Is 30 Too Old to Learn Google Analytics?

Exploring a career change can be intimidating, especially if you’ve already established yourself in another or need to learn an entirely new field. There’s good news though: it’s never too late to learn Google Analytics. Digital marketing is now the frontrunner for most advertising and being able to track and understand the data is a crucial piece of the marketing puzzle. This article will explore how you can learn Google Analytics efficiently so you can make your career transition as seamlessly and quickly as possible.

Why Learn Google Analytics at 30?

By the time you reach your thirties, you’ve probably gotten an associate's or bachelor's degree and reached a mid-level role in a related field. Perhaps that field is related to the web, like marketing or ecommerce. In that case, learning Google Analytics can help propel you to the next level in your career, allowing you to troubleshoot your own issues or collaborate better with your company’s Google Analytics department. 

If your degree or current career are in an entirely different field, learning Google Analytics can provide you a pathway to starting over. If you’re a project or program manager looking for a change into some form of marketing leadership, learning Google Analytics will offer you a better understanding of the work your team will do, as well as any issues they may encounter. Having knowledge of the specificity can help with problem solving and build stronger relationships with your team members. Even if you’re from an entirely different field, skills like adaptability, strategy, and testing will all be useful in Google Analytics. 

By the time you’re in your thirties, you have a better understanding of the field you’ve chosen, and if it’s actually the right fit for you. Midlife career changes are common and switching in your thirties means you still have enough time to establish yourself in a new field and work your way into a leadership role. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, Marketing Research Analysts and Specialists make around $83,000 per year with an estimated 13 percent employment growth from 2022 to 2032. And, with around 94,600 openings for market research analysts are projected each year, on average, over that same decade, there’s plenty of work for an expert in Google Analytics. So a career switch, even in your thirties, can certainly be worth it. 

How Long Will it Take to Learn Google Analytics?

There are a lot of educational resources out there to read and watch that will help you build your understanding of Google Analytics. From free training, courses, and webinars to video tutorials and books, knowledge is truly at your fingertips. But, if you’re looking for the options that can help you learn at a faster pace, certain options may be better for you than others. 

Online or In-Person Training and Bootcamps

Live training and bootcamps, whether attended virtually or in-person, tend to be the fastest way to learn Google Analytics. 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 with routine accountability check-ins. 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. You’ll master Google Analytics the quickest in a full-time course but any class with scheduled times will help you learn faster than trying to learn Google Analytics entirely on your own or in an on-demand program. 

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. 

On-Demand Classes 

Also known as self-paced, on-demand classes offer the most flexibility of any class option but don’t win any awards for speed. They do have quite a few benefits for busy professionals, though. Not only can you learn from wherever you want, you can also learn whenever you want. There are no due dates or scheduled class times, so you can take your time on challenging topics or skip over ones you’ve already mastered. These classes are ideal for learners with complicated schedules who need to squeeze their studying in around their work and other obligations. You’ll need to be an independent and self-motivated student to succeed in an on-demand class. It’s very easy to lose momentum or fall behind when you don’t have any outside accountability, so these courses tend to take longer than a structured live course. 

Free Resources 

Free resources 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. 

Free resources are often your fastest option and can last anywhere from a few minutes to a couple of hours. Their brevity is one reason they are so popular for beginners, but the drawback of these courses is that they will lack the in-depth knowledge and real-time interaction with an expert instructor that more immersive programs offer. With that in mind, it’s best to use these resources as a brief introduction to make sure you’re interested in the subject (or as supplemental learning materials) as opposed to the sole source of your education. 

Ways to Make Learning Google Analytics Easier and Quicker

The quickest and easiest way to learn Google Analytics is through a live class. You’ll be able to receive feedback and troubleshoot any difficult projects in real-time with an expert instructor and learn from a top-notch curriculum developed by industry professionals. You’ll also have the chance to connect with other students and other Google Analytics experts through networking opportunities. Plus, scheduled class times and due dates offer a level of accountability that most students find highly motivating.

Live classes are available in two formats: part time and full time. Part-time classes are typically offered in the evenings or on weekends, allowing you to maintain your current 9-5 work schedule. Because you’re only learning in the evenings or on the weekends, attending part time usually takes double twice as long as attending full time. Full-time courses will be more demanding of your schedule, as they’re often held during regular business hours. Think of a full-time course like being enrolled in school again. Your learning will be your entire focus, but the major benefit is that you can master Google Analytics in the shortest amount of time. 

Full-time classes and part-time classes may differ in how comprehensive they are as well. Some part-time classes, in order to save on time, may not cover as many topics as a full-time course. Plus, a full-time course offers a more immersive experience, as you’ll spend less time being pulled away from your studies to deal with other work or life responsibilities.

With all that in mind, below are some questions you should ask yourself when deciding which is right for you.

• Are you between jobs or able to take vacation time to complete a full-time training course? 
• Are you only free in the evenings and need a class that can accommodate your schedule?
• How quickly do you need to master Google Analytics?
• How immersive do you want your program to be?