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University of Cape Town: Search Engine Optimisation

Optimize your online presence with powerful SEO strategies.

Optimize your online presence with powerful SEO strategies.

...
This course is offered by , an edX partner
10 weeks
8–9 hours per week
Starts Sep 1, 2025
Enroll by Sep 7, 2025
Instructor-paced
Instructor-led on a course schedule
10 weeks
8–9 hours per week
Starts Sep 1, 2025
Enroll by Sep 7, 2025
Instructor-paced
Instructor-led on a course schedule

About this Course

Due to the rapid rise of digital technologies, new online and optimization strategies are required. As a modern professional or business owner, understanding how to harness the power of search engine optimization (SEO) to market your business is essential to supporting its online presence and ultimate success.

Ensure your business is as visible as possible in search engine results pages with the Search Engine Optimization online short course from the University of Cape Town (UCT).

This course aims to equip you with the skills to implement your own SEO tactics and strategies, giving you a competitive market advantage. You’ll gain fundamental principles and practical skills to drive more traffic to websites through SEO-optimized content. By practicing on a live eCommerce Wordpress website, you’ll walk away with the ability to offer in-demand SEO services for clients, and boost your website’s ranking.

This course has been designed for both existing digital marketing professionals and those entering the field. Professionals within digital marketing will get the opportunity to refine and advance their skill set with the latest SEO practices, tools, and ethics. Professionals new to online marketing will gain a comprehensive understanding of the need for SEO, content strategies, website structures, and analytics tools. Business owners and entrepreneurs will also benefit from learning practical optimization strategies which they can immediately implement within their context. Marketers, web professionals, and those starting a career in SEO will have the opportunity to validate their skills with a digital certificate.

Course curriculum

Skip Course curriculum

Learn to drive organic traffic to your website as you work through the weekly modules of this online short course.

Orientation module: Welcome to your Online Campus

Module 1: SEO in the current digital landscape

Module 2: SEO updates and trends

Module 3: HTML, site architecture, and technical factors

Module 4: Google Analytics, SEO goal setting and SEO tools

Module 5: Content strategy

Module 6: Writing for the web

Module 7: Inbound marketing

Module 8: PPC, AdWords, and paid advertising

Module 9: Advanced analytics and strategy

Module 10: Reporting for client satisfaction

About the certificate

Explore the finest techniques of search engine optimisation (SEO), earn an official certificate of completion from the University of Cape Town.

Assessment is continuous and based on a series of practical assignments completed online. In order to be issued with a digital certificate, you’ll need to meet the requirements outlined in the course handbook. The handbook will be made available to you as soon as you begin the course.

Your certificate will be issued in your legal name and sent to you digitally upon successful completion of the program, as per the stipulated requirements. Please note, due to additional administrative requirements, at times UCT course certificate delivery may be delayed by several weeks/months.

Some facts about the subject

93%

The high percentage of online experiences that start with a search engine.

Blue Corona (Dec, 2018).

53%

The average search share of traffic generated by SEO, with paid only amounting to 15%.

Brightedge (2019).

Why choose GetSmarter?

GetSmarter, an edX partner, delivers career-relevant, fully supported, and expert-led online courses from the world's leading universities and institutions. As an online learning expert with over 15 years' experience, GetSmarter leverages long-standing expertise in market research, data analysis, and business insights to ensure that you gain the skills critical to career growth.