Learning new and valuable skills doesn’t necessarily require years of formal education and a significant financial investment. There are ample resources on the internet that can help freelancers hone their craft or learn new competences. And many of them are available for free. Platforms such as Google, Hubspot, Udacity, EduOnix, and many more, offer specialized online courses that give you the tools to improve anything from copywriting skills, to social media marketing, to brand building. Here are 5 of the best free online courses right now:
Fundamentals of Digital Marketing (Google Digital Garage)
The Fundamentals of Digital Marketing is one of the best free online courses right now, as it is a free online certification course hosted by Google Digital Garage. This is a nonprofit program launched by Google to encourage people to learn new digital skills. The course is designed for beginners and at 40 hours, is the longest on this list. In the course, you will learn how to build an online presence, plan an online business strategy, understand search engines, create effective social media and email marketing strategies, learn the ins and outs of analytics, and much more. After completing the digital marketing course and an exam, you can add the certificate to your resume.
SEO Certification Course (Hubspot Academy)
The Hubspot Academy hosts a broad range of free online courses and certifications, including an SEO Certification Course. This course consists of a solid introduction to Search Engine Optimization (SEO), covering topics like website optimization, link building, keyword research, and SEO reporting, all of which can help improve how you or your client’s website ranks on Google and other search engines. Whether you are a content creator or marketing specialist, an understanding of SEO metrics is essential and can dramatically improve a website’s online visibility. The Hubspot Academy course consists of six lessons and takes just under three hours to complete. After a final exam, you will receive an SEO certificate.
Learn Adobe Illustrator From Scratch (EduOnix)
Adobe Illustrator is an indispensable tool for graphic designers but it does have a fairly steep learning curve. EduOnix’s highly rated Adobe Illustrator course is one of the best free online courses right now as it demystifies the vector illustration program and takes you through the fundamentals of the software. By the end of the 10-hour course, you should have a solid grasp on basic graphic design techniques on Illustrator, as well as insights into more advanced design and graphics processes. In the end, the skills learned in this free online course will prepare you to develop your own graphics and digital illustrations. We should note that while the course itself is free, Adobe Illustrator is subscription based.
Intro to HTML and CSS (Udacity)
Among Udacity’s many online courses is a free introduction to website building blocks HTML and CSS. The course is designed for beginners, so if you’ve been looking to learn the basics of website creation and design, it’s a great place to start, and is one of our favorite best free online courses right now. The Intro to HTML and CSS course covers the fundamentals of HTML, including structure format and tags, as well as CSS, a programming language essential for styling and building web pages. In addition to video lectures and explanation, the course includes hands-on activities and exercises to put your newly learned skills into practice. The Intro to HTML and CSS course is entirely free and typically takes about three weeks to complete.
Become a Copywriter Pro from Ground Up (EduOnix)
Good copywriting is an in-demand skill that goes beyond good writing, requiring concision, accessibility, and catchiness. EduOnix’s free Become a Copywriter Pro course delves into what it takes to be a “master copywriter”, as well as how to improve your copywriting skills, and how to turn a passion for writing into a successful profession. If you have a keen interest in writing but aren’t quite sure how to translate it to a copywriting career, this free online course can help get you on the right path. The online curriculum comprises 16 lectures that span just over 3 hours.
The Time to Upskill is Now
Free online courses like these are a great way to get your freelance career off the ground but they are also good if you want to add new skills to your portfolio. In the end, a freelancer with versatile capabilities has a greater chance of standing out from the crowd. For example, someone with a core skill in copywriting can gain a competitive edge if they also have an SEO certificate or social media marketing competency.
The free online courses above—as well as hundreds of other resources such as our Importance of Upskilling Yourself blog—can support your professional growth and help you discover new opportunities!
