Melissa Ah, SEO. Three little letters that may seem a bit mysterious, even frightening for some. If you are here, it’s because you want to understand how to train in SEO, and let me reassure you right away: you are in the right place! Whether you are a complete beginner or a professional looking to hone your skills, I will guide you through the best ways to learn natural referencing, what it involves, and why it has become absolutely essential in our digital world. Ready to dive into the exciting universe of SEO? Let’s go!
Why Train in SEO?
So, why should you train in SEO? Simply because SEO is one of the pillars of any successful digital strategy. Whether you want to create a blog, launch your online store, or boost your company’s website, understanding referencing is essential. Without it, your site may remain buried in the depths of search results, invisible, like a treasure lost in the ocean (beautiful, right?).
SEO is constantly evolving. The algorithms of search engines change regularly, which means that it’s not enough to learn the basics once and for all. If you want to stay competitive, you must be constantly vigilant and continue your training.
The Three Pillars of SEO to Master
To start, know that SEO is based on three major pillars. Yes, just like a beautiful solid house, you will need these three foundations to hold your referencing.
Technical SEO
This is where it all begins. Technical SEO concerns the structure of your site, loading speed, mobile optimization, and of course, indexing by Google. If your site is not technically optimized, it’s like trying to run a marathon with lead shoes. Not ideal.
To improve your site’s technical SEO:
- Check your site’s speed with tools like Google PageSpeed Insights.
- Make sure your site is mobile-friendly (Google loves that).
- Optimize your H1, H2, H3 tags and your meta descriptions.
- Use a sitemap.xml file and a robots.txt file to guide search engines.
And if you want to avoid technical headaches, I recommend going through a CMS like WordPress, which greatly simplifies these optimizations with plugins like Yoast SEO.
Content
Content is king in SEO. If your content is poor or of no interest, even the best technical optimization won’t help you shine on Google. The idea here is to produce quality content that meets user needs. And above all, use the right keywords.
But be careful, not just any keywords! You need to choose relevant keywords and of course, long-tail keywords. The latter are more specific and often less competitive. An example? If you want to rank for “ SEO training ”, you could also use variations like “ free SEO training for beginners ” or “ best online SEO course ”.
Popularity (Backlinks)
The third pillar is your site’s popularity. The more your site is mentioned on other sites, the more Google will consider you an authority in your field. These mentions, known as backlinks, are super important for improving your ranking.
Small tip: avoid shady techniques to gain backlinks. Favor partnerships, guest articles, and quality collaborations. A good backlink is a link from a reputable site in your field.
The Best Methods to Learn SEO
Now that you know the basics, how to learn SEO concretely? Here are several options to get you started according to your desires, budget, and schedule.
Follow Online Courses
Online courses are an excellent way to train in SEO from the comfort of your home. Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, there are courses suitable for your level. Plus, you can learn at your own pace. Here are some of the best platforms to learn SEO:
- Udemy: One of the most popular platforms with various SEO courses.
- Walter Learning: Offers structured SEO courses with videos, quizzes, and downloadable materials.
- Coursera: SEO courses offered by renowned universities and companies.
Online courses will provide you with a solid foundation, but also help you perfect your skills if you’re already comfortable with certain concepts.
Learn by Practicing
There’s no secret: the best way to learn SEO is by practicing. Create your own site or blog, apply the techniques you learn, and optimize your content according to SEO rules. You’ll quickly discover that it’s by making mistakes that we learn the most!
Start by writing SEO-optimized articles, work on your keyword strategy, and analyze your results with Google Analytics. The more you practice, the more you will understand the mechanisms of natural referencing.
Additional Resources to Perfect Your Skills
If you want to go even further in your SEO training, here are some resources that will be useful to you.
Recommended Books
Are you the type who loves diving into a good book? Here’s a list of essential works to master SEO:
- Successful Web Referencing by Olivier Andrieu.
- Web Referencing Techniques by Alexandra Martin and Mathieu Chartier.
- Writing Well for the Web by Isabelle Canivet.
These books are filled with practical advice to help you understand the aspects of SEO in depth.
SEO Conferences and Events
If you have the opportunity to attend SEO events, I highly recommend going. These events are gold mines for networking and exchanging ideas with SEO experts. Among the must-attend events:
- SEO Camp: One of the largest SEO events in France.
- SMX Paris: Brings together the top experts in SEO and SEA.
- We Love SEO: A more intimate event, but just as relevant for SEO enthusiasts.
These events will allow you to stay updated on the latest trends and discover advanced tips.
