Course Introduction — UC Davis “Introduction to SEO”

Instructor: Rebecca May
- Experience: 12+ years in the SEO industry.
- Career path:
- Began as a freelance SEO practitioner.
- Transitioned to the agency side, collaborating with global brands to craft SEO strategies.
- Served in-house for notable companies, building and implementing large-scale SEO programs.
- Teaching goal: Share accumulated knowledge so learners can launch or advance their own SEO careers.

Designed as an Introduction to SEO (Search Engine Optimization) offered by UC Davis.
Focus: Provide foundational knowledge that students will expand on in later lessons and throughout their professional journey.
Key promise: By course end, students will understand how to begin planning and executing SEO strategies.

How Search Engines Work
- Processes covered: Crawling, indexing, and ranking.
- Guiding questions raised by the instructor:
- Why are specific results returned for a Google query?
- How does Google infer a user’s search intent?
- By what criteria does Google evaluate and rank sites in its index?
Practical Application
- Students will learn to translate search-engine behaviors into actionable SEO tactics.
Evolution of SEO as a Marketing Practice
- Historical perspective on how SEO has changed over time.
- Recognition of shifting algorithms, user behavior, and content standards.
SEO Best Practices
- Introduction to the essential do’s and don’ts that govern modern optimization.
- Emphasis on ethical, sustainable tactics rather than short-term “black-hat” methods.
Audience & Intent Alignment
- Importance of deeply understanding target users’ goals and queries.
- Connecting audience intent with both SEO strategy and overall brand messaging.

Grasp the foundational mechanics behind search engines.
Identify and apply core SEO best practices.
Develop a mindset for continual learning as SEO algorithms and standards evolve.
Begin mapping user intent to content creation and brand positioning.