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University of California, Davis

Google SEO Fundamentals

University of California, Davis via Coursera

Overview

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Gain a foundational understanding of search engine algorithms and how they influence organic search results and website performance. Building on this knowledge, you’ll explore the key components of a successful SEO strategy—including keyword selection and research, consumer psychology, and search behavior. The course also covers on-page SEO analysis techniques to uncover optimization opportunities. In addition, you’ll examine how AI is reshaping SEO—from content generation to algorithm updates—and how to adapt your strategy accordingly. Learn the latest best practices for building resilient, effective SEO strategies that align with current search trends, user expectations, and ethical guidelines in an increasingly automated search landscape.

Syllabus

  • Getting Started and Introduction to On-page SEO
    • 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.
  • Introduction to Off-Page SEO
    • 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close look at link-building strategies and recent insights from sources like the Google API leak, helping you separate outdated myths from current best practices.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.
  • Introduction to Technical SEO
    • 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.
  • Keyword Theory & Research
    • 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.

Taught by

Rebekah May

Reviews

3.5 rating, based on 2 Class Central reviews

4.8 rating at Coursera based on 3644 ratings

Start your review of Google SEO Fundamentals

  • Anonymous
    This course on the fundamentals of Google SEO is very much useful for beginners like me. Very well structured and easy to learn. For those who are changing their profession or those who want to restart their career, this course is very much helpful. This will surely give the basic understanding that helps us a lot in our career.
  • Profile image for Mohd Nasywaan Shah Bin Abdullah
    Mohd Nasywaan Shah Bin Abdullah
    This course from begining a bit tough but as l learn daily with the help of of my teacher,im glad to say tis is the best course to learn.

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