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If you’ve been on the blogging scene for a while, you’ve probably heard of Stupid Simple SEO (SSSEO) at some point.
It’s one of the most popular and widely recommended SEO courses on the web.
And I happen to be one of the many bloggers singing its praises.
I’ve been blogging for over a decade now, and Stupid Simple SEO is still one of my top 10 favorite SEO courses.
In this post, I’ll tell you exactly why. I’ll give you an honest and thorough review of Stupid Simple SEO, provide a quick look at everything it covers, and break down the pros and cons for you.
With this, I can hopefully help you decide whether getting this course is going to be as helpful for you as it was for me!
Fast Facts About the Stupid Simple SEO Course
What is it?A comprehensive SEO course with over 70 video lessons and bonuses, giving bloggers all they need to get started with search engine optimization the right wayWho can benefit from it?Bloggers that want to grow their SEO trafficWhat results can I expect from it?Increased organic traffic from Google, more opportunities for income growth, and a wider audience reachProsHelpful and comprehensiveEngaging and easy to readConstantly updatedAlways accessibleSelf-pacedConsCostlyTime-consuming
What Is SEO?
Before I get into the details of the course, it’s crucial that you know what SEO is first.
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization.
Basically, it’s a process that uses different techniques to bump up your site’s visibility on Google and drive organic traffic to your site.
Organic traffic measures how many visitors come to your site through Google’s search engine results pages (SERPs) — not through ads.
So when you use SEO practices to improve and optimize the content on your site, it’ll rank higher on Google.
Let’s say you’re into makeup, and you’ve written a ton of SEO-optimized articles about it. When someone searches for a keyword like “cheap makeup products,” your page will be one of the first they see.
And once they get to see and enjoy your awesome content, they can subscribe to your newsletter, purchase your products, or click on your affiliate links.
All this translates to an increase in your monthly revenue and more earning opportunities for you through blogging!
Sounds exciting, right?
But you may be wondering how exactly you can make all that happen.
That’s where the Stupid Simple SEO Course comes in.
How Stupid Simple SEO Helped Me Rank Higher on Google: My Experience
Before taking the Stupid Simple SEO course, I was pretty much exclusively a “Pinterest blogger.”
I occasionally got lucky on Google, but I mainly relied on Pinterest to drive traffic to my blog.
Now this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Pinterest is an awesome platform that can help bring lots of visitors to your site and let you rank high quickly.
This is especially true if you consistently upload beautiful images and cool graphics people like.
But the problem is Pinterest is still a social media platform. So your account can get suspended at any time for any reason.
Plus, what I didn’t realize before was that the traffic results you get from Google can be miles ahead of Pinterest in terms of volume and long-term consistency.
Google has many more users compared to Pinterest, after all.
More users equate to more clicks, leading to more ads, more subscribers, and more opportunities for growth.
So after taking the SSSEO course, I redirected some of the energy I’d been putting into scaling my content for Pinterest toward Google SEO and helping increase my Google traffic.
This was a major game-changer for me.
By applying some of the strategies and techniques I learned from the course, I saw the clicks and impressions on my site climb up!
I’ve used them to grow many sites over the years consistently, gain more subscribers, improve my domain rating, and increase my affiliate sales.
Here’s a graph of my recent SEO stats to give you an idea of how well SEO can work:
Note: This is not all because of SSSEO, and these results came about after a decade of blogging with lots of hard work.
Results will vary based on your niche and plenty of other factors.
But SSSEO definitely gave me the foundational knowledge I needed about Google SEO to achieve results like this!
An Overview of the Stupid Simple SEO Course
Stupid Simple SEO is a comprehensive SEO course created by Mike Futia (who also goes by Mike Pearson).
He’s an SEO expert who’s helped thousands of bloggers optimize their blogs to increase their site traffic and grow their income tenfold.
Personally, Mike helped me understand that SEO wasn’t all a confusing jumble of tech terms and jargon.
He broke the basics down for me in a way that I could easily understand and implement.
And I honestly think he can do the same for you too!
Below is a quick overview of what the course involves, who it’s for, and what results you can expect when you get it.
What It Involves
SSSEO covers practically all the basics of search engine optimization.
Now there are over 70 lessons in the course, which amount to around 11 hours’ worth of videos.
These lessons are divided into ten main modules. But there’s also a lot of bonus content about using different SEO tools, creating niche sites, and more.
Take a look at a few of the topics covered by SSSEO:
Making your blog user-friendly to improve user experience
Doing keyword and competitor research
Choosing the right keywords to increase your chances of ranking high
Creating epic, high-quality content that Google loves
Satisfying user intent, meaning your readers get exactly what they came for
Building backlinks from major players in your niche
Getting into SEO affiliate marketing
Learning about domain authority (DA) and how to boost your own
Creating different types of posts for different goals, including reviews, “best of” posts, and expert roundup articles
Here are the complete contents of the course (as of the time of writing):
Module 0 — Foundations
Course Walkthrough (Welcome!)
Scale With SEO Framework
Stupid Simple SEO Community
Tracking SEO Progress
Becoming An Affiliate
Ahrefs vs. UberSuggest
Ahrefs Lessons To Complete
Your UberSuggest Subscription
Module 1 — Undercover Keyword Method (Part I)
M1L1 — Intro To Competitor Research
M1L2 — Why Competitor Research Is Best
M1L3 — Setting Up Your Competitor Analysis Spreadsheet
M1L4 — Understanding Domain Rating
M1L5 — Brainstorming Your Initial Competitors
M1L6 — [Ahrefs] Finding Competitors With Ahrefs
M1L6 — [UberSuggest] Finding Competitors With UberSuggest
M1L7 — [Ahrefs] Finding Competitors Searching High-DR Sites
M1L7 — [UberSuggest] Finding Competitors Searching High-DA Sites
M1L8 — Finding Competitors Using Google
M1L9 — [Ahrefs] Filtering Out High-DR Sites
M1L9 — [UberSuggest] Filtering Out High-DA Sites
M1L10 — Finalizing Your Competitors
Module 2 — Undercover Keyword Method (Part II)
M2L1 — The Framework: Undercover Keyword Method (Part II)
M2L2 — [Ahrefs] Finding Your Competitors Top Pages & Keywords
M2L2 — [UberSuggest] Finding Your Competitors Top Pages & Keywords
[Ahrefs: Merge CSV Tool]
M2L3 — [Ahrefs] Merging Your Keyword Spreadsheets
M2L3 — [UberSuggest] Merging Your Keyword Spreadsheets
M2L4 — [Ahrefs] Organizing & Sorting Your Spreadsheets
M2L4 — [UberSuggest] Organizing & Sorting Your Spreadsheets
M2L5 — Analyzing Your Keyword Data
M2L6 — Developing A Content Strategy
M2L7 — [Ahrefs] Finding Content Ideas With Ahrefs Content Explorer
Module 3 — Strategic Content Formula (Part I)
M3L1 — The Framework: Strategic Content Formula (Part I)
M3L2 — Satisfying User Intent
M3L3 — Primary Intent vs. Secondary Intent
M3L4 — Understanding User Experience
M3L5 — Pop-Ups, Aggressive Ads, & Bad User Experience
Module 4 — Strategic Content Formula (Part II)
M4L1 — The Framework: Strategic Content Formula (Part II)
M4L2 — Your Goal: “Epic” Content
M4L3 — Determining Keyword Competitiveness
M4L4 — Researching & Outlining Content
M4L5 — Finding Long Tail & Related Keywords
M4L6 — Determining Word Count
M4L7 — Creating Content That Ranks
M4L8 — How To Add Internal Links
M4L9 — Intro To On-Page SEO
M4L10 — Setting Up Your On-Page SEO
M4L11 — Setting Up The Yoast SEO Plugin
M4L12 — Moving On To The Next Post
Module 5 — The Content Audit
M5L1 — Intro To Content Audits
M5L2 — Exporting Google Analytics Data
M5L3 — What About “Pinterest Content”?
M5L3 — Deleting Dead Weight Content
M5L4 — Updating Under-Performing Content
M5L5 — Redirecting Similar Content
Module 6 — Expertise, Authority, and Trust
M6L1 — E-A-T: The Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines
M6L2 — Content Quality & The QEGs
M6L3 — E-A-T & YMYL Pages
M6L4 — Why Your “About” Page Matters
M6L5 — Tips For Optimizing Your Blog For E-A-T
Module 7 — Introduction To Backlinks
M7L1 — Backlinks 101
M7L2 — Characteristics Of A Good Backlink
M7L3 — Avoiding “Spammy” Links
M7L4 — Link Building Expectations
M7L5 — “DA” Is Not The Goal!
Module 8 — Building Links With Guest Posting
M8L1 — The Guest Posting Framework
M8L2 — Introduction To Guest Posting
M8L3 — Guest Posting On “Business” Websites
M8L4 — Getting Organized For Guest Post Campaigns
M8L5 — Finding Guest Post Opportunities
M8L6 — Sending Your Guest Post Pitches
M8L7 — Writing Your Guest Post
Module 9 — Help A Reporter Out Link Building
M9L1 — Introduction To HARO
M9L2 — Getting Set Up With HARO
M9L3 — Responding To HARO Requests
Bonus 1 — Six-Figure Affiliate Marketing Formula
B1L1 — SEO + Affiliate Marketing
B1L2 — Affiliate Marketing & User Intent
B1L3 — Finding Affiliate Keywords
B1L4 — Tips For Creating “Best” Affiliate Content
B1L5 — Tips For Creating “Review” Affiliate Content
B1L6 — Formatting Affiliate Content For Conversions
B1L7 — AAWP Plugin Walkthrough
Bonus 2 — Mastering Mediavine Ads
Bonus 3 — Site Speed For Bloggers
Bonus 4 — Scale With Sponsored Posts
Bonus 5 — Credit Takeoff Niche Site Explosion
Bonus 6 — Site Structure Mini-Class
Bonus 7 — Low-Cost Keyword Tool (KeySearch)
B7L1 — Introduction To KeySearch
B7L2 — Finding Competitors With Keysearch
B7L3 — Finding Competitor Top Pages
B7L4 — Finding Keyword “Gap” Opportunities
B7L5 — Finding Guest Posting Opportunities
B7L6 — Tracking Your Keyword Rankings
Bonus 8 — Google Search Console
B8L1 — Identifying Keyword Opportunities With GSC
B8L2 — Finding New Keyword Ideas With GSC
B8L3 — Troubleshooting Traffic Decline With GSC
Bonus 9 — Using a VA & Freelance Writer to Grow Your SEO
Bonus 10 — Advanced Ahrefs Lessons
B10L1 — Introduction To The Bonus Ahrefs Lessons
B10L2 — Finding “Content Gaps” With Ahrefs
B10L3 — Finding Competitor Affiliate Networks
B10L4 — Finding Popular Pinterest Content
B10L5 — Finding Keyword Ideas With Forums
B10L6 — Finding Long Tail Keywords
Bonus 11 — Advanced Link Building [Competitor Backlink Analysis]
B11L1 — Introduction To Competitor Backlinks
B11L2 — Spying On Your Competitors’ Links
B11L3 — Merging Your Backlink Spreadsheets
B11L4 — Analyzing Competitor Backlinks
Bonus 12—How To Sell Your Site (For Life-Changing Money)
Besides the lessons, you’ll also get a lot of cool perks when you buy the course! These include the following:
Worksheets and templates (like email outreach templates)
Downloadable and customizable spreadsheets
Initial access to the private SSSEO Facebook group
Access to Mike’s live Q&A calls every month
Who It’s For
Any blogger — whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro — can really benefit from the Stupid Simple SEO course.
For newbies, the course will help you avoid the many mistakes beginners make, ensuring you get started on the right foot.
Of course, you’ll still need to do your own research and discover different techniques that work for you with time and experience.
But the lessons in SSSEO will really streamline your learning process.
So instead of losing yourself in a ton of tutorials and videos from all over the web, you’ll get all your SEO fundamentals from one place.
As for blogging aficionados, the course can help you get out of a rut.
If your blog traffic or revenue is steady but stagnant, you can discover how to increase it by refining your strategies or trying new things.
Here are just a few of the new skills and techniques even experienced bloggers learn from the SSSEO course:
Create infographics and guides that other sites can link to, increasing your domain authority through backlinks
Get more views to qualify for monetization through ad networks like Mediavine
Use HARO (Help a Reporter Out) for link-building
Write sponsored posts from big brands or companies in your niche
Collaborate with other bloggers for guest posting opportunities
Go from getting traffic solely from Pinterest and Facebook to getting organic traffic from Google
What To Expect
How long does it take to see results after putting the SSSEO lessons into practice?
The results vary from case to case.
But truthfully, you won’t see results overnight.
Many bloggers begin seeing significant improvements in their stats just a couple of months in. Others may take longer.
So it’s important to be patient and consistent, and you’ll begin seeing results like these:
Increase in organic traffic
Increase in backlinks
Increase in revenue
Features in websites with higher DAs
And I’m not the only one Stupid Simple SEO helped.
A lot of established bloggers in different niches have only good things to say about its effectiveness.
Some have seen their views go from thousands to hundreds of thousands, while others say their income has increased by over 100%!
Pros and Cons of the Stupid Simple SEO Course
In a nutshell, my experience with SSSEO has been wonderful. I’ve shown you the incredible results I’ve gotten from it and the many perks it offers.
But if you’re considering trying it for yourself, there are also a few drawbacks to consider.
So I’ve created a quick list of the course’s pros and cons to give you clearer and more comprehensive insights into whether it’s right for you.
Pros
1. Helpful and Comprehensive
I found every lesson included in the course extremely helpful. It’s clear that Mike knows SEO inside and out, and he’s very generous with his knowledge.
Each video gives you thorough information about each relevant topic. There’s no fluff — just a lot of examples and step-by-step walkthroughs.
I really like the video format of the course because it lets you see how different techniques are implemented in real-time.
It’s also great to have a video to refer to when you’re testing out something new and learning how the process should unfold.
2. Engaging and Easy To Understand
There are a lot of videos to go through in the course, and many involve tech terms that the average blogger may not be familiar with.
But Mike’s way of teaching makes even complex concepts and processes compelling and easy to understand.
So I never felt bored watching a single video, even some of the longer ones that go over 10 minutes.
3. Constantly Updated
The world of SEO is constantly changing.
Mike knows this, which is why the lessons in the course constantly get updated in line with changes to Google’s algorithm.
This means you get fresh, up-to-date information and steer clear of obsolete techniques that only yield disappointing results.
4. Always Accessible Upon Purchase
Once you purchase the course, you get lifetime access to all the lessons — and all the updates.
So if you’re taking your SEO journey slow, you can always pause the lessons and get back to them when you have the time, energy, and willingness.
And after getting results with a few practices you learned from the course, you can pause the lessons and focus on honing your newly acquired skills for a while.
Then you can come back to the course once you’re ready to master other strategies!
Lastly, you can keep up with the newest SEO trends whenever the course gets updated.
5. Self-Paced
Because the lessons are always accessible, you can go through them at your own pace.
You can get through all the videos in one weekend if you prefer. Or you can space them out over a week to give yourself time to really absorb the lessons.
In short, you can tailor the lessons to your unique learning style.
Cons
1. Costly
Stupid Simple SEO costs $497 for a one-time payment. This is a pretty steep price, especially for those who are just starting out with blogging.
However, you do have the option to make four monthly payments of $147.
Also, the course does include access to the SSSEO community on Facebook.
But after a while, you’ll need to sign up for Mike’s SEO Next Level membership for continued community access, which charges an additional fee.
All that said, I do think the price is well worth it for the wealth of information the course gives you.
Expanding your SEO knowledge directly leads to a significant increase in your earnings through blogging. So it’s wise to invest in this course for long-term success.
Now if you’re not sure whether you should take the plunge and invest hundreds of dollars in the course, don’t worry.
You can start by signing up for Mike’s Stupid Simple SEO Masterclass, which is completely free of charge!
This class will cover SEO basics like using basic SEO optimization techniques, avoiding SEO pitfalls, and creating content that Google’s search algorithm will find relevant and rank higher as a result.
2. Time-Consuming
I’ll warn you right now: going through all the lessons will take up a huge chunk of your time.
They’re mostly videos, which makes them beneficial for people like me who prefer learning through visuals.
However, this also means they’re more time-consuming than text-based lessons that you can skim through.
So you may have to set aside time for the course in your schedule.
But again, the time you devote to the course is worth the knowledge you’ll get from it.
You might think that all those hours are better spent creating content.
But producing more and more posts without optimizing them can waste more of your time.
If you don’t use tried-and-proven SEO methods to improve your content, you’ll essentially be throwing things at the wall and seeing what sticks.
So it’s much better to devote some time to honing your SEO skills and get consistent rewards afterward.
3. Not Always Open
Because of the high demand for the course, Stupid Simple SEO is not always open. It only opens a few times a year.
So you can’t always get into the course, even if you’ve got your payments ready to go.
In that case, you’ll have to get on a waitlist and wait a certain amount of time before gaining access.
That can be a bummer. But the wait time is also there because Mike constantly updates the course.
So once you get into it, you can be sure that you’ll get high-quality information that guarantees success.
Ready To Give Stupid Simple SEO a Shot?
Did this post convince you to try Stupid Simple SEO?
I’m glad!
With this course, you’ll be taking a huge step toward growing your audience and getting more opportunities to actually make money from your blogging passion.
So go ahead and sign up for the free Stupid Simple SEO masterclass through the link I’ve provided above.
Take note that it’s currently closed, so hop on the waitlist now to make sure you get in when it opens!