PlainRank Academy

    Start with SEO.One step at a time.

    An SEO course for beginners that takes you from a first search query to a better page. Ten lessons, clear examples and a quiz with every lesson.

    Open the lessonsWhat it does on your site

    No experience needed. With your own site you practise on a real page.

    Try a question. Start here.
    Search intentSample quiz

    Which query shows the clearest buying intent?

    Choose the answer you think is right.

    Get an explanation right after your answer.

    Try it freely · your answer is not saved

    Learn by doing. One question at a time.

    18 practical lessonsFrom foundations to deeper learning

    10 lessons with a quizThen a task on a page

    On your own websiteTitle, heading or link — the software checks whether it changed

    On your own website

    After the lesson you work on a real page.

    No invented scores. You practise with a title, heading or link on an example — or on a page of your site. The software checks whether that change is there. Not whether you rank higher in Google.

    Lesson 2 · Keywords · sample task

    Someone searches “roof leak Breda”. The title is only “Home”.

    Write a title that names the problem and the place. With a connected site you then pick your own URL. With WordPress the plugin can check whether the title changed. You edit the page.

    Example in search results. Not a real measurement, no promised position.

    Querydak lekt breda

    bakkerdaken.exampleHome

    Welcome to our website. See what we offer.

    “Home” says nothing about the leak or about Breda. Someone searching that will not recognise the page.

    Your learning path

    Solid foundations. Lesson by lesson.

    Choose your starting point. Find the full lessons and your progress in your account.

    18 lessons available
    Start here

    Learning path 01

    SEO for beginners

    Everything you need to get started, from how Google works to your first SEO plan.

    10 lessonsWith quizzes & XP
    1. 01What is SEO and how does Google work?

      SEO is about being findable and useful for a specific question.

      12 min readOpen in your account
    2. 02Finding the right keywords

      The best keyword matches a real customer question and a fitting page.

      12 min readOpen in your account
    3. 03Search intent: why is someone searching this?

      Start with the searcher's goal, then choose the page type.

      12 min readOpen in your account
    4. 04SEO content that solves something

      Good content helps someone make a real decision.

      14 min readOpen in your account
    5. 05Topical authority and content clusters

      Coherence and completeness help. Volume on its own does not.

      12 min readOpen in your account
    6. 06Internal links and the structure of your website

      Good links help the visitor take the next logical step.

      12 min readOpen in your account
    7. 07Technical SEO without being a developer

      Reachable first, then understandable, then useful.

      12 min readOpen in your account
    8. 08Backlinks, mentions and online authority

      Relevance, editorial quality and transparency come before volume.

      14 min readOpen in your account
    9. 09Local SEO and AI search experiences

      Local trust needs real, correct and place-specific information.

      12 min readOpen in your account
    10. 10Measuring SEO with Search Console and a 30-day plan

      Measure progress honestly. Learn from patterns, not from one-off spikes.

      12 min readOpen in your account
    Start with the basics
    Next level

    Learning path 02

    Build on your SEO knowledge

    Take a closer look at content, technical SEO and link building. For those who know the basics.

    8 lessonsReading lessons · no quiz
    1. 11Semantic SEO: understand topics instead of repeating words

      Semantic SEO starts with meaning and context, not a word list.

      10 min readOpen in your account
    2. 12Topical maps: build a complete content structure

      A topical map is a route for visitors, not an order to produce endless URLs.

      10 min readOpen in your account
    3. 13Information architecture, intent and cannibalisation

      A clear job for each page makes a site more usable.

      8 min readOpen in your account
    4. 14Programmatic SEO: many useful pages from careful templates

      Scale a valuable solution, not an empty text template.

      12 min readOpen in your account
    5. 15Real SEO content planning and content briefs

      Less, better content can be worth more than a huge publishing calendar.

      10 min readOpen in your account
    6. 16Link building for advancing beginners

      A good link is useful first in the context where it appears.

      10 min readOpen in your account
    7. 17SEO for shops, WordPress and sites that scale

      Structure and data quality matter more than the number of products or URLs.

      10 min readOpen in your account
    8. 18SEO experiments, Search Console and a real growth plan

      A careful specialist can improve a site and also explain what they do and do not know.

      12 min readOpen in your account
    Open the further lessons

    The first ten lessons have a graded quiz with XP. The eight further lessons are reading lessons, without a quiz or quiz XP.

    A look inside a lesson

    Explanation. Example. Then your page.

    Every lesson has steps: an explanation, a worked example, a comparison and a short exercise. Then the quiz, and a task you can do on an example or on your own site.

    No promise of a higher ranking. A page that better matches what someone is looking for.

    Looking for an answer? Visit the knowledge base
    Continue later1 of 6

    ExplanationStep 1 of 6

    What search intent is

    Search intent is the goal behind a query: what the person wants to get done, not only which words they typed.

    • Someone wants to learn.
    • Someone wants to compare options before choosing.
    • Someone wants a provider or a product.
    BackNext step
    Continue reading in your account

    From understanding to doing

    Make it practical. Your way.

    For business owners, marketers and curious beginners. After the quiz you choose: practise on an example, on your connected site, or in WordPress. The plugin does not overwrite other SEO plugins.

    With WordPress

    Work on your own page. The plugin guides supported tasks and checks whether a title or H1, for example, has changed. You stay in control of your website.

    Works alongside Yoast and Rank Math

    With another CMS

    Apply the lesson in the system you already use. With a connected site, you can check your work through the site audit and Search Console.

    Your website, your workflow

    Without your own website

    Simply start learning. Follow the explanations and quizzes, and use a fictional example for your exercise. Nothing is published to a live website.

    A comfortable place to start

    For supported tasks, the software checks changes to a title, H1, internal link, canonical or indexability. This does not prove a higher ranking. The plugin does not edit your site without permission or overwrite other SEO plugins.

    Access to the academy

    Everything in one place. Clear about what’s included.

    The knowledge base is free and public. Find the lessons, quiz results and your progress in your account after signing in.

    Create an account
    Knowledge base & dictionary
    Free and public
    10 lessons with quizzes + 8 reading lessons
    In your account
    Progress and quiz XP
    Saved in your account
    SEO tools used in a task
    Subject to your plan and credits

    A separate course price and checkout are not available yet. Until then, there is no separate course charge. You can already read lessons 1 and 2. The course is intended to be available on its own and with a software plan later. View software plans.

    Good to know

    A few more things.

    Frequently asked questions about the SEO Academy.

    Is the SEO Academy free?

    The knowledge base is. You can read lessons 1 and 2 before there is a course price. The full course is not intended as a free programme. Until checkout is open, there is no separate course charge. SEO tools follow your plan limits.

    Do I need a website or technical experience?

    No. You start with the basics and can follow the explanations and quizzes without a website. Your own site makes the tasks more concrete. A developer can help with some technical changes later on.

    How long does the course take?

    Follow the lessons at your own pace. Each lesson shows an estimated reading time. There is no fixed study length or classroom schedule.

    Do I get a certificate?

    No. You can see your progress, quiz results and XP in your account. That is not an accredited qualification.

    Does the course cover AI search?

    Yes. One lesson covers local SEO and AI search experiences, and further lessons cover semantic SEO. A mention in an AI answer cannot be guaranteed.

    When will I see results on my website?

    There is no fixed schedule. It depends on factors such as the change, competition and your site's history. Use Search Console to track clicks and impressions. An increase is an observation, not proof that one lesson caused it.

    Your next step

    You don’t need to know it all. Start with the first lesson.

    Clear explanations, practical tasks and your progress in one place.

    Open the SEO Academy