SEO Fundamentals Course by Sam Oh

Introduction

• Instructor: Sam Oh from Ahrefs
• Course Focus: Fundamentals of SEO with an emphasis on execution.
• Importance: Even large businesses stick to SEO fundamentals for growth.
• Course Structure: 4 modules + introductory video.

SEO Basics

• SEO Definition: Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is optimizing content for discovery through organic search results.
• How Search Engines Work: Similar to libraries storing web pages instead of books.
• Why Focus on SEO:
  • Free traffic compared to ads.
  • Consistent traffic unlike social media spikes.
  • Access to a large audience.

How Google Works

• Crawling and Indexation: Google uses crawlers (spiders) to gather information and create a search index.
• Ranking Algorithm: Hundreds of ranking signals, frequent tweaks, but no exact public knowledge.
• Important Ranking Factors:
  • Backlinks: Links from other sites, acting like votes.
  • Search Intent: Understanding the reason behind a query.
  • Content Depth: Providing comprehensive context.

Keyword Research (Module 1)

• What are Keywords: Words and phrases people search for.
• Importance: Sets the foundation for SEO, drives targeted traffic.
• Choosing Keywords: Four-point checklist:
  1. Search Demand
  2. Traffic Potential
  3. Business Potential
  4. Matching Searcher Intent
• Tools: Ahrefs Keywords Explorer, Ahrefs keyword generator for beginners.

On-Page SEO (Module 2)

• Definition: Optimizing web pages to rank higher.
• Common Myths:
  • Not about keyword stuffing or meeting word counts.
• Focus on Search Intent: Satisfying searcher's query is crucial.
• Technical Aspects:
  • Titles, meta descriptions, internal links.
  • Image optimization: naming, alt text, compression.
• Readability: Important for user experience.

Link Building (Module 3)

• Definition: Building relationships for backlinking.
• Why Important: Backlinks are a significant ranking factor.
• Strategies:
  • Earned Links: Through outreach, being a source, organic links.
  • Attributes of Good Links: Relevance, authoritativeness, follow status.
• Outreach Tips: Personalized, quality emails.

Technical SEO (Module 4)

• Objective: Help search engines find, understand, index pages.
• Basics:
  • No Index Meta Tag: Avoid indexing issues.
  • Robots.txt: Directives for crawlers.
  • Sitemaps: Inform search engines about page structure.
  • Redirects: Manage URL changes effectively.
  • Canonical Tags: Prevent duplicate content.
• Best Practices:
  • Logical site structure.
  • Speed optimization: caching, image compression.
  • Regular site audits to maintain SEO health.

Conclusion

• Comprehensive lessons on SEO fundamentals.
• Encouragement to continue learning and applying SEO techniques.
• Resources: Playlist with full course and additional tutorials available.