Local SEO Course for Beginners

Your Video Guide to Local SEO Success

This FREE 6-video novice-friendly course is designed for local business owners and managers. The course instructor, Alex Zagoumenov, takes students through steps to increase local business visibility in search engines, shares practical insights and tools to succeed in local SEO.

6 video lessons // No registration // Level: Beginner 

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Alex Zagoumenov, Instructor, Portrait

Instructor: Alex Zagoumenov
15+ years of local SEO expertise. Alex demystifies local SEO in an approachable and friendly manner. Learn more.

Lesson 1: Introduction to Local SEO

In this 2-minute video, we’ll dive into the fundamentals of local SEO. We’ll explore what local SEO is, why it’s important for local businesses, and how it works.

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

  • Define local SEO and explain its importance for local businesses.
  • Identify key factors that influence local search rankings, such as business listings and online reviews.
  • Understand how local search intent impacts search engine results and how to leverage it.

Supplemental reading: Guide to local SEO.

Lesson 2: Google Business Profile

In this concise 7-minute video, we’ll delve into the essential steps to establish and optimize your Google Business Profile (GBP).

By the end of this lesson you will be able to:

  • Identify what GBP is and why it is important.
  • Know the steps to take to setup and verify your Google Business Profile.
  • Optimize the key elements of you GBP to increase your listing visibility on Google Maps.

Lesson 3: Website Localization

This 12-minute video lesson focuses on how to localize your website to improve your search engine rankings. The video will guide you through the process of optimizing your website to signal its local relevance to search engines.

By the end of this lesson you will be able to:

  • Recognize the key elements of a locally optimized website.
  • Optimize the website’s title, description, headings, and content to improve local search rankings.
  • Understand the importance of local backlinks and be able to implement strategies to acquire them.
  • Implement schema markup to provide search engines with structured data about their business.

Lesson 4: Online Reviews

In this 6-minute video lesson we will focus on how to manage online reviews for your business. The video will guide you through the process of asking for reviews, monitoring reviews, and responding to online reviews.

By the end of this lesson you will be able to:

  • Implement strategies to encourage customers to leave reviews.
  • Identify different types of reviews and flag inappropriate reviews.
  • Respond to positive and negative reviews in a way that builds trust and addresses customer concerns.

Lesson 5: Online Business Citations

In this 6-minute video class we will discuss online business citations and how to manage them. The video will guide you through the process of understanding citations, identifying inconsistencies, and building a strong citation profile.

By the end of this lesson you will be able to:

  • Explain the concept of business citations and their importance for local SEO.
  • Understand the importance of maintaining NAP consistency across all citations.
  • Understand how citations contribute to their business’s visibility in local search results.
  • Identify inconsistencies in their business’s NAP information across different online directories.

Supplemental reading: Guide to local citations.

    Lesson 6: Creating Local Content

    This 7:30-minute video lesson introduces local content for better search visibility. The video will guide you through the process of understanding local content, creating different types of local content to ultimately building trust with your local audience.

    By the end of this final lesson in the series you will be able to:

    • Explain the concept of local content and its importance for local SEO.
    • Identify different types of local content and their benefits.
    • Create content that informs, educates, engages and builds trust in their local audience about their business and its offerings.
    Alex Zagoumenov, Lead instructor at Search Friendly, portrait

    Course instructor

    Alex Zagoumenov

    20+ years in digital marketing, 15+ years of SEO expertise

    Alex demystifies local SEO techniques in an approachable and friendly manner.

    Worked at and consulted digital agencies like McCann Canada, Critical Mass, Apis Design, Scout Communications and companies like Miro.

    Alex is a digital marketing Swiss army knife with a passion for SEO. Since 2003, working on both the agency and client side, he has helped over 100 clients drive the right people from search engines to websites. Alex has instructed at universities in Europe and North America, ran master classes, coached teams at startups, and mentored entrepreneurs.

    Clients and students alike appreciate his honest and straightforward approach, technical knowledge, and customized approach to every customer and class.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How can I learn SEO for beginners for free?

    Start by taking this 6-video Local SEO course for beginners. Spread your learning over a week or two. Don’t rush it. As you go through each of the videos, practice what you learned.

    Can I learn local SEO in 10 days?

    Yes, you can learn local SEO in a few days. However, application of this knowledge will take time. Start by watching these six short videos and apply what you learned after each one.

    Is local SEO hard to learn?

    Although anyone can learn local SEO, it will be easier if you own or manage a local business, have experience in marketing, and are willing and able to apply what you learn immediately.

    What is local SEO?

    Local SEO is the process of optimizing your online presence to attract customers searching for businesses in your local area. This involves optimizing your website, Google Business Profile listing, and other online platforms to improve your visibility in local search results.

    What is the difference between local and organic SEO?

    Local SEO focuses on attracting customers searching for businesses in a specific geographic location, while organic SEO focuses on attracting customers searching for information or products/services regardless of location. Local SEO often involves using location-based keywords and optimizing your Google Business Profile listing.

    Who is local SEO for?

    Local SEO is ideal for businesses with physical locations that serve customers in a specific geographic area. This includes restaurants, retail stores, service providers, and other businesses that rely on foot traffic or local customers.

    Is local SEO dead?

    No, local SEO is not dead. It’s more important than ever. With the increasing use of mobile devices and voice search, local SEO can help you reach customers searching for businesses nearby.