Search engine optimization is critical for marketers, content creators, and business owners. With the demand for SEO professionals increasing, having the right knowledge and qualifications can position you better in the labor market.
A recent survey shows 61% of marketers see SEO as their number-one inbound marketing focus. In addition, the average income of an SEO specialist in the United States amounts to approximately $52,000 per year, while experienced professionals may earn up to $100,000 or even more.
This article will review ten of the top SEO certifications available in 2024, both paid and free, to improve your SEO services and develop your career.
Top 10 SEO Certifications (Free & Paid)
This part will examine the top 10 SEO certifications available in 2024. These certifications are designed to be useful for anyone with any level of SEO experience, whether you are just starting in the field or a seasoned professional searching for an updated skill set.
#1. Semrush Academy Crash Course
Best for: Beginners and intermediate learners
Duration: 2 hours
Cost: Free
Certificate: Yes
Instructor(s): Brian Dean
Semrush Academy SEO Course is a great foundation for those who want to understand SEO thoroughly. Offered by the well-known SEO guru Brian Dean, this course will give you a comprehensive understanding of the most important aspects of search engine optimization, starting from keyword research and on-page optimization and ending with link building and technical SEO.
What makes this course unique is its emphasis on hands-on, task-oriented recommendations. During the course, Brian reveals his successful strategies and tactics that you can use in your SEO campaigns immediately. The SEO Course of the Semrush Academy is a must-take for everyone who is really into mastering the art of SEO due to its interesting content and real-world examples.
#2. Google SEO Fundamentals by UC Davis
Best for: Beginners
Duration: 29 hours
Cost: Free
Certificate: Yes
Instructor(s): Rebekah May, Eric Enge
Google SEO Fundamentals is an introductory-level course designed in collaboration with the University of California, Davis, and Coursera. Because the course is created in collaboration with Google, you can be assured that you are learning the most recent and accurate information from its source.
The course is divided into four sections, each highlighting a significant part of SEO. Packed with thorough discussions and practical activities, Google SEO Fundamentals is a great starting point for anyone considering beginning their SEO path.
#3. All-around SEO Training by Yoast
Best for: Beginners and intermediate learners
Duration: 3 hours
Cost: $99/year (includes other courses)
Certificate: Yes
Instructor(s): Joost de Valk + other SEO Certification experts from Yoast
Yoast All-Around SEO Training is a simple, user-friendly video course created for WordPress users. Produced by the Yoast SEO plugin creators, this course blends theory and practice.
The course features over three hours of video content split into 39 bite-sized clips. It discusses SEO copywriting and site structure; technical SEO is also a major point.
In the course, you will take quizzes that will assist you in memorizing and learning and ensure that you understand the main points. After finishing, you will obtain an SEO certificate and be able to download PDF files for further use.
#4. SEO Certification Course by HubSpot
Best for: Beginners
Duration: 4 hours
Cost: Free
Certificate: Yes
Instructor(s): Rachel Sheldon, Matthew Howells-Barby
The SEO certification course by HubSpot is an organized and complete source for beginners who want to be knowledgeable in all aspects of SEO. The course includes six lessons, 25 videos, and five quizzes, all aimed at enabling you to master the basics of optimization of search engines.
On-page SEO and technical SEO, keyword research, and link building are only some of the important topics covered by the course. HubSpot’s SEO Certification Course is a must for anyone starting their SEO journey because of its engaging content and useful examples.
#5. SEO Training Masterclass 2024 by Alex Genadinik
Best for: Beginners and intermediate learners
Duration: 18+ hours
Cost: Paid
Certificate: Yes
Instructor(s): Alex Genadinik
SEO Training Masterclass by Alex Genadinik is one of the most popular and complete paid SEO courses on Udemy, with over 7,000 ratings and 95,000 students.
It is an 18-hour course that contains over 274 video lectures divided into 35 sections. These lectures cover keyword research and using SEO tools such as URL structure, backlink strategy, local SEO, and many others.
Upon completing the training, you will also receive a certificate of completion that will be showcased on professional platforms.
The course also has separate sections to teach you how to be a freelance SEO specialist, an SEO specialist, or how to build your SEO agency.
Alex Genadinik’s SEO Training Masterclass 2024 is superior to most courses on this list. It goes deep into the details of SEO and gives a hands-on approach.
#6. Moz SEO Essentials Certificate
Best for: Beginners
Duration: 6 hours
Cost: Paid
Certificate: Yes
Instructor(s): Moz Team
The MOZ SEO Essentials Certificate course is a six-course series presented by Moz. Moz is an all-in-one SEO platform that many people love.
It’s ideal for beginners as it covers:
- Fundamental SEO concepts: to get acquainted with SEO fundamentals
- Keyword research: approaches to studying keywords
- Page optimization: Major page optimization techniques and their implementation
- Link-building essentials: what are backlinks, why are they crucial, and how can you obtain high-quality backlinks
There are quizzes for each course section to check what you learn during the process.
You must take an assessment at the end of this course to obtain the Moz SEO Essentials Certification.
In Moz SEO Essentials, you are practically taught how to practice your newly acquired knowledge using Moz’s paid SEO tool, Moz Pro. Thus, this course may not be the best option if you aim to employ other tools.
Furthermore, at $595, it might be a little too expensive, particularly for those with a tight budget. Many of the free courses on this list provide the same educational benefit, so this is something to consider.
#7. Advanced SEO Certification Training by Matt Bailey
Best for: Intermediate and advanced learners
Duration: 30 hours for videos + 15 hours for live online classes
Cost: Paid ($1,199 for self-learning; $1,499 for the online camp)
Certificate: Yes
Instructor(s): Matt Bailey
The Advanced SEO Certification Training of Matt Bailey is a value-packed SEO course that covers fundamentals, search engine algorithms, various SEO strategies, and content marketing. It is offered by MarketMotive, an eminent marketing training and certification provider.
This course comes with more than 30 hours of video content and 15 hours of live online classes conducted by the instructor.
You can get your certification by:
- Finishing 85% of the course.
- Three project deliverables and one simulation test with a minimum score of 60%.
#8. Search Engine Optimization Program by Simplilearn
Best for: Beginners
Duration: 36 hours
Cost: Free
Certificate: Yes
Instructor(s): Simplilearn team
Simplilearn is an armed forces certification training provider with over 400 courses in different domains. It also offers free courses on its SkillUp platform suitable for beginners who want to develop a solid set of basic skills that will lead to career growth.
The Advanced Search Engine Optimization Program comprises 36 hours of self-paced videos covering everything an SEO beginner needs to know. Subjects are keyword research, rival analysis, site planning, and advice on launching a career in SEO.
#9. SEO Training by ClickMinded
Best for: Beginners to intermediate learners
Duration: 5 hours
Cost: $997
Certificate: Yes
Instructor(s): Tommy Griffith
The SEO Training by ClickMinded is an all-encompassing course that has been the learning ground for hundreds of thousands of startups, agencies, entrepreneurs, and students who have learned SEO and gotten higher rankings and more traffic. In this captivating course, the learner will be able to learn the important SEO topics, from the basics to advanced ones.
In this course, Tommy Griffith provides many examples, tips, and strategies you can instantly utilize in your SEO efforts. By completing the course and passing the certification exam, you will get a certificate confirming that you are an expert in SEO.
ClickMinded also provides further courses in paid promotion, content management, email marketing, social media advertisement, sales funnels, and website analytics, making it an all-encompassing resource for marketers aiming to upskill.
#10. Google Analytics 4 Course by Google
Best for: Intermediate and advanced learners
Duration: 10 hours
Cost: Free
Certificate: Yes
Instructor(s): Google Analytics team
The best one is saved for the last. Google Analytics 4 (GA4), a next-generation analytics solution, has replaced Universal Analytics (UA).
Thus, you need to master all its aspects. Google will be a willing partner in this.
They designed an interactive Google Analytics 4 Course on Skillshop that will help you to get acquainted with the new platform and obtain an official Google Analytics Certification.
A set of lectures will help you configure Google Analytics 4 property, work with all reporting tools, use important measurement features, and best use data. The complete series lasts up to 10 hours.
Conclusion
SEO education investment is important to keep you competitive in digital marketing. Earning one or more of these top SEO certifications will provide you with the knowledge and credentials necessary to grow your career and improve the results you can achieve for your clients or business.
But, one should remember that certifications alone do not ensure success. Practical skills and adaptability to the world of SEO, which changes daily, are of the same importance and no longer only theoretical knowledge and skills. This is where teaming up with AlgoSaga digital marketing agency is necessary. AlgoSaga’s team of SEO experts will help you master the trickery of SEO, guiding and supporting you to reach your objectives in digital marketing.