Can I Learn Google Analytics On My Own?

You can learn Google Analytics in a variety of ways, and it is certainly possible to teach yourself the basics. Especially in today’s online world, there are endless resources available right at your fingertips. This article will explore how you can self-teach, what the advantages and disadvantages are, and what tools you can use to educate yourself. With the right resources and mindset, you can master the basics of Google Analytics on your own, but it’s important to keep in mind the drawbacks so you can decide if self-taught or enrolling in a course is right for you.

Advantages to Self-Teaching Google Analytics

The biggest advantage to self-teaching is cost savings. Classes, certificates, and degrees cost varying amounts and that price tag can often be a burden for students. Self teaching allows you to leverage free resources - whether that’s video tutorials, blog posts, discussion forums, or books - for your education, saving you hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. 

Self-teaching also offers more flexibility. In-person or live online training programs will have set schedules and assignment due dates, requiring you to fit your work and life around your learning. Self-teaching allows for the opposite by letting you fit your learning in around your life and work. You can learn at your own pace and take as much (or as little) time as you need to master certain subjects. 

Google Analytics Self-Teaching Tools

Self-teaching tools are available for learning Google Analytics. YouTube boasts a wide range of tutorials and informative videos on all kinds of marketing subjects: from short five-minute episodes on the fundamentals to more in-depth breakdowns of advanced topics. YouTube is a great way to explore your initial interest or get answers to specific questions on Google Analytics. Other websites like Google and LinkedIn offer short free tutorials and trainings designed to help you grasp the history and basic principles of Google Analytics. 

Self-paced courses are another available option. These won’t be free, like YouTube, but they will allow you to use previously developed curriculum and recorded content to master Google Analytics at your own speed. Coursera, Codefinity, and Ed2Go all offer on-demand Google Analytics classes that cover everything from the fundamentals to more advanced techniques and practices. 

As obvious as it may sound, books can also be a very helpful self-teaching tool. The caveat with printed resources is that you’ll need to be mindful that they are up to date. Web and app development is a constantly changing field, so you’ll want your educational texts and resources to contain fresh techniques and current tools that are a part of the current marketing landscape.

Drawbacks to Learning Google Analytics on Your Own

It’s important to remember that there are drawbacks to learning Google Analytics on your own. For one thing, with more freedom comes less accountability. Self-teaching can work for independent learners who can keep themselves on task and motivated, but may not be the best fit for those who find motivation through accountability. You won’t have set class times to hold you accountable to consistently setting aside time, and you also won’t have due dates to help keep you on track either. Without the right level of motivation, you can easily fall behind or lose interest in completing the training altogether. 

Self-teaching, while more cost-effective up front, could end up costing you more money in the long run. Think of it this way: self-learning often takes substantially longer than attending a structured course, meaning it takes longer to start or advance your career. Waiting longer for this professional shift can affect your earnings, as your ability to access those higher salaries remains out of reach until you’ve mastered Google Analytics. 

Finally, self-teaching also drastically limits your chances of networking. Most structured classes are led by an industry expert and offer some combination of mentoring, office hours, and networking events for enrolled students. More than 80% of professionals say networking is essential to their career success, so forming connections within the fields of marketing data analytics can help you land better, high paying roles in a shorter amount of time. 

Alternatives to Learning Google Analytics on Your Own

If you’re looking for alternatives to self-teaching, there’s good news. For both of the below options, there’s no need to figure out what you should learn and when; structured courses provide that for you. These options do have their differences, though, so it’s important that you understand each of them. 

Live Online Classes

Live virtual courses are considered the middle ground between on-demand and in-person classes. You’ll attend scheduled class times from the comfort of your own home (or wherever you choose) to learn from an expert instructor. Live online classes offer instant feedback from your teacher and interactions with other students, creating the opportunity for a deeper understanding of the coursework. These classes are ideal for students that thrive in a structured learning environment but perhaps don’t live near any in-person offerings. Or, if you simply prefer online learning, then a live virtual class could be for you. 

In-Person Classes

In-person classes are considered the best way to master Google Analytics as quickly and efficiently as possible. Held on location at scheduled times, these classes offer face-to-face interaction with your fellow students and your expert instructor. If you encounter any challenging material, you can ask questions in real time instead of spending unnecessary time figuring it out on your own. This collaborative environment is available for both full-time and part-time classes and provides structure and accountability, two things that can help you succeed. 

As you can see, there are several options available if you don’t choose the self-taught route. On-demand, live online, and in-person classes are all great ways to study Google Analytics, so the choice will come down to which learning method is best for your schedule and lifestyle. 

Learn Google Analytics Skills with Noble Desktop

Live Google Analytics courses are an ideal learning method for those entirely new to the field. Noble Desktop’s live classes offer expert instructors, setup assistance for online classes, and the chance for 1:1 mentoring. Held both live online and in person in New York, you can learn everything you need to know to become a Google Analytics expert. 

Noble Desktop’s Google Analytics Bootcamp will teach you all about this handy tool’s applications for marketing, including tracking data, interpreting reports, and optimizing performance. You’ll learn how to set up an account and understand what you should be tracking and discover the exciting features of GA4, including its data model and advanced methods for tracking events that matter to you. With the help of an expert instructor and hands-on learning, you’ll leave this training with a solid understanding of the tool and how to optimize its wealth of data to your advantage.

If you want to take your skills a step further, their Digital Marketing Certificate could be the right fit. You’ll gain the essential digital marketing skills to promote a business in today’s competitive markets by developing an actionable, multi-tiered campaign optimized through search engine optimization (SEO), social media, paid search, content marketing, and email marketing. You’ll also learn to increase your return on investment by determining key performance indicators, monitoring web analytics, tracking conversions, and creating reports with Google Analytics.

There’s also Google Ads Bootcamp, a hands-on training that teaches you to develop and manage successful Google Ads campaigns, generate leads and sales, track conversions, and improve your search engine ranking. You’ll get an introduction to paid advertising and walk away with an understanding of the essential elements needed to create successful paid campaigns via Google.

If you’re mostly interested in social media platforms, Noble’s Social Media Marketing Certificate. You’ll learn to create effective strategies on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok, and Twitter to grow your online following and stand out in the marketplace. You’ll also create a professional portfolio that you can share with employers and clients and learn how to optimize your resume, LinkedIn profile, and social media accounts to highlight your experience and make yourself stand out as a job candidate. This court is part of the Digital Marketing Certificate and can count towards that training should you choose to continue your education. 

Noble’s SEO Bootcamp is another option. Designed for business owners, marketers, and front end developers who want to enhance their marketability, this course will help you get familiar with the fundamentals of SEO and gain an edge over your competition through hands-on lessons in search engine optimization and competitive keyword analysis. To help you get started, this course includes a 7-day free trial of Semrush, the top keyword research tool. This course is also a part of the Digital Marketing Certificate, should you choose to pursue that more in-depth option.