SEO for Business Success - an extra-short courses introducing key principles of effective SEO.

s one of our Business Bites, this is a concise, practical course focusing on core skills and techniques at the heart of effective Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). It is 4 modules long and includes 2 tutor-marked assignments; involving approximately 25 hours of study time.

It leads to the award of a Certificate of Course Completion.

This is an indepth introduction to search engine optimisation, showing you how to improve the positioning of your site on major search engines and directories. It also shows you how to implement, monitor and maintain an ongoing search engine strategy. Learn how to create a powerful and compelling web presence for your business. The course fee includes all course material, full tutorial support from an expert tutor, and course book: Search Engine Optimization: An Hour a Day, J. Grappone and Gradiva Couzin. This course assumes some knowledge of HTML.

Subjects covered include: understanding search engines and directories; choosing keywords to suit your business; site optimisation; page optimisation; site listings; planning your strategy; link building - identifying the right links for your business; pay-per-click; monitoring your campaign.

Whereas once people might have flicked through the yellow pages to find a business or service, today their first port of call is likely to be a search engine. A 2004 survey found that 63.9% of those questioned said a search engine would be the first place they would go to research a product or service (Enquiro/MarketingSherpa).

Optimising your site for the search engines will help to ensure a high organic listing, so potential customers find you rather than one of your competitors!

There are many elements of SEO, all of which we shall be exploring during the course. The most important include; HTML page title, keyword-optimised visible HTML text on the page, quality and quantity of inbound links, inbound link anchor text, navigation, and age of domain. Other less significant factors include: image ALT tags, keywords in metatags, and page URL.

Course Outline

Module One: Understanding Search Engines. How search engines work - robots and spiders. Defining your SEO goals. Measuring your SEO Campaign.

Module Two: SEO Strategy. Building your SEO team. Identifying your keywords. Conversions, ranks and inbound links. Identify and assessing your online competitors. Site visibility. Landing pages.

Module Three: Your SEO Plan. Basic optimisation: titles, metatags and page text. The art of link building. The role of pay-per-click. Site structure and SEO. Visibility check. Monitoring links, conversions and ranking.

Module Four: Ongoing SEO. Content building. SEO copywriting. Optimising non-html content. Monitoring pay-per-click and ROI. Article PR.

Learning Curve is one of the UK's leading distance learning providers. All of our home study courses include study material, which is sent out in an attractive, hardwearing folder, essential course books and full tutorial support. We are accredited by the Open and Distance Learning Quality Council, members of the Association of British Correspondence Colleges and the British Institute of Learning and Development, and registered as providers with the Learning Skills Council. For more about Learning Curve click here.