Course Title: Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Course Objective:The objective of the “SEO Website Optimization” course is to provide participants with knowledge, skills, and practical experience for effectively optimizing web resources to enhance their visibility in search engines. The aim of such a course is not only to impart theoretical knowledge but also to provide students with practical skills that they can apply in real-life scenarios for successful website promotion in search engines. Upon completion of such a course, an individual will be able to work in the field as an SEO specialist, web analyst, content manager, internet marketer, or website owner aiming to improve their site’s visibility in search results.
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is a set of measures aimed at improving a website’s ranking in search engines.

 

Course Duration: 174 academic hours (157 academic hours of classroom work + 17 academic hours of practical and independent work).
Mode of Instruction: Online Learning
Teaching Methods:
  • Lectures and Theoretical Materials: Providing theoretical foundations of SEO, explaining key concepts, principles, and optimization methods.
  • Practical Sessions: Working with real-life cases, analyzing existing websites, and performing practical optimization tasks.
  • Case Studies and Projects: Reviewing successful or unsuccessful SEO promotion cases, creating projects to apply acquired knowledge.
  • Interactive Sessions: Incorporating educational elements such as discussions, group tasks, quizzes, and debates for active student participation.
  • Independent Homework with subsequent assessment and error analysis.
An effective SEO course aims to strike a balance between theory and practice, providing students with opportunities to apply their knowledge in practice and develop the skills necessary for a successful career in the field of search engine optimization.
Evaluation Method:
  • Testing: Includes tests with various question types (multiple choice, short answer, matching), covering key course topics.
  • Practical Assignments: Tasks requiring students to apply their SEO knowledge in real-world scenarios. For example, optimizing a specific website, developing keyword strategies, or creating content.
  • Exam: Conducting a final exam to assess the overall level of knowledge, covering all aspects of the course.
    The issuance of an SEO specialist certificate will be based on passing the final exam with a score of at least 70%.

 

Completion Requirements, including method and criteria of evaluation:
For successful completion of the program, the student must: attend at least 70% of online classes; submit all required assignments; pass the final exam with a score of no less than 70%.
Requirements for Instructor Qualifications:
The instructor must have over 10 years of experience in the field of SEO. Certifications: Google Analytics, Google AdWords, Yoast SEO Academy, Hubspot SEO Academy. Previous clients include: Western Digital and other major brands.
Language of Education: Russian
Course Fee: 1800 euros.

Website Optimization for Search Engines

Introduction to SEO – What is SEO;
– Search engine targeting;
– Which search engine to target in Estonia, Finland, Latvia?
  4 academic hours
Keyword Analysis – identifying search queries people use to solve problems or get answers.

 

– Introduction to keyword concept and the need for analysis;
– Examples of numerous categories and illustrations of deep keyword analysis;
– Identifying search trends and seasonality;
– How keyword analysis can aid in business decision-making;
– Keyword discovery methods;
– Competitor and industry keyword usage analysis;
– Introduction to keyword analysis tools;
– Project examples and keyword usage;
– Differences between positions and industries;
– Keyword competition evaluation;
– Understanding search intent;
– Finding your niche;
– Google Search Console overview and guide.

  35 academic hours classroom work + 3 academic hours – practical and independent work
Page Structure – improving one of the most underrated SEO factors – How Google “sees” a website;
– explanation of page structure and optimization guide;
– anchor text optimization;
– content pages vs blog posts;
– location-specific pages;
– when to create separate pages for which keywords?

  35 academic hours classroom work + 3 academic hours – practical and independent work
Page Optimization – a complete guide to page optimization with examples – optimizing the page for search;
– meta tags and descriptions optimization guide;
– highlighting value propositions and meta data examples;
– using page title and brand in meta data;
– Avoiding keyword cannibalization;
– URL optimization;
– h1, h2, and h3 optimization guide;
– content optimization;
– Content optimization using WordPress site as an example;
– Creating domain-specific content;
– role of fresh content and content updates in SEO;
– examples and guides for different types of content (home page, categories, product pages, articles, etc.);
  35 academic hours classroom work + 3 academic hours – practical and independent work
General and Technical SEO Factors – overview of technical aspects and potential issues – Negative factors;
– Duplicate content;
– Importance of mobile-friendliness and site speed in SEO;
– Role of user experience in optimization;
– XML sitemap;
– Brief introduction to Screaming Frog;
– Technical SEO factors;
– In-depth understanding of Google Search Console.
  30 academic hours classroom work + 3 academic hours – practical and independent work
Link Building – overview, examples, and strategies – Domain properties and values;
– Popular link sources and examples in Estonia;
– Link properties and values;
– Competitor link analysis;
– Links to important URLs;
– Google search commands for finding potential links;
– External anchor text optimization;
– 404 redirects and 301 redirects;
– Identifying opportunities for unused links;
– rel=”nofollow” links.
  20 academic hours classroom work + 3 academic hours – practical and independent work
Summary and Examples – Summary of previously covered topics;
– Presentation of additional materials;
– Future of SEO and potential development trends;
– Participant examples overview and analysis.
  3 academic hours classroom work
174 academic hours (157 academic hours classroom work + 17 academic hours practical and independent work).