If you are a DIY learner like I am, you are constantly looking for free resources online to grow our new biz. Blog posts, free webinars, detailed workbooks — whatever you can get your hands on to get a handle on the blogging business.
As I was gathering free resources, I decided to share them all with you! Think of this as a round up of Blogging 101 lessons.
Starting Your Business
These are great resources for creating a strong foundation.
- https://www.udemy.com/how-to-build-an-online-business-a-complete-business-plan/
- https://www.khanacademy.org/economics-finance-domain/core-finance/accounting-and-financial-stateme
- https://www.udemy.com/lean-startup-sxsw-2012-videos-and-presentations/
- https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/sloan-school-of-management/15-501-introduction-to-financial-and-managerial-accounting-spring-2004/
- https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/sloan-school-of-management/15-356-how-to-develop-breakthrough-products-and-services-spring-2004/
- https://www.khanacademy.org/economics-finance-domain/entrepreneurship2
- https://www.skillshare.com/classes/business/Minimum-Viable-Product-Validate-Your-Startup-Idea-for-Less-than-1000/514516183?via=search-layout-grid
- https://www.edx.org/course/creativity-entrepreneurship-berkleex-oentr-391x-3
Creating Your Website
As a small business owner, you need a website to showcase your work. Have no work to show yet? You want to at least reserve your domain name. I bought my website two years before I actually tried to monetize it so I could have my first and last name. Currently, I use Squarespace and free templates, but I look forward to using these classes to build my other websites when I am ready!
- https://www.codecademy.com/learn/make-a-website
- https://www.skillshare.com/classes/business/Make-a-Personal-Branding-Website-with-Squarespace/462647178?via=search-layout-grid
Writing Great Content
In order to bring potential customers into your funnel, you need to attract them with great content. Add value to their lives, and show them how you can help them succeed.
- https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/comparative-media-studies-writing/21w-730-2-the-creative-spark-fall-2004/#
- https://www.coursera.org/learn/startup-entrepreneurship-discovering-ideas
- https://www.udemy.com/how-to-create-high-quality-blog-content-that-gets-shared/
Social Media Management
In this day in age, marketing yourself on social media is a must for most audiences. You need to be where your audience hangs out.
- https://blogs.constantcontact.com/social-media-quickstarter/
- http://www.gcflearnfree.org/topics/socialmedia/
- https://education.hootsuite.com/collections/courses
- https://www.skillshare.com/classes/design/How-To-Design-A-Facebook-Ad-That-Converts-in-10-Minutes-or-Less-With-Totally-Free-Tools/365265705?via=search-layout-grid
Advertising and Marketing
Advertising and marketing are fun but tricky. These courses help you get a better handle on both.
- https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/sloan-school-of-management/15-356-how-to-develop-breakthrough-products-and-services-spring-2004/
- https://www.coursera.org/learn/wharton-contagious-viral-marketing
Design
Bad design will drive away potential customers, no matter how amazing your content is. If you are not a graphic designer by trade, you can at least teach yourself the fundamentals until you can hire a professional.
- https://www.skillshare.com/classes/design/Easy-and-Effective-Graphic-Design-The-Ins-and-Outs-of-Canva/101522117?via=search-layout-grid
- https://www.skillshare.com/classes/business/Visual-Thinking-Drawing-Data-to-Communicate-Ideas/1746654720?via=search-layout-grid
- https://www.coursera.org/learn/presentation-design
Email Marketing
Leads and sales are much easier if you have an email list of potential clients.
Putting Your Best Brand Forward
Your brand is what your audience thinks of you. Learn how to create your best brand.
- https://www.coursera.org/specializations/career-brand-management
- https://www.coursera.org/learn/presentations-speaking-so-that-people-listen
- https://www.coursera.org/learn/self-marketing
- https://www.coursera.org/learn/career-brand-development-self-coaching
- https://www.coursera.org/learn/personal-branding
Get Visible Online
After you have content and a brand that you are proud of, you need to get found.
- https://www.udemy.com/seo-tutorial/
- https://www.skillshare.com/classes/business/SEO-That-Matters-Tactics-and-Strategy-for-Entrepreneurs/681600915?via=search-layout-grid
- https://alison.com/courses/Google-Analytics
Teach Others
If your business teaches others how to do something, then these courses can help you be a better teacher or coach.
- https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/experimental-study-group/es-333-producing-educational-videos-spring-2015/
- https://www.coursera.org/specializations/public-speaking
Manage People
Growing? Need to outsource? You need to learn how to manage people and their personalities.
- https://www.coursera.org/learn/negotiation-skills
- https://www.coursera.org/learn/conflict-resolution-skills
- https://www.coursera.org/learn/influencing-people
- https://alison.com/courses/Business-Communication-Developing-Effective-Business-Presentation-Skills
Think Critically
As you learn and grow as a blogger, you need to be a critical thinker. The brain is a muscle you can strengthen.
- https://www.coursera.org/learn/creative-problem-solving
- https://www.coursera.org/learn/problem-solving
- https://www.edx.org/course/problem-solving-critical-thinking-skills-fullbridgex-career3x
Another great free resource for all things business is Academic Earth. They have thousands of video lectures: http://academicearth.org/business/
If you enjoy DIY self-improvement, sign up for my free eBook, The Portfolio Builder! Issue One contains exercises to build your portfolio with storytelling projects. Also in the library: a career development plan, a finding your passion workbook, and a skill acquisition worksheet!
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