SEO Learning Roadmap: Beginner to Advanced

HTML & CSS FundamentalsPick up the HTML and CSS foundations that technical SEO work depends on.

HTML Fundamentals

HTML & CSS for SEO

Introduction to SEO and Core ConceptsUnderstand what SEO is, how search engines work and the core terminology.

What SEO Is and Why It Matters

How Search Engines Are Built and Operate

SEO Terminology and Glossaries

SEO Strategy and RoadmappingBuild an effective SEO strategy, set goals and decide what to work on first.

Building an SEO Strategy

Goal Setting and Prioritization

GuideHow to Set SMART SEO Goals (With Examples)Search Engine Land(opens in a new tab)
GuideExecuting SEO: Goals, Strategy and PlanningSearch Engine Land(opens in a new tab)
GuideHow to Set and Achieve Realistic SEO GoalsSearch Engine Journal(opens in a new tab)
BlogSEO Prioritization: Focusing on What Moves the NeedleSearch Engine Land(opens in a new tab)
GuideHow to Set Goals for Your SEO TeamSearch Engine Land(opens in a new tab)

PPC and SEO Synergy

Keyword ResearchTarget the right queries by understanding how your audience actually searches.

The Keyword Research Process

Keyword Difficulty and Opportunity Analysis

Competitor Keyword Analysis

Topic Clusters and Keyword Mapping

Search Intent in DepthRead the real goal behind a query and shape your content around it.

Search Intent Types and Classification

Intent Matching and Content Fit

SERP Analysis and Competitor Page ReviewAnalyse search results to work out what competitors are doing and why it ranks.

Understanding SERP Structure

Featured Snippet and PAA Optimization

On-Page SEOOptimize every page for both search engines and the people reading it.

Title Tags and Meta Descriptions

Heading Hierarchy and URL Structure

Internal Linking Strategy

Content Optimization

Landing Page Optimization

Organic Click-Through Rate Optimization

Search-Led Content ProductionCreate genuinely useful content that also satisfies search engines.

Content Strategy and Planning

SEO Copywriting

Content Lifecycle ManagementManage your content portfolio through decay, pruning, refreshes and cannibalization.

Content Decay and Refreshes

Content Pruning and Auditing

Keyword Cannibalization

E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trust)Understand and apply Google's framework for evaluating content quality.

Understanding the E-E-A-T Framework

Building Authority and Trust

YMYL and Sensitive Content

Topical Authority and Semantic SEOBuild topical authority with meaning-led content and entity SEO strategies.

Topical Authority

Semantic SEO and Entity Optimization

Entity SEO and Knowledge PanelsUnderstand Google's Knowledge Graph, optimize your Knowledge Panel and own your brand SERP.

Entity SEO and the Knowledge Graph

Knowledge Panel Optimization

Technical SEOOptimize your technical foundations, crawl process and indexing performance.

Crawling and Indexing Fundamentals

Sitemaps and Robots.txt

Canonical Tags and Redirects

Crawl Budget and Site Architecture

Log File Analysis

Crawl Behaviour Analysis

Edge SEO

Site Speed and Core Web VitalsImprove both user experience and rankings by optimizing page performance.

Core Web Vitals Overview

LCP (Largest Contentful Paint) in Depth

INP (Interaction to Next Paint) in Depth

CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift) in Depth

TTFB (Time to First Byte) in Depth

Performance Measurement and Monitoring

Advanced Performance Techniques

Schema Markup and Structured DataHelp search engines understand your content and earn rich results.

Schema Markup Fundamentals

Schema Types and Where to Use Them

Rich Results and Testing Tools

JavaScript and Modern Web SEOLearn how JS frameworks, headless CMSs, Jamstack and rendering strategy affect SEO.

JavaScript SEO Fundamentals

SSR vs CSR and Rendering Strategy

Headless SEO

Jamstack SEO

Site Migration SEOProtect organic performance through domain changes, CMS moves and redesigns.

The Migration Process and Checklists

Web Accessibility and SEORaise both accessibility and SEO performance through WCAG conformance.

Where Accessibility and SEO Meet

Image SEOOptimize images to win traffic from Google Images and organic search.

Image Optimization Fundamentals

Image Sitemaps and Alt Text

Advanced Image Performance

Video SEO and YouTube SEOMove your video content up the rankings on YouTube and Google.

Video Content Optimization

YouTube SEO and the Algorithm

Scalable Video and Content Strategy

Off-Page SEO and Link BuildingStrengthen authority through off-site signals, backlink strategy and digital PR.

Off-Page SEO Concepts

Link Building Strategies

Digital PR

Brand Mentions and Link-Free Signals

Toxic Backlink Analysis and Cleanup

Online Reputation Management (ORM)Manage your digital reputation and take control of how the brand is perceived.

ORM Fundamentals and Strategy

Local SEOStand out in local search and reach customers in your area.

Google Business Profile Optimization

Local Ranking Factors

Local Citations and NAP Consistency

Review Management

E-commerce SEOGrow the organic visibility and revenue of your online store.

Product and Category Page Optimization

E-commerce Site Architecture and Technical SEO

SaaS and B2B SEODevelop product-led SEO strategies for SaaS and B2B companies.

SaaS SEO Strategy

Enterprise SEORun SEO at scale: team structure, governance and stakeholder communication.

Enterprise SEO Management

Stakeholder Management and Internal Communication

International SEOReach audiences across different countries and languages effectively.

Hreflang and Multilingual Setup

International SEO Strategy

Mobile SEOOptimize mobile performance in a mobile-first world.

Mobile-First Indexing and Optimization

App Store Optimization (ASO)Increase visibility in app stores and win more installs.

ASO Fundamentals

Google Play SEO

Apple App Store SEO

News SEO and Google DiscoverEarn visibility in Google News, Top Stories and Discover.

News SEO

Google Discover Optimization

Seasonal and Event-Driven SEOCatch demand at the right moment with seasonal campaigns and event-driven SEO.

Seasonal SEO Strategy

Google Algorithms and UpdatesUnderstand Google's core algorithms, updates and ranking systems.

Google Core Updates

The Helpful Content Update

Spam Updates and Algorithm Types

Google Penalties and RecoveryLearn the penalty types, resolve manual actions and recover your site.

Google Penalty Types

Manual Actions and Recovery

Negative SEO Detection and DefenceDetect malicious SEO attacks, defend your site and recover.

Negative SEO Types and Detection

SEO AuditsRun thorough site audits to surface issues and build an improvement plan.

The Audit Process and Checklists

Audit Tools and Templates

SEO Analytics and ReportingMeasure and analyse SEO performance, then report it in a way people act on.

Google Search Console

Google Analytics 4

SEO Reporting and KPIs

SEO Forecasting and ROI ModellingModel return on SEO investment, forecast traffic and prove value to stakeholders.

SEO Forecasting Models

Calculating SEO ROI

UX, CRO and Conversion OptimizationCombine user experience with SEO to optimize both traffic and conversion.

How UX and SEO Relate

SEO + CRO (Conversion Rate Optimization)

SEO A/B Testing and ExperimentsValidate SEO changes with data through split testing and controlled experiments.

SEO A/B Testing Fundamentals

Split Testing Tools and Case Studies

Programmatic SEOUnlock large traffic potential with scalable, data-driven page generation.

Programmatic SEO Strategy

Voice Search OptimizationOptimize content for voice assistants and conversational queries.

Voice Search SEO Strategy

SERP Features and Zero-Click SearchUnderstand the rise of zero-click search and what AI results mean for SEO.

The Zero-Click Search Trend

AI Overviews and the Impact of SGE

Artificial Intelligence and SEOBring AI tools into your SEO workflow, understand the risks and gain leverage.

Producing Content With AI (for SEO)

Prompt Engineering (for SEO)

AI Content Risks and Caveats

SEO Automation Workflows

GEO — Generative Engine OptimizationBe visible in AI search: Google AI, ChatGPT, Perplexity and beyond.

GEO Fundamentals and Strategy

Multi-Platform AI Visibility

Alternative Search Engines and Platform SEOEarn visibility on search engines and platforms other than Google.

Bing SEO

Reddit SEO

TikTok SEO

Amazon SEO

eBay SEO

Instagram SEO

Quora SEO

SEO Automation and ProgrammingAutomate SEO work with Python, SQL, RegEx and related tooling.

SEO With Python and Programming

SQL, BigQuery and Machine Learning

CMS-Specific SEOApply SEO correctly on WordPress, Shopify, Webflow and other platforms.

WordPress SEO

Shopify SEO

Other CMS Platforms

SEO ToolsExplore the tools available for your SEO work, grouped by category.

Google SEO Tools

Rank Tracking Tools

Technical SEO Tools

General SEO Tool Guides

Keyword Research Tools

Chrome SEO Extensions

SEO Careers and DevelopmentPlan your SEO career, learn to work freelance and build case studies.

SEO Career Paths

Freelance SEO

Building an SEO Case Study

Keeping Up With SEONews, podcasts and newsletters for keeping up with how SEO changes.

SEO Learning Roadmap

SEO Resources