{"id":165510,"date":"2023-08-25T00:36:44","date_gmt":"2023-08-25T05:36:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/?p=165510"},"modified":"2025-07-14T04:37:08","modified_gmt":"2025-07-14T09:37:08","slug":"seo-certification","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-certification\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Best SEO Certifications: Free &amp;&nbsp;Paid"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"intro-txt\">Since university degrees in search engine optimization (SEO) are rare, certifications are a popular way to prove your knowledge or expertise in SEO. However, the problem is that such certifications can be provided by anyone.<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>So if you want to get an SEO certification, you want to make sure you\u2019re completing an online SEO course&nbsp;where:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The course material is comprehensive, accurate, and actually teaches you the <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/seo\/seo-basics\" data-ahr=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-basics\/\">basics of SEO<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They\u2019re well-regarded in the industry.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>To find online courses that fit the bill, we polled our <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/newsletter\">200K+ newsletter subscribers<\/a> on the top SEO certifications they would recommend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"intro-tok\" id=\"intro_tok\" style=\"display:none;\"><div class=\"intro-title\">Contents<\/div><a href=\"#\" class=\"expand-dots\"><span><\/span><span><\/span><span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Best SEO certifications\" data-section=\"best-seo-certifications\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Best SEO certifications<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are the five SEO certification courses that our subscribers gave the most&nbsp;votes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/academy\/certification-course\">Ahrefs Certification Course<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-165516\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image3-10.jpg\" alt=\"Ahrefs Certification Course\n\" width=\"472\" height=\"586\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image3-10.jpg 944w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image3-10-342x425.jpg 342w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image3-10-768x953.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 472px) 100vw, 472px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Duration:<\/strong> 7 hours 4 minutes<br><strong>Price:<\/strong> Free with an <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/webmaster-tools\">Ahrefs Webmaster Tools<\/a> account<br><strong>Instructor(s):<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/samsgoh?lang=en-GB\">Sam Oh<\/a><br><strong>Level:<\/strong> All levels<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is our own advanced SEO certification training that teaches how Ahrefs\u2019 tools and data work. It\u2019s split into modules representing each of our&nbsp;tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-165517\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image12-10.png\" alt=\"The modules breakdown in the course\n\" width=\"451\" height=\"526\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image12-10.png 902w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image12-10-364x425.png 364w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image12-10-768x896.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 451px) 100vw, 451px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Even though the focus is on gaining a deep understanding of our toolset, you\u2019ll still learn key SEO concepts like keyword research, competitive analysis, content marketing, link building, technical SEO, on-page SEO, and&nbsp;more.<\/p>\n<p>Completing our course is also useful for career development, as many SEO and marketing managers ask for familiarity with popular SEO tools as part of job descriptions.<\/p>\n<p>Our certification course is currently in beta. So you won\u2019t be able to take a final exam and get an SEO certification (for now). Don\u2019t worry, though; we plan to add the certificate in the near future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.coursera.org\/learn\/seo-fundamentals\">Google SEO Fundamentals by UC&nbsp;Davis<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-165519\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image4-8.png\" alt=\"Google SEO Fundamentals by UC Davis\n\" width=\"492\" height=\"460\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image4-8.png 984w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image4-8-455x425.png 455w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image4-8-768x718.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 492px) 100vw, 492px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Duration:<\/strong> 29 hours<br><strong>Price:<\/strong> Free<br><strong>Instructor(s):<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/rebekah_am\/\">Rebekah May<\/a><br><strong>Level:<\/strong> Beginner SEOs<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Created by the University of California, Davis, and powered by Coursera, this course teaches fundamental SEO concepts. There are four modules in this course covering keyword research, on page SEO, off page SEO, and technical SEO. There are also four assessments to complete. Once you\u2019ve passed, you can earn a career certificate that you can add to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV. For example, here\u2019s one given to my colleague, <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/author\/joshua-hardwick\/\">Joshua Hardwick<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1592\" height=\"1230\" class=\"wp-image-165521\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image9-11-1.jpg\" alt=\"Google SEO Fundamentals certificate\n\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image9-11-1.jpg 1592w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image9-11-1-550x425.jpg 550w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image9-11-1-768x593.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image9-11-1-1536x1187.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1592px) 100vw, 1592px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>While the course is well regarded and prestigious, it comes at a huge time cost of 29 hours. You could build and potentially rank your own website on search engines in that amount of time. It might be better to consider the other certifications on this&nbsp;list.<\/p>\n<p>Many SEOs used to mistakenly claim that they were \u201cGoogle certified\u201d after completing this course. This was likely because Google used to recommend it, even as late as July&nbsp;2023:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1274\" height=\"702\" class=\"wp-image-165523\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image6-11.png\" alt=\"Google used to recommend the certification by UC Davis\n\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image6-11.png 1274w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image6-11-680x375.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image6-11-768x423.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1274px) 100vw, 1274px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>However, Google has since redirected this page somewhere else and, as a result, stopped recommending this course.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. <a href=\"https:\/\/academy.hubspot.com\/courses\/seo-training\">SEO Certification Course by HubSpot<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"980\" height=\"544\" class=\"wp-image-165525\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image10-10.png\" alt=\"SEO Certification Course by HubSpot\n\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image10-10.png 980w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image10-10-680x377.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image10-10-768x426.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 980px) 100vw, 980px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Duration:<\/strong> 3 hours 51 minutes<br><strong>Price:<\/strong> Free<br><strong>Instructor(s):<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/InboundRachel\">Rachel Sheldon<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/matthewbarby\">Matthew Howells-Barby<\/a><br><strong>Level:<\/strong> Beginner SEOs<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This free SEO certification course is part of HubSpot, a SaaS company known for <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/inbound-marketing\/\">inbound marketing<\/a> (the founders even wrote a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/Inbound-Marketing-Found-Google-Social\/dp\/0470499311\">book<\/a> about&nbsp;it).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With six lessons and 26 videos, the course runs at close to four hours. It covers SEO basics, on-page and technical SEO, how to perform keyword research, link building, optimizing your website for structured data, and SEO reporting (including how to use Google Analytics and Google Search Console.)<\/p>\n<p>There are also five quizzes to complete, after which you can gain a certificate. For example, my colleague, <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/joshuachardwick?lang=en\">Joshua<\/a>, took this certification and obtained this certificate:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1237\" class=\"wp-image-165527\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image5-10.png\" alt=\"SEO certification from HubSpot\n\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image5-10.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image5-10-550x425.png 550w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image5-10-768x594.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image5-10-1536x1188.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The course is free, but you\u2019ll have to sign up for a HubSpot Academy account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. <a href=\"https:\/\/yoast.com\/academy\/all-around-seo-training\/\">All-Around SEO Training by&nbsp;Yoast<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-165529\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image11-8.png\" alt=\"All-Around SEO Training by Yoast\n\" width=\"493\" height=\"373\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image11-8.png 986w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image11-8-562x425.png 562w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image11-8-768x581.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 493px) 100vw, 493px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Duration:<\/strong> 3 hours<br><strong>Price:<\/strong> $99\/year<br><strong>Instructor(s):<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/jdevalk\">Joost de Valk<\/a><br><strong>Level:<\/strong> Beginner and intermediate SEOs<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is the first paid SEO certification on this list. It costs $99 per year, and you get a certificate, badge, and access to the course for one year. (You can share this on LinkedIn, your resume, CV, etc.). The self-paced learning course covers:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>How to target keywords that drive organic traffic<\/li>\n<li>Create website content hat convinces those visitors to buy or become returning visitors<\/li>\n<li>Avoid basic SEO mistakes with a solid technical SEO foundation<\/li>\n<li>Organise your site structure<\/li>\n<li>Get more links to your&nbsp;site<\/li>\n<li>Develop an <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/orchard-seo-strategy\/\">SEO strategy<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>You also get access to all other Yoast academy courses and the Yoast SEO premium plugin.<\/p>\n<p>Considering that Yoast is probably the most used SEO plugin, this may actually sound like a&nbsp;steal.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re unsure about dropping that amount of money on an SEO course, Yoast also offers a free sample lesson for you to&nbsp;try:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-165531\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image15-6.png\" alt=\"Start a free sample lesson on Yoast\n\" width=\"488\" height=\"327\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image15-6.png 976w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image15-6-634x425.png 634w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image15-6-768x515.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 488px) 100vw, 488px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/learning\/seo-foundations-14828080\">SEO Foundations on LinkedIn<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-165533\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image14-6.jpg\" alt=\"SEO Foundations on LinkedIn\n\" width=\"483\" height=\"393\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image14-6.jpg 966w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image14-6-522x425.jpg 522w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image14-6-768x625.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 483px) 100vw, 483px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Duration:<\/strong> 1 hour 32 minutes<br><strong>Price:<\/strong> ~$40<br><strong>Instructor(s):<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/davidabooth\/\">David Booth<\/a><br><strong>Level:<\/strong> Beginner SEOs<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Part of LinkedIn Learning, this course has five modules and five chapter quizzes to assess your knowledge. The course content covers:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>What SEO&nbsp;is<\/li>\n<li>Keyword research<\/li>\n<li>Website content optimization for&nbsp;SEO<\/li>\n<li>Technical SEO (including how to use Google Search Console)<\/li>\n<li>Link building<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Passing the course means acquiring a LinkedIn Learning Certificate of Completion, which you can easily add to your LinkedIn profile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-165535\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image7-10.png\" alt=\"Shareable certification from LinkedIn Learning\n\" width=\"469\" height=\"610\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image7-10.png 938w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image7-10-327x425.png 327w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image7-10-768x999.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 469px) 100vw, 469px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Unfortunately, this is a paid course\u2014but it\u2019s relatively affordable. You can even start a one-month free trial on LinkedIn Learning and complete the course within that period.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Are SEO certifications worth it?\" data-section=\"are-seo-certifications-worth-it\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Are SEO certifications worth&nbsp;it?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s be straight:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Most SEO certifications aren\u2019t worth&nbsp;it.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are a few reasons why.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Most employers don\u2019t care about SEO certifications<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-job-description\/\">We asked 15 SEO hiring managers<\/a> for the skills and requirements that they deem important when hiring an SEO specialist. In all, 86% said that SEO certifications aren\u2019t important, with the rest saying that they\u2019re only somewhat important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1391\" class=\"wp-image-165536\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image13-8.png\" alt=\"86% of hiring managers say that SEO certifications aren't important when hiring an SEO specialist\n\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image13-8.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image13-8-489x425.png 489w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image13-8-768x668.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image13-8-1536x1335.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Not one hiring manager said they were very important.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So if you want an SEO certification to add to your resume and LinkedIn to attract job offers in the SEO industry, I have bad&nbsp;news.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. SEO certifications don\u2019t guarantee a good SEO education<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Getting an SEO certificate doesn\u2019t necessarily mean that you learned anything useful. It just means that you learned <em>something<\/em>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So don\u2019t let the allure of a certificate cloud your judgment when <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/learn-seo\/\">learning SEO<\/a>. If the syllabus doesn\u2019t look helpful, don\u2019t bother.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. SEO certifications only teach you theory, not practical skills<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Knowing the theory only gets you so&nbsp;far.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to become an SEO expert, <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-expert\/\">our advice<\/a> is to start a website as soon as possible after learning the <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/seo\/seo-basics\" data-ahr=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-basics\/\">basics of SEO<\/a>. Getting your hands dirty and trying to rank a website will teach you more SEO skills than an SEO certification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. SEO certifications take a lot of&nbsp;time<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>There are 13 hours of material in <a href=\"https:\/\/learndigital.withgoogle.com\/digitalgarage\/course\/seo-fundamentals\">Google\u2019s SEO Fundamentals certification<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-165538\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image8-7.png\" alt=\"Number of hours of material in Google\u2019s SEO Fundamentals certification\n\" width=\"441\" height=\"551\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image8-7.png 882w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image8-7-340x425.png 340w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image8-7-768x960.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 441px) 100vw, 441px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s not a negligible amount of time. You could spend that time building and ranking a website. If you\u2019re stuck, you could simply Google around and consult existing free resources. And it\u2019s probably a better use of your time if you already know the basics of&nbsp;SEO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. SEO certifications often have bad questions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Look at this question from an SEO&nbsp;certification exam:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"601\" class=\"wp-image-165540\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image2-10.png\" alt=\"A question from an SEO certification\n\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image2-10.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image2-10-680x255.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image2-10-768x288.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image2-10-1536x577.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Google actually <a href=\"https:\/\/developers.google.com\/search\/docs\/advanced\/guidelines\/url-structure\">recommends<\/a> you use hyphens rather than underscores in URLs. So it\u2019s not a true or false question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s another question, this time from Google\u2019s SEO Fundamentals certification:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"565\" class=\"wp-image-165542\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image1-9.png\" alt=\"A question from Google\u2019s SEO Fundamentals certification\n\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image1-9.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image1-9-680x240.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image1-9-768x271.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image1-9-1536x542.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>You can see we got the answer wrong. If we must guess, the correct answer is likely \u201coptimizing site keywords.\u201d But that\u2019s a terrible answer\u2014it sounds like something you\u2019d see in 2009, not&nbsp;now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are a hiring manager and see such questions in the quiz, will you trust the certification? And by extension, will you trust the knowledge of the \u201cSEO certified\u201d person?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Probably not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">6. SEO certifications are too easy to&nbsp;pass<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>For most certifications, if you failed the exam, you could retake it shortly after your initial attempt (between 0 and 12&nbsp;hours).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This sounds great if you\u2019re a \u201ctest taker.\u201d But since most questions are multiple-choice, it\u2019s only a matter of time before you pass the exam via trial and error or Googling.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This diminishes the value of your certification. Imagine if it was <em>this<\/em> easy for college exams. The job market would soon become saturated with graduates, and degrees would lose much of their&nbsp;value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">7. SEO certifications are often just marketing ploys<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Passing an SEO certification gets you a certificate (and sometimes a badge too). You can show this off on your resume, LinkedIn profile, or website. That raises brand awareness for the creator of the SEO certification.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is probably why many of them are easy to pass. Passes lead to brand awareness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"FAQ\" data-section=\"faq\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">FAQ<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are some commonly asked questions about SEO certifications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is an SEO certification?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>An SEO certification is awarded to a person who passes an assessment after completing an SEO course.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The proof of achievement, either in the form of a certificate or badge, is what differentiates an SEO certification from an SEO course.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is there a Google SEO certification?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Kind of.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Google offers a free \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/learndigital.withgoogle.com\/digitalgarage\/course\/digital-marketing\">Fundamentals of Digital Marketing\u201d certification<\/a> through the Google Digital Garage. It includes 26 modules, ~14 hours of material, and covers many aspects of digital marketing\u2014with three of them solely dedicated to SEO. It\u2019s accredited by the Interactive Advertising Bureau Europe and The Open University.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re looking to learn Google Analytics, there\u2019s also the <a href=\"https:\/\/skillshop.exceedlms.com\/student\/path\/508845-google-analytics-certification\">Google Analytics Certification<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Should you pay for an SEO certification?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Judge the course by its material, not by the certification. If the course contains material you didn\u2019t know before or can likely teach you advanced SEO <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-skills\/\">skills<\/a>, then it\u2019s worth paying for. Always look for large amounts of user reviews and feedback (like this <a href=\"https:\/\/skillfloor.com\/certified-seo-professional\">Skillfloor<\/a> course with 253 reviews).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Final thoughts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Most SEO hiring managers see certifications as unimportant when hiring SEO specialists. We&nbsp;agree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So here\u2019s our advice:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>If you\u2019re an SEO beginner,<\/strong> find a good SEO course (here\u2019s our <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/academy\/seo-training-course\">free course<\/a>). Then execute and try to get more organic traffic to your website.<\/li>\n<li>\n\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>If you want to get a job,<\/strong> do the same thing because SEO results speak louder than an \u201cSEO certification.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Looking for more SEO courses? Check out our free courses at the <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/academy\">Ahrefs Academy<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Any questions or comments? Let me know <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/siquanong\">on Twitter (X)<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.threads.net\/@siquanong\">Threads<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>So if you want to get an SEO certification, you want to make sure you\u2019re completing an online SEO course&nbsp;where: To find online courses that fit the bill, we polled our 200K+ newsletter subscribers on the top SEO certifications they<span class=\"ellipsis\">\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"read-more\">Read more \u203a<\/div>\n<p><!-- end of .read-more --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":146,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wp_typography_post_enhancements_disabled":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[335],"tags":[],"coauthors":[339],"class_list":["post-165510","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general-seo","odd"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>5 Best SEO Certifications: Free &amp; 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