There are many solid resources written or created by SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) experts that enable you to learn SEO for free.
A website owner not having an understanding of the basic principles of SEO is like a car owner not knowing how to drive their car. They have two options learn to drive or pay someone to chauffeur them. That’s the equivalent of hiring an SEO expert. They’ll get you where you need to go with the minimum of fuss, but they’ll charge you for their services. If you’re not quite ready for that yet then you need to roll up your sleeves and learn SEO.
We’ve compiled an up-to-date list of the best SEO blogs, courses, videos, podcasts, conferences, and tools to get you started.
The Best SEO Guides
1. Google’s SEO Starter Guide
Is there a better place to learn SEO for free than Google’s own SEO Getting Started Guide? It’s definitely worth listening to what Google has to say about ranking sites.
2. Moz’s Beginner’s Guide to SEO
This Beginner’s Guide to SEO by Moz is one of the most trusted pieces of content on the subject and a must-read for beginners.
3. Search Engine Land’s SEO Guide
Designed as a companion piece to the periodic table of search factors, the Search Engine Land SEO Guide is a nine-step tutorial.
The Best SEO Blogs
4. Backlinko (Brian Dean)
Brian Dean is a hero in the field of SEO. To learn more about SEO you should read his blog on the skyscraper technique, a method of building backlinks, at an absolute minimum.
Check out Backlinko’s SEO Guide which has two distinct features: 1) it is very up-to-date with 2022 best practices, and 2) It’s focus is on helping you learn SEO for free quickly.
5. Yoast SEO Blog
Brought to you by Yoast, the company behind the most widely used WordPress website SEO plugin. I recommend that new website owners read Yoast blogs about page titles and meta descriptions, which are essential for a successful Google ranking and to ensure organic traffic.
The Best Free Tools to Learn SEO for free
6. Google Analytics
Deep dive into the data using Google Analytics. Google Analytics is the best web marketing tool to measure the effectiveness of your SEO campaigns.
With Google Analytics you can review your traffic sources, drill down into your user demographics, and more. You can then use this valuable data to improve the performance of your website.
7. Google Search Console
Google Search Console helps you monitor, maintain, and troubleshoot your site’s presence in Google search results. Everyone who wants to learn SEO should take a look at a Google Search Console account and understand how to submit pages to Google and review any warnings, at a minimum.
8. Google Analytics Academy
Intimidated by Google Analytics? Fear not: Analytics Academy is an extensive online course that explains how you can get the most out of this powerful tool.
9. Google Tag Manager Fundamentals
An important module of Analytics Academy, Google Tag Manager Fundamentals teaches you how to use Google Tag Manager, a tool that allows you to track almost everything on your site without overloading it with additional code.
The Best Videos to learn SEO for free
10. Subscribe to Google Webmasters on YouTube
This is Google’s webmaster YouTube channel. These totally free videos are recorded by Google’s own team of webmasters.
Google’s John Mueller also hosts Hangouts for webmasters where webmasters from around the world talk to Google about issues with their sites live on Google Hangouts.
11. Subscribe to Crawling Mondays on YouTube
This new video series from SEO technical mentor Aleyda Solis is worth watching! Aleyda’s channel combines instructional dives in technical SEO with interviews with SEO professionals.
12. Greg Gifford’s Wednesday Workshop
The fast-talking and foul-mouthed Greg Gifford is one of my favorite SEO speakers. His weekly two-minute videos tackle a particular SEO topic, with a particular focus on local SEO.
13. Moz’s Whiteboard Fridays
Whiteboard Friday is the 800 pound gorilla of SEO videos. The Moz team creates or provides a fifteen-minute video each week. The videos range from beginner-friendly to seemingly advanced.
Social Media Accounts to Follow to Learn About SEO
14. Quora SEO
Over 94,000 SEO questions have been submitted to Quora – this is a frighteningly large data dump. If you add related topics, including SEO tools, search engines, and web marketing, chances are any SEO questions you have probably already been asked somewhere in this huge forum.
15. Reddit SEO
With 90,000 subscribers, the SEO community on Reddit actively discusses everything related to research, from algorithm updates to the fine line between black and white hat practices.
16. Follow John Mueller on Twitter
John Mueller is a webmaster trend analyst at Google and a leading Google spokesperson on SEO issues. It’s worth following on Twitter and through Google’s Webmaster Hangouts.
Courses to learn SEO for free
17. HubSpot Academy
In this certification course, you’ll learn all things SEO, including website optimization, link building, keyword research, and much more.
18. Udemy SEO
One of the kings of online courses, Udemy has a substantial library of free SEO courses. To find them, visit the Udemy website and filter by price (selecting free).
If you have any tips you can share on how to learn SEO for free please write them in the comment section below, and don’t forget to subscribe to our email list below for more regular tips and strategies designed to help you run your business toward success.