There are many moving parts to a small business, whether you’re selling a product or you are the product. You need a website that can serve as home base for your work. E-commerce alone is its own beast–you need a seamless checkout, fast customer service, and a plethora of accounting tools at your disposal. But more than anything else, social media is the most popular (and arguably, most important) piece of the puzzle. We’re online more than ever and a strong digital presence can be the factor that makes or breaks your brand. That being said, some of the best online courses for social media are worth taking whether you’re a newbie or not.

Online course websites are amazing for obvious reasons. They don’t require sitting in a physical classroom, you can take them at your own pace, and a lot of them are free or low-cost. Each site offers its own unique set of benefits, but generally speaking, social media is the most popular topic on each one. Our favorites are wide-ranging and routinely recommended. Some speak to one platform or skillset while others provide a general overview of digital marketing. No matter which one you choose, you’ll walk away with some tactical advice you can apply to your brand.

BlogHer

I’d be crazy not to mention our very own video library, where you can re-watch all of our digital events. Each one features a handful of entrepreneurial experts who share their personal experiences and teach the tactics that lead to their success. Virtually no stone is left unturned, social media included.

The Scoop on Blogging

Ice Cream Convos founder and SHE Media Partner Network member Xaviera Bryant provides a deep-dive, foolproof guide to starting and growing a blog, no matter your niche.

Secrets to Succeeding as an Instagram Influencer

Christina Gabalto’s free social media course will answer every question you have about Instagram promotion, from how the algorithm works to snagging brand collaborations.

Fundamentals of Digital Marketing

Google’s super-sized course comes with 26 modules and 40 hours of free and beginner-friendly instruction about digital marketing. Among the many things you’ll learn are building an online presence, analyzing your impact, and the e-commerce basics. Plus, you’ll walk away with an actual certification.

Content Marketing Masterclass

One of Udemy’s most popular courses is this marketing for beginners course that covers an impressive range of social media topics, including: the basics of SEO, understanding social media communities, mastering the art of posting, and how to film/edit marketing videos. (Fun fact: you can take this course for just $15 through December 4.)

Influencer Academy

Julie Solomon is fluent in the language of influencer. She truly knows all there is to know, and teaches it in a way that doesn’t feel overly intimidating or complicated. Her Influencer Academy is more than an instruction manual. Its an online community where you’ll be able to feel supported as you take in all of Solomon’s brand-building expertise.

Social Media Marketing Professional Certificate

Over 40,000 people have enrolled in this Coursera course that focuses on advertising in Facebook, leaving you with a certificate at the end.

An Introduction to Social Media Advertising

HubSpot’s intro course includes three short videos that provide beginner lessons on all of the advertising options offered by Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, Snapchat, and TikTok. You’ll also get tactical advice for creating ads that boost the profile of your business.

SEO for Social Media

LinkedIn is gaining traction as the best place for a free online education, so it should come as no surprise that thousands have already co-signed this course about how to create SEO-rich content.

Video Storytelling for Social Media

This free 5-day challenge is really just a class in disguise that will give the quick and dirty roadmap for creating video content that’s not only beautiful, but increases brand awareness.

Twitter Flight School

If Twitter is part of your social media marketing plan, spend some time digging into the platform’s learning hub which contains multiple modules for mastering advertising.

Social Media Strategy for Small Businesses

Alison’s free social media course covers every part of the marketing process, from research to analytics to feedback. It also teaches the tools needed to convert website visitors into customers if you’re an e-commerce business.

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