There is a wealth of information on the internet about SEO. But is there an optimal way to learn SEO?
If you struggle to learn SEO and retain all the new information, you may have to try a different approach and check the results (which is a legit SEO mindset in itself!).
Different educational theories address how people learn and what potentially can help them achieve more while studying.
The Four Types of Learning
The VARK model proposes that there are four primary types of learners:
1. Visual
2. Auditory
3. Reading/writing
4. Kinesthetic
The concept that students learn best when lessons and classroom activities are tailored to their individual needs and skills gained traction in the 1970s and 1980s. On the other hand, studies have shown that individual differences in how they learn affect their performance somewhat. While current theories remove preferences from the central position, they remain popular with learners and educators.
Learners are classified in the VARK model based on whether they exhibit a preference for. For example, people who are visual learners benefit most from exposure to visuals.
Visual learners benefit from various visual presentations, including charts, graphs, illustrations, handouts, and films. Students who are more visual in their learning style will benefit most from this format.
Individuals who learn best through hearing are called aural (or auditory) learners. People with this trait typically learn much in classroom settings and retain the information.
Students learning to read and write gravitate toward visual displays that include words and text.
Kinesthetic learners are those who absorb information most effectively through movement and touch. Therefore, learners more receptive to kinesthetic instruction benefit greatly from opportunities to get their hands dirty.
What's the Best Way to Learn Search Engine Optimization?
1. Online SEO Courses and Online SEO Training Programs
Millions of people have signed up and completed online courses in the last two years for different reasons.
While some do it simply for self-improvement, a growing percentage do so for upskilling and improved prospects for employment. There are so many options for e-Learning that you will never run out of choices.
Among the most shared content formats in e-Learning programs are videos, webinars, and comprehensive programs involving audio recordings, podcasts, worksheets, eBooks, online quizzes, certification tests, and so on.
Legitimate and reliable course providers can help you learn SEO in a formal and structured way. However, since online learning platforms have also improved, self-learning at your own pace is the way to go. Therefore, we recommend signing up for programs that go beyond the fundamentals and can help you solve specific problems in SEO.
2. SEO Classroom
An SEO classroom is vastly different from an online SEO course or SEO training program, as you will be learning alongside an SEO coach or mentor. Having an SEO teacher in each session allows you to tap into actual knowledge and experience from the coach.
You can ask specific questions about what's happening to your website and rankings, and you can get direct answers from someone who can apply their valuable expertise to solve your problem. Not all classroom settings involve teachers giving lectures.
An SEO classroom does not work with passive learning. Instead, effective SEO teachers will dive right into the current issues and attempt to provide solutions for you. In addition, SEO teachers are accountability partners so that you can reach your milestones more quickly.
Since search engine optimization is a long-haul digital marketing channel that mainly involves studying customer intent and creating valuable information for the internet, it's not something you can practically master in a month or two. However, if you want the best results, sign up for ongoing SEO classes, and you will see the difference in your knowledge and growth in the months ahead.
3. SEO Books
What do we first think about when we want to learn something new? Books. Print books continue to prevail globally, and despite minor reductions in the size of the global book publishing industry, book sales soared during the pandemic, and projections remain positive.
The essential advantage of print books is they're typically comprehensive and include many points you will otherwise not encounter in blogs or articles. However, if you find it challenging to study using just articles or PDF files from case studies and would like more organization and structure to your learning, then you need to read more SEO books.
The only disadvantage with print books is the larger and heavier ones are harder to carry around, so you'd have to wait to get home to read them. Otherwise, they have no real disadvantages, and anyone who wants to take their learning seriously should begin reading this year. You can only get better as you read more and more books.
4. Digital Reading Materials
Digital reading materials are considered supplemental reading but note that many of the most valuable and popular books are made available by publishers in both digital and print formats. eBooks solve the problem of physical weight as you need to lead the eBook onto your phone or tablet and be on your way.
Some people also like reading on their laptops or MacBooks, which is fine too. The availability and scope of digital reading materials are often more comprehensive than print. You can also take more references with you wherever you go. If you find print books cumbersome, we recommend reading SEO eBooks. They may not have that lovely print feel, but you get the job done and can study SEO wherever possible.
5. SEO Learning Memberships
Some legitimate institutions and companies offer SEO learning membership plans. For example, suppose you come across a company educating people about SEO for years. In that case, you can expect them to have all sorts of educational formats on the ready, from video lectures to podcasts and other digital resources. Of course, you'll have to pay their monthly subscription, but if you're serious about your SEO education, it's a significant investment that will pay dividends soon enough.
