I’ve been hearing versions of “SEO is dead” everywhere — on LinkedIn, from ex-agency colleagues, even from someone who’s an SEO marketer (I know!).

At Class Central, where I work, traffic is a core indicator of our journalistic efforts. But even after riding high on SEO for over a decade, we have phases where ‘traffic is down’. Once, I remember thinking: What’s wrong with our SEO? Is it really dead, or can’t we find its pulse?

I had come across Noble Desktop multiple times while curating our Best Courses Guides, and I’d been eyeing their SEO Bootcamp because:

• The reviews were positive (5-star ratings!)
• The rigorous curriculum
• The cost ($650) that signalled it was immersive and offered value

Since it was a 12-hour bootcamp, covered over two days (10 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET), I went for it.

Pre-Bootcamp: The Logistics

The bootcamp had two options — live online or in-person in New York. I chose the online one.

Apart from the confirmation email, I got a detailed email, three days prior, explaining every tool I’d need to sign up for and instructions to get the free Semrush trial through their affiliate partnership. They sent another reminder the day before — something I was hoping for.

They also gave me access to their Class Portal, where I could see my scheduled classes, assignments, shared resources, agreements, and more.

The Curriculum and Content

While I’d use some SEO tactics (keywords, linking, etc), I wasn’t confident enough to say, “I know SEO”. This was my first official training in SEO, and I wanted to learn everything there was to it.

The bootcamp began with the basics — definition, why it matters, and so on, moving on to the juicier bits — adding backlinks, conducting an SEO audit, and more.

Instead of offering one-way instructions, the instructor followed every concept with a demonstration of it on Semrush. Sometimes, it was difficult for me to replicate it, but I made a mental note to try it when we received the presentation and the recording.

The curriculum was solid. It covered the classics like content and search intent optimization, on-page and off-page SEO, internal and external linking, etc. While I knew and practised those, I realized that they were just the tip of the iceberg.

The SEO bootcamp led me to equally crucial concepts such as:

• Do follow vs no follow links
• Local ranking factors
• Google Business optimization
• Featured Snippets strategies
• AI optimization

The AI Factor

Since GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) is a newer ranking practice, I didn’t expect the bootcamp to cover it. But the instructor did.

She started by explaining how it’s different from SEO, how Gen AI platforms work, and how businesses can show up on the query results of ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and more.

The instructor also went a step further, covering keyword research for GEO, the best tools to use, and content structures and frameworks to show up on Gen AI platforms.

The Course Delivery

Our instructor, Nicole McCullum, is an SEO trainer, a marketing consultant, and an agency founder. Her expertise shone throughout the bootcamp because:

• She used humor to engage with us, often sharing candid thoughts and anecdotes on SEO
• She gave several client examples, highlighting what works and what fails
• She kept the floor open to questions, and she resolved every doubt in detail, until the student understood the solution

Despite having in-person students and online learners, she maintained her energy, encouraging us to practice our learning in our businesses.

She also didn’t read through the slides (something I often see in online courses), she expanded on every point and simplified it. Side note: her slide deck was minimal, easy on the eyes, and yet informative.

What I Liked Most

• Nicole introduced us to different tools such as Moz, Also Asked, Search Console, and more, while sharing their strengths and weaknesses. This helped me categorize them based on my goals.
• The course was practical and hands-on. I practised the concepts on Google Analytics, Search Console, and Semrush (not always).
• I liked that it focused on the foundations, which are still relevant, but it was also a modern take on SEO. The sections on GEO, AI-optimization, and content development were my favorites.
• The team was prompt — I received my certificate within hours of completion, and while I didn’t receive the recording of the class, I got one after I emailed them about it.

Final Thoughts — Was it Worth it?

The bootcamp was detailed, energetic, and introduced me to SEO concepts I didn’t know. I’ve been practising with the recordings, and if I struggle with a section, I can retake it for free until next year!

I watched business owners, marketers, and aspiring SEO strategists take lessons from this bootcamp. If that’s you, I’d recommend it. But, it’s for serious implementers, those who want to evolve their SEO efforts, not bury them.

This is a sponsored article by Noble Desktop, but the opinions are personal.