Top 5 Institutes Offering SEO Certification Courses
SEO is a major component of a good digital marketing strategy, but many companies do not understand its importance and fail to implement it. It is seen that many businesses prefer social media marketing over SEO, but one should not forget that SEO is the foremost factor to increase organic traffic. The demand for SEO professionals has increased over the years and will continue to grow. It is an ideal time to make a career in this field. Here is a list of the top 5 institutes that offer SEO certification courses that will help you to get on with your carrier.
What is SEO?
SEO stands for search engine optimization. The main purpose of SEO is to optimize your website to appear high on the search engine ranking which in turn will increase traffic to the website. To explain in simple words, the search engine helps millions of people every day looking for answers to questions or solutions to their issues. If one has a blog, website, or online store, SEO can help them to get free traffic from the search engines. SEO is a very important strategy digital marketers use to grow their business.
Why Does a Business Need SEO?
With the growth of the internet, many businesses have taken up the online platform for better reach to the customers, nationally and internationally. As the number of websites is growing, it becomes equally important for websites to have a ranking on the search engine search results. SEO is important for many reasons relating to a business’s online presence and digital marketing plans. Here are a few important points why SEO is an essential part of digital marketing strategy.
1. SEO Increases Visibility
One of the main functions of SEO is to increase visibility, which means prospective customers can easily find your web presence when they are searching. Visibility and ranking are directly related to each other. The higher the ranking on search engine results, the higher will be the prospects of the customer going through your website. SEO is the key factor in increasing organic page results.
2. SEO Brings Appropriate Traffic, Leads, and Sales
SEO is the main factor that drives traffic to your website. A good SEO will enable the website on the first few pages of Google search results for the relevant keywords related to your business. High traffic will increase brand awareness and recognition. SEO targets the potential customer to visit your website and turn those visitors into paying customers.
It has been seen that 50% of the consumers who perform a local search visit the store the same day. If you optimize your web presence, the potential customer can physically visit the store and become a buyer of your product and services.
3. Consumers Research Online Before Buying
A study done by Bazaar Voice has shown that around 82% of consumers research the product online before making an actual purchase. It also reviled that about 45% read online reviews before making an in-store purchase and 56% of customers read reviews before making an online purchase.
SEO makes it possible for the customer to find your business presence online while they are conducting the research which is the first step toward the buying process. A good SEO strategy will bring potential customers to your website and will convert them into actual buyers.
4. A Good SEO Strategy Can Improve PPC
If your company is into using paid forms of advertisement like pay-per-click, SEO becomes an essential part of the campaign. The company’s website should be properly optimized with SEO to improve the score of the PPC ad. along with other digital marketing strategies. A combination of SEO and search engine advertising can enhance the efficacy of the ads and improve traffic by 50% according to a study by Google.
5. SEO Helps in Building Trust and Credibility
Most of us never see page two or three in Google search results, the customer gets their answers on the first page itself. A high rank in search engine results creates a sense of credibility for the customers. It has been seen that customers generally trust the business with a good rank on search engine results.
Page Authority is also an important aspect for web users. Higher authority means that the webpage is relevant, trustworthy, high quality, and has something to offer. It can be obtained with a good blend of SEO and other digital marketing strategies.
SEO Career Options
There are billions of websites today and all of them need SEO to get a higher rank on search engine results. This makes it very important for all types of businesses to practice SEO. The higher the rating, the better will be the traffic and sales on your website. It has been observed that most businesses have made an online presence after the pandemic hit the world.
In a study conducted by Forbes, it was seen that the SEO industry has grown by over $80 billion in the year 2020. This is an eye-opener for many as the number is still growing and the demand for SEO experts is on the rise. The industry is changing very fast and as an SEO expert, it is very important to adapt to the changing trends.
A person with a passion to learn SEO will be able to keep up with the new trends in the industry. The growing demand for SEO has created many job opportunities all over the world. The average salary of an SEO specialist with no experience can be anywhere between ₹15,000- 25,000 per month. This may seem small, but as one gains experience in the field and becomes an expert, the salary also increases.
Recommended Read: Advanced SEO Courses
Here Are a Few Job Profiles Along With Salaries in India.
1. SEO Trainee
It is important to work as an SEO trainee as this gives one a deeper understanding of the subject. While working as a trainee one is guided by an experienced SEO specialist. This helps the trainee to get hands-on experience and know the subject. The main focus of the trainees is to build links for websites and help in developing search engine strategies along with the mentor. They also do keyword research about business requirements. It is the training that later helps the trainee to get a better position in the company or other companies.
The salary of an SEO trainee in India can range from ₹ 95,,000 – 1,44,000 per annum.
2. SEO Trainer
One can also opt to become a trainer in this field. An SEO trainer is an expert in the field who teaches aspiring SEO professionals the various aspects of search engine optimization; giving them tools, and techniques to create SEO-rich content. These trainers help the students to build a strong base around the subject through live and online classes. The trainer can work with some established institute or conduct classes individually.
The earrings will depend on the number of students the trainer trains every month. He has to spend a lot of time and effort marketing himself so that the interested candidates take classes from him. The SEO Trainer’s salary in India ranges between Rs. 6, 00,000 – 8, 00,000 per year.
3. SEO Analyst
The job of an SEO analyst is to identify and analyzes the different keywords that are used in the industry. This helps them to create informative and effective content for the end-users and the search engines. They also look into improving the website landing page by making it user-friendly and reducing the uploading time.
These experts continuously analyze and monitors the performance of the project and make relevant changes when required. They also look into the development of SEO-rich content and perform competitive analysis to identify improvements for various websites.
The average salary of an SEO Analyst in India ranges between Rs. 2, 40,000 – 3,24,000 per annum.
4. SEO Strategist
The job of an SEO strategist is to develop and implement strategies that improve the visibility of a website. They analyze and continuously review the website so that it can be more successful. The main goal is to increase visibility and drive more traffic to the page.
The average SEO Strategist’s salary in India ranges between ₹ 3,00,000 – 3,60,000 per annum
5. SEO Consultant
An SEO expert is a professional who looks into the overall SEO strategies of the company. He is the one who plans, develops, and manages the company’s website but regularly develops new up-to-date content strategies and implements them. This can be a regular job but many companies prefer to outsource these consultants on a project basis.
Thus it becomes important for the individual to have the required skills and experience as the competition is high in the market. The consultant shares the progress with the client by giving them weekly or monthly reports on the website performance. They also work with web designers and developers to improve online marketing strategies.
The salary of an SEO Consultant salary in India ranges between ₹. 3, 30,000 – 6,00,000 per annum. In case the consultant is outsourced they charge as per the requirements of the company.
The above-mentioned job profiles are just a few options that an SEO expert can have. There are other opportunities as well like an SEO specialist can work as a Content marketing manager, Price Per Click (PPC) manager, and Search Engine Marketing (SEM) specialist and the list is long. The market is growing and gives many opportunities to SEO experts and this is the best time to make a career in this field.
Top 5 Institutes Offering SEO Certification Courses
It is suggested to have a guided course so that one can learn about all the aspects of SEO. Many institutes offer this course online and offline. I have listed the top 5 institutes that can help you to master the subject.
1. IIM SKILLS
IIM SKILLS is a leader in providing online education. The institute keeps track and identifies skill development courses that have a growing demand to give the latest and up-to-date training to learners through their professional courses. They provide various courses and the SEO certification courses are one of the best training in the market.
The program is delivered by industry experts with 12 years of experience. They ensure that the students get hands-on experience in their certification programs. The SEO certification courses at IIM Skills are recognized by the MSME Government of India government. The course has live lecturers, practical assignments, weekly assessments, and hands-on training with 2 live projects.
All the students are given 8 weeks of the paid internship so that they get to know the industry and how it works. This is why IIM Skills is the best SEO training in India.
Course Duration – 4 weeks of lectures (on Sunday for 4 hours each) +8 weeks of internship
Course Fee: ₹ 14,999+18% GST
SEO Course Curriculum
- Introduction to SEO
- Setting up the niche
- Off-page SEO
- On-page SEO
- Technical SEO
- Search Console
- Google Analytics
- Reporting in SEO
2. Digital Vidya
Digital Vidya is one of Asia’s leading digital marketing and data analytics training providers. They have self-study SEO certification courses along with one-month instructor-led online classes. They are official partners of Google and Microsoft in India and provide training to their agencies and partners. Their SEO course has trained more than 38,000 professionals across Asia.
In a joint venture with Vskills, Digital Vidya offers SEO certifications courses. The students have to pay an examination fee for the exams and the exam is conducted by ICSIL- A Government of India understating. The students are also prepared to give free exams conducted by Google and Hubspot for additional two certificates.
The institute offers two types of SEO certification courses
- Certified Search Engine Optimization Master Certification
- Certified Search Engine Optimization Professional Certification
Course Fee : ₹ 11,900+18%GST
Duration: Self study+1 month instructor-led
SEO Course Syllabus
- Introduction to SEO
- On-page practices
- Keyword and competitive analysis
- SEO Friendly design and architecture
- Technical Website optimization
- Link Building
- Social, Local, Mobile SEO strategies
- SEO Site Audit
- SEO Tracking
- Algorithm updates
- Future of SEO
- Career paths in SEO
Recommended Read: Online Digital Marketing Courses
3. Hub Spot Academy
Hub spot academy is a worldwide leader in providing free online courses. Their courses are globally recognized and always up to date with the growing trends. This is the best place to do SEO certification courses as they are leaders in the industry. The courses are delivered via pre-recorded lectures and quizzes.
Once you have covered all the lectures, there will be a test after which the institute will give you a certification. This course is relatively smaller as compared to other institutes and takes only 3 hours to finish. The best part of this course is that this is free and the certification has credibility.
The course will focus on
- Improving and evaluating the website’s SEO
- Building backlinks to the website will increase the visibility on search engine results pages.
- Providing useful insights from keyword research and reporting to improve search performances.
Course Features:
The course has 8 lessons.
- Introduction
- SEO Basics
- ON page and Technical SEO
- Keyword Research for SEO
- Link Building for SEO
- Optimizing Your Website
- SEO Reporting
- Steps for the Certification
Recommended Read: SEO Courses in India
4. Coursera
Coursera is an online education provider and has collaborations with elite colleges and institutes all over the world. On completion of the course, the students get the certification from their partners. They have a course in SEO under the name of Google SEO Fundamentals proposed by UCDAVIS- University of California.
The students are introduced to the foundational elements of how search engines work. How do SEO settings keep changing and what should one expect in the future. Students are taught SEO strategies and tips for getting organic search results to a specific website. The course also teaches students about tactics that one should avoid. This is a basic course and builds a foundation for other specialization courses.
The course is self-paced and takes 29 hours to finish. The course can be learned over pre-recorded videos and practical readings. The students are required to submit assignments on which they will receive feedback along with graded quizzes. At the end of the course, the students are issued shareable certificates.
Course Duration: 29 Hours
Course Fees: Free
Course Curriculum:
- Introduction to Google SEO
- Current SEO Best Practices
- SEO of Today, Tomorrow, and Beyond
- Your Audience and Building Personas
5. Yoast Academy
Yoast Academy is another big name in the SEO certification courses. The course they offer is great for upgrading your skills as they have courses for all levels. They cover all SEO topics from beginning to expert level. The course has been developed by university experts and world SEO experts. This is one of the best academies to do an SEO-based course.
There are two types of SEO certification courses
- Free training
If you are new to this field then this course is recommended for you. On completion of this course and getting a basic understanding, one can start working at the expert level.
Course Fee- Free
- Premium training
This course is for people who have basic knowledge and want to upgrade their SEO skills. The course covers the basic root of the subject along with practical knowledge which is great for a deep understanding of the subject.
Course Fee- $ 89 for a year
Courses Curriculum for Free training
- SEO for beginners
- WordPress for beginners
- Yoast SEO for WordPress plugin
- WordPress block editor training
- Structured data for beginners
- SEO news
Courses Curriculum for Premium training
- This course covers all the topics of the free training
- All-around SEO
- International SEO
- Keyword research training
- Local SEO
- Ecommerce SEO
- SEO copywriting
- Site structure training
- Technical SEO
FAQ About SEO Certification Courses
Q1. What is SEO and why is it required?
SEO is a very important part of digital marketing strategy. It is responsible for increasing the visibility of your website and keeping it above your competitors.
Q2. What are the important factors of SEO?
There are various factors in SEO like site speed, and bounce rate, and recently content has become a significant factor in the algorithm of search engines.
Q3. What is the qualification required to do SEO certification courses?
There is no minimum qualification required to do SEO certification courses. Anyone who knows a little about computers and has a passion to learn can take up this course. Most of the courses cover the basics before getting into the advanced level.
Q4. What is the duration of SEO certification courses?
The duration of SEO certification courses depends on the course one takes. There are a few courses that take about a month to complete whereas a few can take about a few months to finish. Self-paced courses can be finished early depending upon the time devoted.
Q5. What are the prospects of SEO?
SEO is a growing carrier option as more and more businesses are going online every single day. All websites require SEO experts at some point to increase the webpage visibility and maintain its consistency.
Conclusion
SEO is a very powerful tool used in digital marketing strategies. SEO can either make or finish your website presence online. Therefore it becomes very important to have a good SEO strategy that can boost your online business. This is the key to unlocking the potential of your website thus making it a very important part of all digital marketing plans.
The demand for SEO professionals has increased at a tremendous pace. For people who are looking for a work-from-home option then SEO certification courses are the answer to all their research. This profession has the option to work from home and has a good salary as well. This is also a good carrier option for people who are looking to restart their carrier. A good course gives you all the required knowledge to make this a rewarding carrier.