The statement “knowledge is power” is well-known for a reason–and with the net, we have access to more power with online courses.
Have you ever been frustrated with a problem only to have someone show you a simple fix to it? The more you know, the better chances you have of surmounting any issue that comes to you, specifically if you’re someone in a complex field like insurance.
Fortunately, it’s easier than ever to get educated. There are both free and paid sources online for courses that you can take from your computer, tablet, or smartphone. We’ve compiled a list of our favorite places to study. Below are our top 10, ordered by payment.
HubSpot (Free)
HubSpot is a great business resource if you’re looking to start from the ground up. Their Inbound Marketing video is an amazing resource to understand how to focus your business management.
With HubSpot, the courses available range from business management and email strategies, to SEO and content. So, your suite of knowledge for building a personal brand on the web is more focused here. Remember that marketing goes beyond simple customer interaction, it’s also about getting yourself out there in front of potential customers.
Not only do they have courses, but signing-up also makes their software and business development team available to you.
Google Skillshop (Free)
Everyone uses Google, but some could use an in-depth look into how Google helps their business. Any agent will definitely benefit from learning not only how they are found on the web, but also how to increase their visibility.
Google’s toolset and algorithms change by the year, but thankfully they keep their database updated as well.
This free set of courses is user-friendly, portable, and you can immediately put it to use.
Skillshare (Subscription)
While Skillshare does offer some free courses with sign-ups and other deals, the majority of this platform is paid. There are three options to choose from starting at $15/month, but the payment is cheaper with an annual purchase.
Skillshare is a great resource if you’re looking to learn a broad variety of techniques. The classes range from aligning business purposes to how to use programs like Adobe Illustrator. If you need to master a skill, this is a great choice.
Their content is generally higher quality with a focus on education. This means there are more people on Skillshare in a community and the teachers are more likely to interact with you if you have questions. All in all, it’s worth the price if you have the money to invest.
EdX (Individual Purchase)
This platform is more of a directory than an academy. It was founded by Harvard and MIT to focus on bringing top-ranked university-style classes to an online public. Its focus is on education on the learner’s terms. They are both non-profit and open source.
With EdX, you sign up for a course, and then you are bound to its time limits. This is unlike other platforms where you can learn whenever you’d like. While it’s still more independent than a traditional school, some learners might be turned off by the structure.
Their robust gallery is geared towards certificates or degrees. But beware, the cost of education is free, but you might have to purchase the certification at the end of the course. Additionally, some programs featured on it do include an instruction cost.
Trusted universities put their courses on here so that you can learn at your own pace. While it might be the more expensive of the choices here, EdX provides the most solid learning experience with accredited certificates.
Udemy (Individual Purchase)
Unlike other services we’ve found, Udemy doesn’t have a monthly fee for their courses. This can be a stand out feature for someone that doesn’t need continuous education.
While they have the same genres as the other online academies (from photography classes to how to structure data algorithms), you only pay for what you want, and you get to keep it forever!
So, if you’re just needing to brush up on Risk Analysis and Insurance Planning, you can search for it easily on the platform, purchase it, and then learn when you want. The platform also regularly runs sales, so it’s worth signing up for their email list.
Coursera(Subscription or Purchase)
Coursera also boasts a top-rated course selection from universities and industry leaders. These courses are designed to have you master a new skill in about a month. Like EdX, you enroll in a course, so it’s not necessarily whenever you’d like to learn.
Important to note for Coursera is that you do have the option in some courses to enroll for free, but items like certificates and extra help come with a price tag.
These are only a few options for the amazing amount of online courses we have available to us. Apps like Khan Academy or Duolingo place bitesize, focused teaching in your hands that you can take anywhere. With any of these platforms, you can make the choice of turning your usual phone break into self-improvement time.