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Build a complete SEO plan for a Nigerian website or blog

The capstone project for SEO for Beginners — a free Marketing course. Pass it and you earn a certificate anyone can verify.

Start the course free Download the project workbook

The project unlocks once you complete the lessons. The workbook is free to download now so you can see exactly what is expected.

What you will submit

A single shareable link (Google Doc or similar) containing the site profile, the keyword list, the on-page fixes for one page, the technical and authority basics, and the 5-page content plan.

What to do, step by step

  1. Choose a real or realistic Nigerian website (a business site or a blog) and write a short profile of it: what it sells or covers, who its ideal customer or reader is, and the main goal you want SEO to achieve (e.g. more enquiries, more product sales, more newsletter sign-ups).
  2. Build a keyword list of at least 12 phrases your audience actually searches, combining services or topics with relevant places or details, including several specific long-tail keywords. In a table, note each keyword's rough intent (informational, commercial or transactional), a rough sense of competition, and how you found it (e.g. Google autocomplete, 'People also ask', Nairaland, a competitor's page).
  3. Pick one important existing or sample page and write a list of concrete on-page fixes for it: an improved title tag (under ~60 characters with the keyword), a click-worthy meta description, a sensible H1 and H2/H3 heading structure, where to use the keyword naturally, at least two internal links to add, image alt text, and a clean keyword-rich URL.
  4. Note 3-4 technical and authority basics to address for the site: for example mobile-friendliness and page speed, setting up Google Search Console and submitting a sitemap, HTTPS, and 2-3 safe, ethical ways to earn early backlinks (no buying links).
  5. Create a content plan for 5 pages that work together, ideally using the pillar-and-cluster model: for each page give a working title, the target keyword, the search intent and stage of the customer journey it serves, and a one-line note on how that page will guide the reader toward an action (the call to action).
  6. Assemble everything into one shareable Google Doc (or similar link): the site profile, the keyword list table, the on-page fixes, the technical and authority basics, and the 5-page content plan.

Files to work with

Project workbook (fill in, then submit)The whole brief, an evidence checklist, the grading rubric as a self-check and the link-sharing steps in one file. Opens in Word, Google Docs or WPS.Word · 7 KB

How it is graded

CriterionWeight
Keyword research: at least 12 realistic phrases the audience truly searches, including several specific long-tail terms, each labelled with intent and a note on how it was found, and several genuinely low-competition.25%
On-page fixes: a concrete, correct set of improvements for one page, an improved keyword-first title under ~60 characters, a click-worthy meta description, a sensible H1/H2/H3 structure, natural keyword use, internal links, image alt text and a clean URL.25%
Content plan: a clear 5-page plan using a pillar-and-cluster or journey-based logic, with a working title, target keyword, intent/stage and a call-to-action note for each page, and the pages sensibly link or relate to one another.25%
Technical and authority basics: 3-4 sound, relevant points covering speed/mobile, Search Console/indexing or HTTPS, plus safe ethical link ideas with no link buying or black-hat tactics.15%
Nigerian relevance and polish: the site, keywords, places, prices and examples are concrete and realistic for Nigeria, and everything is assembled into one clean, complete, working shareable link.10%

You need 65% overall to pass. A failed submission comes back with feedback and can be revised and resubmitted.

Before you submit: make your link public

If your work lives in Google Drive or Google Docs, open Share → General access and change “Restricted” to “Anyone with the link” (Viewer). Then paste the link into a private browser window: if it opens without sign-in, you are ready. A private link cannot be graded — it is the single most common reason a good project fails.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to finish SEO for Beginners before submitting the project?

Yes. The submission screen opens once every lesson in SEO for Beginners is marked complete. The lessons are where the methods, the Nigerian context and the worked examples the project depends on are taught.

How is the project graded?

An examiner scores each rubric criterion from 0 to 100 and weights them as shown on this page; you need 65% overall to pass. Most submissions are graded within minutes and you get written feedback on what was strong and what to improve.

Can I resubmit if I fail?

Yes. A failed project comes back with feedback; revise the weak parts and resubmit. A passed project is final — the certificate is issued and cannot be re-rolled.

What do I actually submit?

A write-up of what you did (under 5,000 characters) plus a public link to your work — a Google Drive folder, Google Doc, spreadsheet, GitHub repository or video. The link must open without sign-in; a private link cannot be graded. The free project workbook on this page walks you through all 6 steps.

Is the certificate real?

Yes. Passing this project issues a certificate with a unique verification code. Anyone — an employer, a client, a school — can open the verification page and see that the certificate is genuine and which project earned it.

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Ready to earn this certificate?

SEO for Beginners is free and self-paced. Finish the lessons, complete this project, and the certificate is yours to share.

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