- The 10 Best Local SEO Courses In 2026
- Local SEO Courses At a Glance
- How To Choose A Local SEO Course
- Can You Do Local SEO Yourself?
- Are Local SEO Courses Worth It?
- Free Local SEO Courses
- Paid Local SEO Courses and Certifications
- FAQ For Local SEO Courses
- How We Chose These Courses
- Related Courses and Certifications
The best local SEO course for you depends on your goal and your budget. To learn the basics for free, start with BrightLocal Academy's A Beginner's Guide to Local SEO or Semrush's Local SEO Essentials, both of which end with a free certificate. For a recognized paid certification, the Moz Local SEO Certification costs $395. If you want to learn local SEO as part of a complete SEO course, our Complete SEO Course includes a full local SEO lesson for $67.
We have done SEO for local businesses for more than 20 years, and we checked every course on this list on its provider's own page for its cost, length and certificate.
The 10 Best Local SEO Courses In 2026
- Semrush Local SEO Essentials
- BrightLocal A Beginner's Guide to Local SEO
- BrightLocal How to Master Local Keyword Research
- Whitespark Local SEO Email Courses
- Reliablesoft Complete SEO Course
- Moz Local SEO Certification
- Udemy Complete SEO Guide to Ranking Local Business Websites
- Yoast Local SEO Training
- LinkedIn Learning Learning Local SEO
- Local Marketing Specialization (Coursera)
Local SEO Courses At a Glance
| Course | Best For | Cost | Duration | Certificate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semrush Local SEO Essentials | Google Business Profile and Maps rankings | Free | About 1h 45m (14 videos) | Yes, free after an exam |
| BrightLocal A Beginner's Guide to Local SEO | Complete beginners | Free | 1.5 hours | Yes, free after an exam |
| BrightLocal How to Master Local Keyword Research | Local keyword research | Free | 2.5 hours | Yes, free after an exam |
| Whitespark Local SEO Email Courses | Learning a few minutes a day | Free | 20 days per course | No |
| Reliablesoft Complete SEO Course | Local SEO as part of full SEO training | $67 (or $127 with all 21 Reliablesoft courses) | Self-paced | Yes, SEO certification |
| Moz Local SEO Certification | A recognized professional certification | $395 | Nearly 6 hours | Yes, with a LinkedIn badge |
| Udemy Complete SEO Guide to Ranking Local Business Websites | A practical case study | Varies with Udemy sales | 6 hours | Certificate of completion |
| Yoast Local SEO Training | WordPress users of Yoast SEO | Included in Yoast paid plans | 14 video lessons | Yes, with a badge |
| LinkedIn Learning Learning Local SEO | A short introduction | LinkedIn Learning subscription (1-month free trial) | 1h 29m | Certificate of completion |
| Local Marketing Specialization (Coursera) | Local business owners who also want social media | Coursera subscription (7-day free trial) | About 16 weeks at 4 hours a week | Yes, with a subscription |
Below you will find what each course covers, who it suits, and where it falls short, followed by how to choose the right one.
How To Choose A Local SEO Course
Start with two questions:
Are you learning for your own business or to work with clients?
- Your own business: start with BrightLocal's beginner course or Semrush's Local SEO Essentials, then use the Whitespark email course for ongoing tips. If you want to handle all of your SEO yourself, take our Complete SEO Course.
- Clients or an agency: add BrightLocal's keyword research course and the Moz Local SEO Certification, which gives you a credential you can show clients. Our SEO certifications guide compares the other options.
Do you want a free or a paid course?
- Free: Semrush, BrightLocal and Whitespark cover everything a beginner needs, and Semrush and BrightLocal give you a free certificate after an exam.
- Paid: pay when you want a recognized certification (Moz), a longer practical course (Udemy), or local SEO taught as part of a complete SEO program (Reliablesoft).
Can You Do Local SEO Yourself?
Yes. Most local SEO work is something a business owner can do: setting up and optimizing a Google Business Profile, getting listed in the right directories, asking customers for reviews, and adding local keywords and location pages to your website.
A short course shows you what matters and in which order, so you don't waste time on tactics that no longer work. Hire help when you manage many locations, operate in a very competitive market, or don't have the time to keep your listings and reviews up to date.
Are Local SEO Courses Worth It?
Yes, if you pick the right one and apply it. Local search changes often, with Google Business Profile features and ranking factors updating every year, and a current course saves you from following outdated advice from old blog posts.
That said, you don't need to spend money to start. The free courses from BrightLocal, Semrush and Whitespark cover most of what a local business needs. Pay for a course when you want a certificate for your resume or clients, or when you want to learn local SEO together with the rest of SEO.
Free Local SEO Courses
1. Local SEO Essentials By Semrush Academy
- Best For: Google Business Profile and Maps rankings
- Cost: Free
- Duration: About 1 hour 45 minutes (14 videos)
- Certificate: Yes, free after an exam
Semrush Academy's Local SEO Essentials with Semrush is a free course on ranking a local business in Google Maps and local search. It's taught by web strategist Wes McDowell and marketing instructor Rita Cidre.
The course covers the following topics:
- Local ranking factors, from most to least important
- Local keyword research and choosing business categories
- Creating and optimizing a Google Business Profile
- Review management
- Competitor analysis in Google Maps
Why Enroll In This Course?
It's short, practical, and up to date, with a walkthrough of setting up a real Google Business Profile step by step. You earn a free certificate from Semrush Academy when you pass the exam.
Where it falls short: some lessons show Semrush's own tools, and it doesn't go deep on local link building or multi-location SEO.
2. A Beginner's Guide to Local SEO By BrightLocal Academy
- Best For: Complete beginners
- Cost: Free
- Duration: 1.5 hours (8 modules, 12 videos)
- Certificate: Yes, free after an exam
BrightLocal Academy's A Beginner's Guide to Local SEO is a free introduction to local search taught by Greg Gifford, a seasoned trainer and local SEO specialist.
The course covers the following topics:
- What local SEO is and how local search works
- Which signals influence local visibility
- Optimizing your Google Business Profile
- Local content, citations and reviews
Why Enroll In This Course?
It's the best free starting point: short, clear, and taught by a well-known local SEO trainer. Each module ends with a quiz, and there's a workbook to apply what you learn to your own business.
Where it falls short: it covers the fundamentals only, so you'll need a second course for advanced tactics.
3. How to Master Local Keyword Research By BrightLocal Academy
- Best For: Local keyword research
- Cost: Free
- Duration: 2.5 hours (9 modules, 9 videos)
- Certificate: Yes, free after an exam
BrightLocal Academy's How to Master Local Keyword Research is a free course taught by local search expert Claire Carlile on finding the keywords local customers use.
The course covers the following topics:
- The different types of local keywords
- Which keywords you can and should target
- Building a local keyword list with free tools
- Prioritizing your keywords
Why Enroll In This Course?
Keyword research is where most local SEO campaigns go wrong, and this course is dedicated to it. It includes 3 quizzes, a final exam, and a keyword research template you can reuse. To go further, see our list of the best keyword research courses.
Where it falls short: it covers keyword research only, so pair it with a broader local SEO course.
4. Local SEO Email Courses By Whitespark
- Best For: Learning a few minutes a day
- Cost: Free
- Duration: 20 days per course (Local SEO 101 and Local SEO 401)
- Certificate: No
Whitespark's Local SEO email courses are two free courses delivered by email by Darren Shaw, who has been doing SEO for 26 years.
The courses cover the following topics:
- Local SEO 101: the fundamentals, including how to make your Google Business Profile rank higher
- Local SEO 401: advanced tactics, including how to rank in cities where you don't have an address
Why Enroll In This Course?
You get one short lesson a day in your inbox, which makes it easy to learn alongside running a business. The advanced course is one of the few free resources for experienced local SEOs.
Where it falls short: there are no videos, quizzes or certificate, only email lessons.
Paid Local SEO Courses and Certifications
5. Complete SEO Course By Reliablesoft
- Best For: Local SEO as part of full SEO training
- Cost: $67, or $127 as part of the Digital Marketing Full Course (21 courses)
- Duration: Self-paced
- Certificate: Yes, SEO certification
Our Complete SEO Course covers every part of SEO, and lesson 6 is dedicated to local SEO. It's taught by Alex Chris, who has done SEO for local businesses and clients for more than 20 years.
The local SEO lesson covers the following topics:
- What local SEO is and how it differs from general SEO
- How to optimize your website for local SEO
- A local SEO checklist to use on your own or a client's website
Why Enroll In This Course?
Local SEO works best when the rest of your SEO is right, and this course teaches both: technical SEO, on-page SEO, link building and keyword research, then local SEO on top. You get an SEO certification when you pass the exam, lifetime access and updates, and a 60-day money-back guarantee.
Where it falls short: local SEO is one lesson within a full SEO course, not a standalone local SEO program.
6. Local SEO Certification By Moz Academy
- Best For: A recognized professional certification
- Cost: $395
- Duration: Nearly 6 hours (six parts)
- Certificate: Yes, with a LinkedIn badge
Moz Academy's Local SEO Certification is a six-part course and exam series that combines instructor-led video lessons with tasks and knowledge checks.
The course covers the following topics:
- Local SEO fundamentals
- Local competitor research
- Managing local business listings
- Reputation management
- Measuring and tracking local SEO success
Why Enroll In This Course?
Moz is one of the best-known names in SEO, and its certification is a credential you can add to your resume, LinkedIn profile, and agency pitches. You receive a personalized certificate and a LinkedIn badge when you pass the final exam.
Where it falls short: it's the most expensive course on this list, and basic SEO knowledge is recommended before you start.
7. Complete SEO Guide to Ranking Local Business Websites By Udemy
- Best For: A practical case study
- Cost: Varies with Udemy sales
- Duration: 6 hours of video (121 lectures) and 17 articles
- Certificate: Certificate of completion
The Complete SEO Guide to Ranking Local Business Websites by Christine Maisel shows how she redesigned and ranked a real client's local business website on the first page of Google. It's rated 4.6 out of 5 from more than 4,200 reviews, with nearly 30,000 learners.
The course covers the following topics:
- The local SEO process from start to finish
- Finding the most profitable keywords for local businesses
- Optimizing a local website
- Finding local backlink opportunities
- Building citations to rank in the Google local pack
Why Enroll In This Course?
It's an over-the-shoulder course that follows one real project from start to finish, which makes it easy to copy the process for your own site.
Where it falls short: it was last updated in August 2023, so it doesn't cover recent changes to Google Business Profile or AI search.
8. Local SEO Training By Yoast
- Best For: WordPress users of Yoast SEO
- Cost: Included in all Yoast paid plans
- Duration: 14 video lessons across 5 modules
- Certificate: Yes, with a badge for your site
Yoast's Local SEO training teaches you how to help local customers find your business online, from local SEO basics to Google Business Profile.
The course covers the following topics:
- Local SEO basics
- Google Business Profile
- Local content and keywords
- Applying local SEO to online, in-person, and service-area businesses
Why Enroll In This Course?
If you already pay for a Yoast plan, the course costs you nothing extra. It includes a cheat sheet, quizzes, and a certificate and badge when you finish, and you can try a free sample lesson first.
Where it falls short: it isn't sold on its own, so it's only good value if you use Yoast's paid plugins.
9. Learning Local SEO By LinkedIn Learning
- Best For: A short introduction
- Cost: LinkedIn Learning subscription (1-month free trial)
- Duration: 1 hour 29 minutes
- Certificate: Certificate of completion
Learning Local SEO on LinkedIn Learning is a beginner course by digital marketer Sherry Bonelli on increasing your business's local visibility.
The course covers the following topics:
- The difference between local and general SEO
- Local ranking factors
- Finding local keywords
- Getting and managing reviews
Why Enroll In This Course?
It's short enough to finish in one sitting, and you can take it free during the LinkedIn Learning trial. The certificate appears on your LinkedIn profile.
Where it falls short: it was released in 2021 and still calls Google Business Profile by its old name, Google My Business.
10. Local Marketing Specialization By Alex Genadinik (Coursera)
- Best For: Local business owners who also want social media
- Cost: Coursera subscription (7-day free trial)
- Duration: About 16 weeks at 4 hours a week (13 courses)
- Certificate: Yes, with a subscription
Local Marketing: SEO, Business Networking, And Website is a 13-course specialization on Coursera by instructor Alex Genadinik, aimed at local business owners.
The courses cover the following topics:
- Creating a local business website with AI
- Google citations for new local websites
- Keyword research and on-page SEO
- Google Search Console
- Promoting a local business on LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube and X
Why Enroll In This Course?
It's the broadest option on this list, covering local SEO together with the website and social media channels a local business needs.
Where it falls short: only part of it is about local SEO, it's taught by an independent instructor rather than a university, and it has few reviews so far.
FAQ For Local SEO Courses
Can I learn local SEO for free?
Yes. BrightLocal Academy, Semrush Academy and Whitespark all offer free local SEO courses, and BrightLocal and Semrush include a free certificate after an exam.
How long does it take to learn local SEO?
You can learn the basics in a few hours with a course of 1 to 3 hours. Seeing results takes longer, because rankings improve as your Google Business Profile, reviews and citations build up over weeks and months.
How much do local SEO courses cost?
Many of the best local SEO courses are free. Paid options range from low-cost Udemy courses to $395 for the Moz Local SEO Certification. Our Complete SEO Course, which includes local SEO, costs $67.
Is there a local SEO certification?
Yes. The Moz Local SEO Certification is the best-known paid credential, and BrightLocal Academy and Semrush Academy award free certificates when you pass their exams.
How We Chose These Courses
We looked for local SEO courses that teach practical skills, from providers with a track record in local search: BrightLocal, Semrush, Whitespark, Moz, Yoast, Udemy, LinkedIn Learning and Coursera, plus our own course.
We checked every course on the provider's own page for its cost, length and certificate, and we removed courses that are no longer available. We included free and paid options, for business owners as well as marketers who work with clients. For courses on other SEO topics, see our list of free SEO courses.
The review was done by a digital marketer with more than 20 years of experience in SEO.
