Page 3 - Considering Teaching SEO @ Local Univ.

Many people are just trying to figure out how to send email and stay virus free. There are only a select few in this industry. I salute Randfish for doing this, but I kinda like the fact that this is one industry that is fairly poorly understood.

Rand, let me know if you decide to do this.

I was approached by University of Phoenix to possibly do something similar a while back...too busy at the time.

Rand - I think you could have a couple different classes, similar to how the SEO forums tend to work. 101 could be for the newbie stuff (basic on-page, backlinks, methods to get the links, manage them, etc). 201 could be a bit more advanced, going over your sandboxing and LSI theories. Then you could have a 202 on how to blend the business into SEM -- identifying opportunities, valuing sites, etc.

It sounds like fun!

Cygnus

Great idea Rand, I can't think of anyone more appropriate for this job. I can't speak for how it is in the US, but here in South Africa, (Black hole of online marketing) I attended an SEO class a couple of months ago. The class started out with a large audience probable 30 to 40 web designers and developers. The guy presenting the class is actually a top affiliate that earns more than 50k a month selling fish pond stuff. He really knew his stuff, but after the first break the class had probable 5 people left that completely hanged on his lips everyone else left. Being a facilitator myself I can assure you that it wasn't boring. He was really good. These guys just had no understanding for what he was talking about.

I think the most important step when preparing a lesson plan for SEO is to start out with Online Marketing in general. Get their interest with some facts regarding online marketing, opportunities online and some facts about industry earnings, Let them do some home work about the same things before you chat about it (I guess this can take you a couple of days ). Then you can attempt SEO basics. I think it is impossible to teach SEO in 16 hours. However, you can give them a fantastic opportunity to learn just enough to get them involved in the industry. Also no current SEO methods should be discussed, rather the different segments of HTML code, linking etc. that can be used by SE's to target appropriate sites for the SERPS. Enable them to help themselves even after another Florida!

I would also suggest that a prerequisite for this course be that they are familiar with HTML. What I have noticed as well is how few designers and developers are aware of W3C and proper HTML coding practices! Anyway that is my idea about it from a South African(3rd world) perspective

I have been considering more and more making this a private class session / workshop and doing it privately. I think I'm going to wait until around June, as that is when we would be hiring again and I could take a top student or two

I will let you know as it progresses, but I appreciate all of your input. I've already started mapping out lesson plans, etc. I think I would ask everyone to come with a site already in mind, as it is much easier to get people involved if they're already motivated to learn.