Trying to learn local SEO or keep up-to-date with local search trends but not sure which resources you should use or who to trust? This guide rounds up the most reputable local SEO resources from industry leaders at varying price-points, skill levels, and topics, so you can be sure you’re learning the best from the best. Before you waste your money or time on an unvetted local SEO course, review these top local SEO training options that offer the most value and are actually worth your investment.
Local SEO Courses
Whether you want to set up a Google Business Profile and optimize your local citations or understand link building, local keyword research, and other SEO best practices, here are ten great local SEO courses to consider.
Ahrefs Academy – Local SEO Course
- Price: Free
- Includes: Citation building, Google Business Profile, link building, local keyword research
- Time Commitment: 1-2 hours
- Receive Certification: No
Ahrefs Academy‘s Local SEO Course is a fantastic guide to boosting your business’ visibility in local search. This local SEO course offers participants a carefully curated list of instructional videos from the Ahrefs YouTube channel, breaking down everything from finding the right local keywords to optimizing your Google Business listing. Its user-friendly approach, real-world examples, and easy-to-understand content is what makes it one of the best educational tools for marketers looking to learn local SEO and for local business owners looking to stand out online.
BrightLocal Academy – How to Master Local Keyword Research
- Price: Free
- Includes: Local keyword research
- Time Commitment: 2-3 hours
- Receive Certification: Yes
Looking for a free SEO course about strategies that local businesses can use to rank higher in search results? Check out How to Master Local Keyword Research via BrightLocal Academy! This helpful step-by-step guide will teach new and experienced local SEOs the essential elements of local keyword research—from a basic understanding of the types of keywords and which ones to target to how you can naturally include them in content. For continued learning, BrightLocal Academy has many additional local SEO courses on competitor analyses, local SEO audits, and more.
Fiverr Learn – Local SEO: Put Your Business On The Map
- Price: $52
- Includes: Citation building, Google Business Profile, competitor research, link building, local keyword research
- Time Commitment: 2-3 hours
- Receive Certification: No, but a badge will appear on your Fiverr profile
With Local SEO: Put Your Business On The Map through Fiverr Learn, you’ll have everything you need to know about local SEO. This in-depth desktop and mobile-friendly course gives you knowledge on local search engine optimization tactics and hands-on techniques such as schema markup, image geotagging, technical SEO, NAP consistency, and much more. This local SEO course also offers participants real-world examples to go along with the teachings, as well as lifetime access to course materials and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
LinkedIn Learning – Learning Local SEO
- Price: $24.99 course or memberships starting at $39.99/month (one-month free trial)
- Includes: Google Business Profile, local keyword research, reputation management
- Time Commitment: 1-2 hours
- Receive Certification: Yes
For one of the best paid SEO courses that focuses on local search optimization, enroll in Learning Local SEO on LinkedIn Learning. This introductory-level course breaks down the basics of local SEO and how it differs from SEO. Additionally, it teaches business owners about building trust with their customers through review management, optimizing a local business website to be both user and search-friendly, and conducting keyword research to optimize for geotargeted keywords.
Moz Academy – Local SEO Certification
- Price: $395
- Includes: Competitor research, content creation, Google Business Profile, link building, local keyword research, reputation management
- Time Commitment: 8-10 hours
- Receive Certification: Yes
If you have a larger budget and more time to invest, the Local SEO Certification course by Moz Academy is one of the best ways to learn local SEO. This instructor-led option covers SEO fundamentals such as conducting a thorough analysis of local competitors, managing location data, and maintaining a positive online reputation for your business. Lessons include activities throughout the course, as well as a final exam to test your understanding. As an added convenience, the course provides an ongoing maintenance plan for local SEO strategy, and students retain access to all course materials for one year after registration.
Neil Patel – Local SEO Unlocked
- Price: Free
- Includes: Citation building, Google Business Profile, link building, local keyword research
- Time Commitment: 1-2 hours
- Receive Certification: Yes
A leader in the marketing industry, Neil Patel offers learners free local SEO training in Local SEO Unlocked. This detailed local SEO guide provides a variety of educational videos paired with downloadable resource sheets to help you apply what you’ve learned, including local SEO checklists and guides you can save for easy reference. The course starts with the basics—a review of local SEO ranking factors and on-page and off-page SEO techniques. Then, it takes students through lessons on how to claim your Google Business listing and optimize local content so that you have a better chance of showing up in the local pack.
Semrush Academy – Local SEO Course with Greg Gifford
- Price: Free
- Includes: Citation management, content creation, Google Business Profile, link building, reputation management
- Time Commitment: 1-2 hours
- Receive Certification: Yes
Those who need a quick, free local SEO refresher should consider the Local SEO Course with Greg Gifford via Semrush Academy. This short course reviews how to optimize your Google Business Profile, implement link-building strategies, and manage your business’ NAP citations for better local search results. Intermediate learners will appreciate the section about how to write localized content to maximize traffic. After course completion, you’ll receive an industry-recognized digital marketing certification to showcase your new skills.
Skillshare – Local SEO Course 2023: Complete Practical Local SEO Training
- Price: Memberships starting at $32/month (one-month free trial)
- Includes: Citation building, content creation, Google Business Profile, link building, local keyword research, WordPress
- Time Commitment: 5-6 hours
- Receive Certification: No
Suited for a range of experience levels, Local SEO Course 2023: Complete Practical Local SEO Training on Skillshare has a fresh perspective on local SEO. Beyond video lessons covering the best local SEO strategies, this unique course offers access to a private Facebook Q&A group, free one-to-one business consultation, and other types of individualized support from the instructor. If you decide to keep your Skillshare membership after the course is over, you’ll also have access to hundreds of other SEO courses, covering everything from keyword research and link building to content creation and much more.
Udemy – Local SEO: A Definitive Guide To Local Business Marketing
- Price: $94.99 course or memberships starting at $20/month (seven-day free trial)
- Includes: Citation building, content creation, Google Business Profile, link building, local keyword research
- Time Commitment: 10-11 hours
- Receive Certification: Yes
If you want an all-in-one local SEO marketing course for true beginners, sign up for Local SEO: A Definitive Guide To Local Business Marketing on Udemy. In this course, complex ideas are broken down and thoroughly explained to cater to those with no previous SEO knowledge. Topics range from off-page and on-page SEO to backlinking strategies, optimizing your Google Business Profile, and more. To help participants follow along with ease, each step of the local SEO process is paired with a how-to video demonstration, making it the perfect resource for business owners to refer back to when setting up these local SEO techniques on their own.
Yoast SEO Academy – Local SEO Training
- Price: $79/year
- Includes: Citation building, content creation, Google Business Profile, link building, reputation management
- Time Commitment: 2-3 hours
- Receive Certification: Yes
Sharpen your local SEO skills with the Local SEO Training course by Yoast SEO Academy. This SEO strategy course provides online trainings for small businesses looking to improve their organic local search engine rankings. With instructional videos about on and off-page SEO tactics, this course offers insight on local citations, user experience (UX), and ways to leverage social media to boost local SEO. Included with your purchase is a vocabulary cheat sheet and access to the Yoast Local SEO plugin, which takes care of technical SEO needs on your business’ contact page.
Additional Local SEO Resources
While there are plenty of useful local SEO courses available, you can continue learning about local SEO optimization through various guides, checklists, resources, and blogs from leaders in the industry. Here are additional local SEO resources for further education.
- Individual Guides:
- Ahrefs – Local SEO: The Complete Guide
- Backlinko – Local SEO: The Definitive Guide
- BrightLocal – The Comprehensive Guide to Local SEO in 2024
- ClickMinded – A Comprehensive Local SEO Checklist to Increase Local Search Traffic
- HubSpot – A Comprehensive Guide to Local SEO in 2023
- Reliablesoft – What Is Local SEO? & How It Works
- Resource Banks:
- Moz’s Local SEO resources
- Search Engine Journal’s Local Search articles
- Local Search Fuel by Hurrdat’s Local SEO and Google Business Profile Optimization posts
Need help implementing local SEO strategies to boost your online presence? Hurrdat Marketing offers website and local SEO services that can help. Contact us today to learn more!
