It's not easy to understand how to turn SEO into an asset for your project through the right measures and correct implementation. That's why we've broken down practical knowledge into logical and digestible chunks in the Hands-On-SEO eMail course:
In the first email of the course, we'll introduce ourselves and share some essential SEO resources with you. We also analyze a SEO Case Study to give you a practical insight into the successes and challenges of SEO.
You will learn how to create realistic and measurable SEO goals and define KPIs that fit your business model. We also discuss the importance of a solid SEO strategy and how you can create one for your business.
We will give you an insight into the typical process of an SEO project and the phases it goes through. We will also introduce you to various SEO tools that you can use to support your SEO activities.
It's the year 2023, and if your competitors are miles ahead of you, you should definitely do something about it. In this Kapitel you can find out how to optimize your website for SEO.
In this phase, you will learn how to create SEO-oriented content that is attractive to both search engines and your target audience. Finally, we will introduce you to the art of link building, a crucial factor in improving your ranking in search results.
Data-driven
No boring phrases, but facts and figures that help you finally understand SEO.
Applicable
Practical tips and tools to improve your SEO strategy immediately.
Beginner friendly
You know very little about SEO so far? Perfect, because this is exactly where the course comes in.
Visible success
SEO is not magic! The course gives you important metrics for measuring your SEO success.
Hi! I am Niels
For more than half a decade, I have been dealing with the question of how to place websites on the first places in Google rankings with a clear strategy and efficiently implementable methods. In the process, I have managed more than 200 client projects and achieved over 1500 top 3 rankings in all kinds of service niches, product categories and local search queries.
In my email course, I show you the most common stumbling blocks in SEO and provide you with concrete tasks and solutions to avoid them. You will also receive my recommendations for SEO tools and resources that will enable you to put them into practice straight away.
Learning SEO can be quite overwhelming at first. You have to gather a lot of knowledge that you probably haven't heard of before. You won't become an SEO pro overnight, but you can acquire some valuable knowledge that will help you get ahead. Teaching you everything you need to know to go from SEO newbie to competent SEO in one article is almost impossible. But we can provide you with a small guide that will give you a practical all-round overview of SEO.
Information overload. There is so much SEO related content on the internet, where do I even begin?
Contradictory information. Who can I trust when I hear different opinions?
Fear of everything technical. Do I need to be technically proficient to succeed?
Hat-SEO. Should I use a black, gray or white hat tactic? Or maybe all together?
Training. Do I need formal training to work in SEO?
SEO Gurus. Do I need to buy online courses from SEO gurus to learn?
All these questions are covered in this guide. Of course, we also take a look at the resources you need to learn the basics.
FYI: SEO is changing fast. Webmaster Trends analyst John Mueller says that Google updates and evolves its algorithms almost daily, forcing the SEO industry to evolve as well. Although the basics remain the same, there are always new things that need to be tested and learned.
Free vs. paid knowledge
Since the industry is still in its infancy (at least outside of the marketing bubble), SEO is not taught at most colleges. Fortunately, you can learn everything you need online and through practice, making a degree or college education in SEO unnecessary.
In fact, many SEOs have acquired their knowledge by learning by doing. They often use free online resources that demonstrate the basics of search engine optimization and can help you learn SEO. There is also a very helpful, active online community of SEOs. Through this community, you will inevitably be catapulted to the websites of self-proclaimed SEO gurus at some point. They often sell courses where you can learn SEO.
The truth about SEO courses is ...,
...that most of the information they provide can also be found free of charge on the Internet. So why should anyone pay for it?
The answer is quite simple: you can save time with an SEO course. It provides you with bundled knowledge - without additional research. You have everything in one place, usually even a kind of curriculum and therefore a fixed structure. So you don't jump from resource to resource, but have a strict line.
But is a course absolutely necessary to learn SEO? No, by no means. But if you take a reputable course, you will make faster progress. Our rule of thumb for you: only buy a course from an SEO practitioner who actually earns his money with SEO - instead of just with the courses. Precisely because SEO is such a flexible, restless field, regular work practice is also an important knowledge base. After all, what good is an SEO course if the information it teaches is no longer up to date? In our guide, we are primarily referring to your free learning. If you are interested in a course, find out more about the provider beforehand. Alternatively, you can visit us - we offer you various options for learning SEO basics.
How you learn SEO
The best way to acquire a new skill is to learn it yourself. SEO is no exception. Want to learn something new? Then get your hands dirty - because that usually works best. We want to give you some resources to help you understand the basics of search engine optimization. After that, it's all about applying your new knowledge.
There are two ways to gain practical experience:
Get an entry-level job in SEO.
Deepen your SEO knowledge by practicing on your own websites.
A Entry level job in SEO-Area
There are two types of entry-level jobs where you'll be involved with SEO:
Either you work at a Agencywhich offers SEO as a service, or
you take over the in-house SEO for the company you already work for.
Both jobs have their advantages. However, it is important that you have some kind of mentor who can help you on your personal SEO path. This will help you learn SEO faster and more effectively. For example, we have created practical learning structures for our new SEOs so that they can learn from experienced professionals and are already well versed in SEO after a short time.
Here are some of the soft skills that will qualify you for a job in SEO:
Passion for digital marketing - that is the most important quality you bring to an agency.
Intellectual curiosity - you are passionate about new knowledge.
Analytical skills and approaches - you understand the numbers and everything behind them.
Communication skills and skills in dealing with customers (primarily via e-mail and video conferencing)
Which degrees help to get an SEO job?
SEO can be learned online, but to get an entry-level job at an agency or company, you should have some sort of degree. Here are some of the best degrees you can get if you want a career in SEO:
Informatics: You know the basics of web development and internet technology. This makes the transition to the technical side of SEO easier.
Language, communication or media studies: The ability to write well is important for search engine optimization.
MarketingA degree in marketing gives you an introduction to all elements of traditional and digital marketing and gives you a good understanding of the psychology behind consumer buying behavior.
Contradictory information in the SEO
SEO is an industry that is known for having a lot of contradictory information. One person says one thing, while you hear something completely different from the other corner. Here are two reasons why:
SEO is changing fast. Information that was true six months ago may no longer be usable today.
Google and other search engines keep the inner workings of their algorithms secret. All we can do is speculate and test. The problem with speculation is that an idea that seems plausible is readily accepted as truth without the data to back up the speculation. If an SEO tactic has worked for one website, it doesn't mean it can be successfully applied to another.
How to deal with contradictory information
As I said, you can find a lot of different and contradictory information on the subject online. But how can you deal with this? And above all - how do you differentiate between relevant and useless? First of all, we recommend that you only use credible sources. If you are skeptical about a source, try to check it yourself in case of doubt.
It is also helpful to always include several sources in your learning. Get information from different directions and benefit from different perspectives. Of course, you can decide for yourself which of these you actually take into account. And last but not least: test, test, test. Of course, it's easy to blindly follow recommended SEO tactics. But is it also effective? Try out the tactics and see how successful they are. Then you'll know first-hand what can work.
Which hat should you choose?
White hat, grey hat and black hat are terms that describe the type of SEO tactics used. Have you ever heard of them? If not, here's a quick summary of the small but subtle differences:
White Hat SEOs follow the guidelines of Google and other search engines.
Grey Hat SEOs aren't afraid to bend the rules a little.
Most SEOs see White Hat SEO as the strategy that will stand the test of time. As long as you stick to the guidelines, you don't have to worry about Google or any other Search Engine could penalize your website. If you are new to SEO, you should take this route.
We advise you: Throw Grey and Black Hat SEO not completely overboard. These tactics are generally to be used with caution and experience. But they can teach you a lot about how search engine rankings can be influenced and how the Google algorithm works. Sometimes you can even apply this knowledge to white hat tactics.
The SEO Learning Starter Kit - every beginning is difficult?
Many SEO newbies get lost in the flood of information. Have you ever wondered why there is so much information about SEO on the internet? It's simple: the job of SEO professionals is to create content and rank it on Google. Naturally, you will therefore also find a large amount of Content on this topic. In principle, such information can be valuable - but where should you start? We have listed a few sites that we personally find helpful. Feel free to look around.
Learn the basics of search engine optimization
The basics of search engine optimization are already a bit of a challenge for laymen. But with the right tools, you can acquire smart SEO knowledge. We've picked out resources that will teach you the basics: How does search work with the Search Engine? And which different components of search engine optimization are relevant?
How Search Works - This is a short three-minute video by Matt Cutts (the former head of WebSpam at Google). In the video, Matt talks about Google's approach to search and how the Googlebot the World Wide Web indexed and crawls.
The Beginner's Guide To SEO - This guide from Moz is one of the best starting points for someone who is brand new to SEO.
Google Search Engine Optimization Starter Guide - This guide was written by Google and contains many SEO best practices for Webmaster/inside. You should definitely familiarize yourself with it.
Learning the keyword research: Which search queries are relevant?
Keyword-Research is an important process for SEO. You find out which search queries users enter for a specific topic in the Search Engine enter. During your SEO learning, you will find that there are various options for the Keyword-research. You won't always find the right way, because it always depends on your industry, your budget and your goals.
It's important that you understand the intent of a search query. Here are the three different types of search queries:
TransactionalWhen the searcher makes a purchase, completes a registration or carries out another transaction.
Informative: When the searcher tries to find information about something.
Navigate: When the searcher intentionally heads for a specific website.
If you use the Search Intention you can improve your keyword selection and better serve your target audience. Here are two more tips from us:
Keyword research for SEO: The Definitive Guide - This comprehensive guide by Brian Dean shows you a range of strategies to find keywords and determine the intent of your target market.
The competitive analysis: get to know your competitors
Competitor research is crucial for any SEO campaign. It's useful to know your competition. Why reinvent the wheel? If you can understand how your competitors rank, you'll have a solid roadmap for success. It will show you what your competitors are neglecting and allow you to capitalize on it.apivalley. You get a good idea of what resources you need for the Ranking of your website and whether the competition is even beatable for you.
Here are a few guides on how you can do competitive research:
Of course, you don't have to find out about your competitors yourself, because what sounds simple can be quite confusing with all the numbers. We will be happy to help you.
Here are some important things you should know about keyword analysis in SEO:
Aim of the Keyword-Analysis: The Keyword-The purpose of keyword analysis is to help identify relevant search terms used by potential customers to find your products or services. By identifying relevant keywords, you can ensure that your website is found well for these terms, which can help to generate more traffic. Traffic to your website.
Importance of Relevance: It's important that the keywords you use are relevant to your website. For example, if you have a company that specializes in making dog food, it makes more sense to use keywords like "dog food" or "dog nutrition" rather than more general terms like "pet food" or "pet nutrition".
Competitive analysisA competitive analysis can help you understand which keywords are used by your competitors and how difficult it will be to be found for these keywords. By understanding the competitive situation, you can decide which keywords make the most sense for you.
Keyword-Research Tools: There are several tools that can help you Keyword-research can help, including the Google Keyword Planner and various paid tools such as Ahrefs and SEMrush. These tools can help you identify keywords that are relevant to your website and also give you information about how high the Search volume for these keywords and how difficult it will be to be found for them.
Keyword-Density: It is important that you do not use your keywords too often on your website, as this can be seen as "Keyword-spamming" and your website may be penalized by the search engines. It is important that you include your keywords naturally in your Content and do not use them excessively often. A general rule is that the Keyword-density (i.e. the percentage of words on a page that contain the Keyword should not be higher than 1-2%.
Choosing the right keywords: It can be useful to use the so-called "Long Tail Keywords" are preferred. These are usually more specific search terms used by users who are further along in the buying process and want to find out more about a particular product or service. Longer-tail keywords can help your website to be found better for more specific search terms.
Onpage SEO: The basis
On-page SEO refers to the optimization of the on-page elements of a website. This includes the way in which a website is structured and coded, as well as its content. As Webmaster you have full control over your onpage elements. That's why it's important that you take the time to design them properly.
Onpage SEO: A (2M Keyword) Data Driven Analysis - This study by Ahrefs is one of the largest data-driven studies on on-page SEO. It gives you a good understanding of what is important when it comes to on-page SEO and in which situations.
Onpage ranking factors - The OnpageRanking-Moz factors explain the different on-page elements and their importance for SEO.
Here are a few on-page SEO measures you should know:
Title tags: These are the title that is displayed in the search results and should therefore be meaningful and relevant.
Meta Description: This is a short summary of your page that is displayed in the search results. Make sure it contains a clear and concise description of your page to increase the click-through rate.
Headings (headings): Use headings to structure and organize your content. Make sure you use relevant keywords in your headings to show search engines what your content is about.
Internal linking: Link your pages and posts within your website to better structure your content and make it easier for users to navigate.
Alt text for picturesUse alt text to tell search engines what your images are about. This is also helpful for users accessing your website with a screen reader.
SEO-friendly URLs: Use SEO-friendly URLs that contain relevant keywords and are easy to read.
These are just some of the most important on-page SEO measures, but there are many others you should consider, such as using schema markup, optimizing URLs and using special characters. It's worth investing time and effort into your website's on-page SEO as it can help your site to be found better in search engines.
Content Audit: The indispensable part
A Content Audit is an evaluation of the indexable content of a website. When you check the content of a website, you usually look at a number of metrics, such as Traffic, Backlinks & Co. Depending on these factors, there are three possible conclusions: either you leave the content as it is, you improve it, or you delete it.
Here are a few measures you should consider in SEO content optimization:
Keyword-Research: Before writing your content, carry out a Keyword-Conduct keyword research to find out which terms and phrases are searched for by users. Then use these keywords in your content to optimize your site for these search terms.
Headings: Use clear and concise headings to structure and organize your content. Make sure you use relevant keywords in your headings to show search engines what your content is about.
Length of the content: Make sure your content is long enough to provide users with valuable information, but short enough to hold readers' attention.
Use multimedia: Add images, videos and other multimedia elements to your content to make it more interesting for users and increase the time they spend on it.
Internal Linking: Link your pages and posts within your website to better structure your content and make it easier for users to navigate.
Social Sharing: Make it easier for your users to share your content on social media by adding the appropriate buttons. This can help your page get more Traffic and your content is distributed further.
Use the possibilities of schema markup: Use schema markup to show search engines which elements in your content are important and how they relate to each other. This can help your page be found better in search results.
Use the possibilities of LSI keywords: Use LSI keywords (Latent Semantic Indexing) to show search engines how your content relates to the main keyword. This can help your page to be found better for similar search terms.
It's worth investing time and effort in SEO content optimization for your site, as this can help it to be found better in search engines and generate more traffic. Traffic receives. Make sure that your content is of high quality and offers your users real added value to increase user satisfaction and ensure that they recommend your site to others.
Offpage SEO: The exciting part
Off-page SEO refers to the strategies that are carried out outside of your website to improve your search engine ranking. When someone talks about off-page SEO, they usually mean Linkbuilding or techniques that give your website a certain Range or attract attention.
The Noob Friendly Guide to Link Building - In this post, David McSweeney explains the basics of link building and then offers a number of resources to delve deeper.
Here are a few measures you should consider in off-page optimization:
Linkbuilding: Lead Linkbuilding-You should also carry out external activities to get external links from other websites to your site. This can help your site to be perceived as an authority in your niche and be found more easily by search engines.
Social Media Marketing: Use social media to promote your site and content and attract new users.
Guest Contributions: Write guest posts for other websites and link to your site. This can help you to be discovered by a new target group and generate more traffic. Traffic to your page.
Brand Monitoring: Monitor your brand online and respond to customer reviews and comments. This can help to improve your online reputation and strengthen the trust of your users.
Use anchor texts: Use anchor texts to Relevance of your links for the search engines. Anchor texts are the text passages that serve as Hyperlink serve and point to another page. Use relevant and specific anchor texts to show search engines what your link is about.
Type from Backlinks: Consider the type of Backlinksthat you receive on your site. Search engines prefer natural and relevant Backlinks from trustworthy websites. However, avoid engaging in shady link building practices or getting links from spammy or dubious websites, as this can make your site harder for search engines to find.
Learning technical SEO: The more complicated part
Technical SEO refers to the technical aspects of on-page SEO, such as website speed, indexability and mobile responsiveness. The term "technical" can put many people off this aspect of search engine optimization. Don't let that put you off! It's not nearly as intimidating as it sounds.
To technical SEO you do NOT need to be a developer or have an impressive technical resume. You just need to be willing to sit down and solve one problem at a time.
When you technical SEO and find that you are not getting anywhere, follow this process:
Googleit! There is a lot of information on the internet that will guide you step by step through a technical SEO-problem.
If you can't find an answer via Google, ask one of the many SEO communities on Facebook. These groups are usually very helpful and knowledgeable. If they can't answer your question directly, they will probably point you in the right direction.
Here are a few guides to get you started with technical SEO and website audits:
Ultimate Guide: How to create a website - WordPress is a software that allows you to easily create websites. The best thing about it is that you don't need to know how to code to use WordPress. This guide will walk you through the process of creating a website.
The technical audit checklist - In this post from Distilled, you'll find a link to a Google sheet with a checklist for technical SEO audits and links to resources to help you fill in each checkbox.
Here are a few measures you should consider in technical SEO:
Page loading time: Google prefers fast-loading pages for a better user experience. You should therefore ensure that your page loads as quickly as possible, for example by optimizing the size of images and videos and removing unnecessary code.
Structure of URLs: Google prefers short, meaningful URLs that are easy to read and understand. You should therefore make sure that your URLs are as short and precise as possible and contain meaningful keywords.
Mobile Usability: As more and more people browse the internet on their mobile devices, it is important that your site works well on all devices and is easy to navigate. You should therefore make sure that your site is optimized for mobile devices and that all content is easily accessible.
SEO Toolsthat can help you
SEO tools are a must for every SEO campaign. They can save you time and give you valuable insights into your own website and those of your competitors. Of course, it is extremely important to learn how to use these tools.
We have picked out some smart tools for you. Take a look at them and try working with them.
Google Analytics: Google Analytics tracks the data collected from your website and creates reports. If you want to get to know the tool, take a look at Google's training course.
Google Search Console: With this web service you can monitor the status of your website.
Pingdom Site Speed ToolA fast website is important for search engine optimization and the user experience. This tool shows the loading times of your website and helps you to increase the speed.
Screaming FrogThis tool crawls your website and analyzes the most important onsite elements.
Ahrefs Tool SuiteAhrefs can be used for Keyword-research, backlink analysis, content discovery, competitor analysis and much more. Learn how to get the most out of Ahrefs in the recently launched Ahrefs Academy. Also check out Ahrefs' SEO metrics and learn how to use the Keyword-difficulty.
Semrush Tool SuiteSemrush can also be used for the Keyword-research, a backlink analysis, content exploration, a competitor analysis and much more can be used.
Remember: Learning SEO never ends
More resources to learn SEO:
SEO requires you to constantly educate yourself because search engine algorithms change so quickly. Here are some great resources to help you educate yourself.
Certifications
Certifications don't carry much weight in the SEO industry, but they can be an effective signal of trust for potential clients or employers. One certification you should aim for is the Google Analytics (GA) Individual Qualification. This certification shows you all the functions and features that Google Analytics has to offer.
Blogs and websites
Blogs and websites are probably the most important source of learning for all SEOs - no matter how good you already are. Take a look at these blogs to learn SEO:
Google Blog
Search Engine Land
Ahrefs Blog
Search Engine Journal
Search Engine Watch
Backlinko
Moz Blog
Search Engine Roundtable
SEOBook
Marketing country
SEO books:
SEO 2020 by Adam Clarke: This SEO book gives a comprehensive insight into the various aspects of search engine optimization. It is a good choice for beginners as it explains the basics but also covers advanced concepts and techniques.
SEO for dummies by Peter Kent: This book is an excellent choice for newcomers as it explains the basics of search engine optimization step by step and covers all aspects of SEO.
SEO strategies for beginners by Jon Rognerud: This book is a good introduction to the world of search engine optimization. It provides a detailed guide to creating a successful SEO strategy and covers all aspects of search engine optimization.
SEO Tricks by Michael Martinez: This book is a comprehensive introduction to the basics of search engine optimization. It contains many practical examples to help you create a successful SEO strategy.
SEO Bible by Rand Fishkin: This book is a comprehensive guide to search engine optimization. It contains a wealth of information on all aspects of SEO, from the Keyword-research to technical SEO.
SEO workshops:
SEO Workshop by Moz: Moz regularly offers SEO workshops aimed at novices and experts. The workshop covers all aspects of search engine optimization, including Keyword-research, on-page optimization and link building.
SEO Workshop from Google: Google regularly offers SEO workshops aimed at newcomers. These workshops offer an insight into the basics of search engine optimization and cover all aspects of SEO, from the Keyword-research to technical SEO.
SEO Workshop from Yoast: Yoast regularly offers SEO workshops aimed at beginners and experts. The workshop covers all aspects of search engine optimization, including on-page optimization and technical SEO.
SEO Workshop by SEMrush: SEMrush regularly offers SEO workshops aimed at novices and experts. The workshop covers all aspects of search engine optimization, including Keyword-research, on-page optimization and link building.
SEO workshop by Searchmetrics: Searchmetrics regularly offers SEO workshops aimed at newcomers and experts. The workshop covers all aspects of search engine optimization, including on-page optimization, link building and technical SEO.
SEO courses:
SEO course from Udemy: Udemy offers an SEO course for beginners. The course covers all aspects of search engine optimization, including Keyword-research, on-page optimization and link building.
SEO course from Coursera: Coursera offers an SEO course for beginners. The course covers all aspects of search engine optimization, including Keyword-research, on-page optimization and link building.
SEO course from Lynda.com: Lynda.com offers an SEO course for beginners. The course covers all aspects of search engine optimization, including Keyword-research, on-page optimization and link building.
SEO course from edX: edX offers an SEO course for beginners. The course covers all aspects of search engine optimization, including Keyword-research, on-page optimization and link building.
SEO course from Skillshare: Skillshare offers an SEO course for beginners. The course covers all aspects of search engine optimization, including Keyword-research, on-page optimization and link building.
SEO Jobs:
Junior SEO Manager: This is a great job for someone who is new to SEO. As a Junior SEO Manager, you will be responsible for developing and implementing search engine optimization strategies.
SEO Consultants: As an SEO consultant, you will work with companies to help them implement search engine optimization strategies. This is a great way to gain experience in the field of search engine optimization.
SEO textsr: As an SEO copywriter, you write content that is optimized for search engines. This is a good way to gain experience in the field of search engine optimization.
SEO Analyst: As an SEO analyst, you are responsible for collecting and analyzing data that helps to improve a company's search engine optimization strategies.
SEO SpecialistAs an SEO specialist, you will be responsible for the development and implementation of search engine optimization strategies. This is a good opportunity to gain experience in the field of search engine optimization.
SEO Forums:
SEO Forum by Moz: This forum is a great resource for beginners as there are many experts willing to answer questions and give advice.
Search Engine Roundtable SEO Forum: This forum is a great resource for beginners, as many experts are willing to answer questions and give advice.
Black Hat World SEO Forum: This forum offers a large community of experts who are ready to answer questions and give advice.
Search Engine Watch SEO Forum: This forum is a great resource for beginners as many experts are willing to answer questions and give advice.
SEO Forum by SEOChat: This forum offers a large community of experts who are ready to answer questions and give advice.
There are many different ways you can learn SEO as a newbie, and it's important that you learn the basics in order to create an effective strategy. SEO books, SEO workshops, SEO courses, SEO jobs, SEO video courses and SEO forums are just some of the many ways you can learn SEO. With a little research and the right resources, you can quickly learn the basics of search engine optimization and improve your SEO strategy.
By 
German 
English 