Learn AEO, GEO & SEO — from the source
A curated list of the courses we'd actually recommend — from free certifications to paid deep-dives. No filler, no affiliate links, just where to genuinely learn this.
AI Visibility Essentials with Semrush
Taught by Rita Cidre. How AI is transforming SEO — from tracking prompts instead of keywords, to measuring AI visibility and brand mentions across ChatGPT and other LLMs, to adapting your content strategy so your brand actually gets cited.
Technical SEO and AI Search Essentials with Semrush
Also taught by Rita Cidre, built for non-technical marketers. Covers crawlability, structured data, Core Web Vitals, and mobile optimization — plus how AI crawlers (like the ones powering ChatGPT) read your site differently from Google, and the specific technical fixes that matter for LLM visibility.
Search & AI Optimization
An on-demand course built for companies and marketing leaders who already run SEO and need to understand how the field is shifting toward AI search — opportunity sizing, topical authority, and building the ROI case to leadership. Not for those needing deep technical or programmatic SEO coverage.
AEO Fundamentals Certification
Covers SEO and Answer Engine Optimization together: named entities, semantic triplets, content chunking, schema markup, and the E-E-A-T framework — all aimed at getting cited by AI answer engines. Available in Spanish, which makes it one of the few solid bilingual options on this list.
AI Search Operating System
Led by Leigh McKenzie, Semrush's Director of Organic Visibility. A practical operating system for SEO and marketing leads: audit your AI visibility, understand the trust signals AI weighs, and leave with a 90-day action plan you can actually bring to leadership.
SEO Principles: An Essential Guide for Beginners
Semrush's own recommended starting point for anyone new to SEO. Covers the three core pillars — on-page, technical, and off-page SEO — plus foundational keyword research. The right first stop before the more specialized Semrush Academy courses.
SEO Starter Guide
Straight from Google: how Search actually works, how to help Google find and understand your content, and — refreshingly — an honest list of things you should stop worrying about (meta keywords, keyword stuffing in URLs, heading order). Pairs well with Google's companion guide on optimizing for generative AI search.
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) Specialization
A 3-course series covering GEO fundamentals, content optimization, and business applications, with hands-on projects using ChatGPT and Gemini. Worth noting: reviews are mixed (3.3/5 across 9 reviews) — a reasonable structured overview, but go in with tempered expectations relative to the other picks here.
Google SEO Fundamentals
Taught by Rebekah May at UC Davis — on-page, off-page, and technical SEO, plus keyword strategy, with a dedicated look at how AI is reshaping content and algorithms. Consistently the highest-rated course on this list (4.8/5 from over 3,700 reviews).
Beginner's Guide to SEO
Ten chapters covering everything from how search engines work to link building and technical SEO — updated specifically for AI Overviews and the AI search era, including dedicated chapters on how AI search engines and RAG actually work.
SEO Essentials Certification
A six-part, instructor-led certification covering fundamentals through keyword research, page optimization, link building, and SEO reporting — including hands-on application with Moz Pro. The most classroom-like, structured option on this list.