, you’ll have the skills to troubleshoot common technical issues, optimize your site’s architecture, and ensure your content can actually be discovered and ranked.

What's included

12 videos1 reading2 assignments2 discussion prompts

Welcome to Module 4! In this module, you’ll explore how to research, refine, and strengthen your keyword strategy—the cornerstone of aligning your content with real search behavior. You’ll dive into keyword theory, intent mapping, and the stages of search to better understand how users discover content and how to guide them to yours. We’ll explore the evolution of keyword research in response to semantic search and AI-driven algorithms, and how that impacts everything from phrase selection to topic targeting. You’ll also learn how to use keyword research tools for audience analysis, build user intent profiles, and develop a keyword strategy that moves beyond volume to focus on relevance and opportunity. By the end of this module, you’ll have the skills to craft a data-informed, audience-aligned keyword strategy that supports long-term visibility and rankings.

What's included

8 videos1 assignment2 discussion prompts

Instructor

Instructor ratings
4.8 (641 ratings)
Rebekah May
University of California, Davis
4 Courses411,625 learners

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4.8

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