How to teach SEO to non-specialists: start with users, then cover search and their work

When teaching SEO to non-specialists, you can start with “helping users find the information they need,” use a librarian analogy to explain search engines, then discuss the factors that influence which resources are selected, and finally connect this to learners’ own work. Adjust your language to their level of understanding rather than introducing a large amount of terminology at the outset. The goal is not to turn everyone into an SEO expert, but to help them understand the basics of search and recognize where their work intersects with SEO.

First explain whom you serve, then discuss ranking factors

The teaching advice relayed by WarriorForum puts “doing what is best for users” at the foundation. Starting with a list of technical tasks can lead learners to see SEO as checking boxes for an algorithm without understanding the problems those tasks are meant to solve.

Instead, lessons can begin with the person asking a question: What information are they looking for? What resources might answer their question? Once this context is established, the discussion can expand to the factors that influence resource selection. This is a way to structure introductory material, not a claim that being helpful to users necessarily guarantees good rankings.

Use a librarian analogy to build a shared understanding

The same material compares Google to a librarian: both organize indexes of information and resources and, when someone asks a question, use their knowledge of the index and their experience helping with previous queries to recommend potentially relevant resources.

For example, you could ask learners to imagine asking a librarian about a topic. The focus of the conversation is “what information the person asking needs,” not “how to please the librarian.” This analogy can also provide a shared foundation for subsequent training, connecting new material to a situation learners already understand. However, the analogy is only an introductory framework, not a complete explanation of how search engines actually work; the material also notes that the effectiveness of cross-team SEO training can vary.

Tailor the depth to the audience rather than using jargon to sound knowledgeable

A 2021 Screaming Frog article cautions that, when communicating with business owners or key stakeholders unfamiliar with SEO, heavy use of technical jargon, tool metrics, or algorithm update names can confuse or even alienate them. The issue is not whether terminology can be used, but whether its timing and presentation suit the audience.

• For those who do not yet understand the basics of search: explain the purpose in plain language and through analogies, without rushing to have them memorize terms.
• For those who need to understand the connection to their work: bring the discussion back to their responsibilities, explaining why search matters and the opportunities and risks their work may involve.
• For those who need to collaborate or make decisions: clearly explain the scope of responsibilities and reasonable expectations, rather than substituting a string of technical terms for an explanation.

The depth of the material can therefore be tailored to whether learners need to apply this knowledge. Helping them first understand what is relevant to them, then adding necessary details, better reflects the communication approach emphasized in the material than presenting the same terminology to every audience.