| Product | Ahrefs SEO Course for Beginners |
|---|---|
| Run by | Sam Oh |
| Publisher | Ahrefs |
| Started | Not stated (Ahrefs Academy since 2017) |
| Format | Free recorded video course, no sign-up required; a separate free AEO course and a free tool certification |
| Price | Free. No sign-up required for the beginner course. The Ahrefs Certification (for the tool) is also free and requires an Ahrefs account. |
| Refund | Not applicable; free. |
| Community | No |
| Live instruction | No |
| AI search coverage | A separate free Answer Engine Optimization course (12 lessons, 1 hour 26 minutes) covers how AI platforms decide what to cite, naming ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Perplexity and Gemini. |
| Scope | SEO Course for Beginners: 14 lessons, 2 hours, 5 modules. AEO Course: 12 lessons, 1 hour 26 minutes. How to Use Ahrefs: 62 lessons, 3 hours 18 minutes. |
| Certificate | No for the SEO and AEO courses; yes for the separate Ahrefs Certification (67 questions, 75% pass mark, valid one year) |
| Best for | SEO beginners, small business owners, marketing leads |
| Not for | Anyone past the basics |
What is the Ahrefs SEO course?
The SEO Course for Beginners is a free 14-lesson video course from Ahrefs Academy, taught by Sam Oh, covering SEO basics, keyword research, on-page SEO, link building and technical SEO basics in about two hours. No sign-up is required. Ahrefs Academy also offers a free Answer Engine Optimization course (12 lessons, 1 hour 26 minutes) on how AI platforms decide what to cite, and a free certification that covers the Ahrefs tool itself.
How much does it cost?
Nothing. The course exists to introduce people to Ahrefs' software, and it says so. The certification requires an Ahrefs account, which can be a free one; the exam is 67 questions with a 75% pass mark, three attempts, and a certificate valid for one year.
Who is it best for?
Beginners, small business owners and marketing team leaders, per the official page. It teaches the vocabulary and the workflow. It does not teach what to do when your traffic falls, how to sell SEO, or how AI answers are chosen in any depth. Take it, build a site, then decide whether you need anything else.
Who should not buy it
- You already rank things. You will learn little.
- You want feedback on your own site. There is no community and no instructor access.
Scores, criterion by criterion
Pros and cons
Pros
- Free, no sign-up
- Named instructor
- Paired with a free AEO course
- Two hours, which is the right length for a start
Cons
- No community or live access
- Undated
- Exists to sell software, which shapes the content
Alternatives
- Semrush Academy: free courses with a certificate; the most-listed SEO credential
- HubSpot AEO Fundamentals: free AEO primer; the old SEO certification is retired
- AI Ranking by DataWise SEO: AI-search community with bundled software at $27 to $47 a month
Evidence and sources
Facts come from ahrefs.com/academy, the course and AEO course pages and the certification page, read on 9 September 2026.