Are you inspired to make a renewed investment in education?
One of the best places to do that is Udemy.com, a worldwide marketplace of instructors and students.
We’ve covered Udemy on Side Hustle Nation before, but mostly from the teacher’s point of view. In fact, it can be a powerful side hustle platform for earning passive income, as several Side Hustle Show guests have shared.
But today I want to share some of the top courses on Udemy for entrepreneurs, freelancers, and side hustlers.
How do I know? These are the courses that Side Hustle Nation readers have purchased in the past year, thanks to the magic of affiliate link tracking.
Disclosure: Speaking of affiliate links, this post is full of ’em.
New Student Special: Get many of the courses below starting at $13.99 with no promo code needed!
Offer expires November 30th at 11:59pm Pacific.
I’m confident you’ll find something on this list you’ve been meaning to learn about to take your business to new heights this year.
The 10 Best Udemy Courses for Entrepreneurs
1. The Complete Digital Marketing Course – 12 Courses in 1
Learn how to:
- Market your own business from scratch.
- Take advantage of the latest platforms and technologies.
- Transition into a new career path or earn extra money with your newfound skills.
Sticker Price: $150
Instructor: Rob Percival, Daragh Walsh
Social Proof: 123,000 reviews, 4.5-stars, 527,000 students
Sample Review: “As the name suggests, the course covers almost all the basic fundamentals of Digital marketing. A must-have course for aspiring digital marketers. I even recommend the course to those not related to the marketing stream.”
2. An Entire MBA in 1 Course: Award-Winning Business School Prof
Learn how to:
- Get many customers by using the best networking tool!
- Raise a lot of money quickly.
- Present to investors and customers like a boss : )
- Communicate the right way in business so that you don’t waste time.
- Network and get a meeting with anyone..
- Analyze entire markets and companies from a qualitative and quantitative perspective.
- Understand how taxes work (don’t worry this section is not boring)!
- Protect your family and assets in case your business gets sued.
- And much more…
Sticker Price: $125
Instructor: Chris Haroun
Social Proof: 44,000 reviews, 4.5-stars, 388,000 students
Sample Review: “Just an amazing course and value for the money. You can feel the amount of effort put in by the author, plus the passion and the practicality with which he covers all the topics. Hats off!!“
3. Build a Dropshipping Empire from Scratch. Proven Blueprint
Learn how to:
- Choose the right type of products to sell via drop shipping.
- Build the “perfect” dropshipping website.
- Find suppliers and develop relationships.
- Drive traffic and sales.
Sticker Price: $100
Instructor: Theo McArthur
Social Proof: 7,600 reviews, 4.5-stars, 38,000 students
Sample Review: “This was the perfect course to start my journey. There was so much information that I had already researched via other methods, but this course filled in the blanks and has actually given me ideas to start. My head’s still buzzing but in a great way!”
4. How to Start an Amazon FBA Store on a Tight Budget
Learn how to:
- Source profitable inventory.
- Measure the sales volume for existing products.
- Create the “perfect” Amazon listing for high rankings.
- Find low competition products and niches.
Sticker Price: $120
Instructor: Theo McArthur
Social Proof: 20,000 reviews, 4.5-stars, 78,000 students
Sample Review: “Amazing course. I’ve already purchased some product from AliExpress and creating a gameplan following Theo’s exact instructions. Excited and confident for what’s to come! 110% recommend to anyone wanting to get into Amazon FBA.”
5. Online Marketing Business: Create Your Agency, Step-by-Step
Learn how to:
- Get your first client (and first paycheck).
- Create a profitable business from day one.
- Find and hire great staff to do the work for you.
- Set up systems to run the business from anywhere with an Internet connection.
- Scale the business and free your time up for other pursuits.
Sticker Price: $130
Instructor: Sean Marshall
Social Proof: 1400 reviews, 4.1-stars, 10,000 students
Sample Review: “This course offers valuable, actionable advice. The instructor actually seems to want to help you, unlike other digital marketing courses where instructors put a lot of emphasis on promoting themselves and their affiliate products.”
6. The Complete Financial Analyst Course
Learn how to:
- Work comfortably with Microsoft Excel
- Be much faster carrying out regular tasks
- Work with large amounts of data without difficulty
- Build a company’s P&L from scratch
- Format spreadsheets in a professional way
- Create professional charts in Microsoft Excel
- Understand Accounting and Bookkeeping principles
- Build a company’s Balance Sheet from scratch
- And much more…
Sticker Price: $125
Instructor: 365 Careers
Social Proof: 51,000 reviews, 4.6-stars, 265,000 students
Sample Review: “This course has helped me to gain confidence in my pursuit for a career in Finance Analysis. I am very happy that I made this decision. And guess what, it has a lifetime access so I can come back at anytime to practice again and again. Thank you 365 careers for this course. I certainly recommend it for everyone who seeks a career in Finance and business in general!!!”
7. The Complete WordPress Website Business Course
Learn how to:
- Create all kinds of commercial websites, using WordPress, to sell to clients
- Set up server and hosting environments in the most economical and secure way
- Migrate and transfer WordPress websites from staging to live and vice-versa
- Master the inner workings of WordPress, for fixing, troubleshooting, and building websites
- Build and edit websites within staging and development environments
- Sell Website Care and Maintenance plans to happy clients for recurring revenue
Sticker Price: $125
Instructor: Rob Percival, Gregg Davis, Codestars by Rob Percival
Social Proof: 13,000 reviews, 4.4-stars, 68,000 students
Sample Review: “I love this course! Gregg provide an excellent and clear training that I believe anyone could take benefit from. He responds technical and business related questions, provides a list of tools and tips to help along the way and keeps the course updated. Would definitely take more courses from him.”
8. Photography Masterclass: A Complete Guide to Photography
Learn how to:
- You will know how to take amazing photos that impress your family and friends
- You will know how to photograph in different scenarios like family portraits, landscapes, aerial, product, wildlife, and much more
- You will know how to light your subjects with flash and natural lighting
- You will know how the camera truly works, so you can take better photos using manual settings
- You will know how to compose images beautifully with basic photography rules
- You will know how to edit your photos like a professional
- You will know how to make money with photography
- You will know how to take better photos with your smart phones
Sticker Price: $130
Instructor: Phil Ebiner, William Carnahan, Video School Online Inc, Sam Shimizu-Jones
Social Proof: 45,000 reviews, 4.7-stars, 220,000 students
Sample Review: “If I could give more than 5 stars I would. I thoroughly enjoyed this course, Well thought out and very clearly and carefully presented lessons, clearly a lot of work went into setting up this course and that is appreciated. Thank you guys for the clarity that you present with and the sheer volume that you cover.”
9. Blogging Masterclass: How To Build A Successful Blog
Learn how to:
- Create a blog using WordPress.
- Decide on a domain name for their blog that fits your niche and your goals.
- Write awesome articles that people can’t wait to read.
- Build your email list.
- Monetize your site with several different income strategies.
Sticker Price: $140
Instructor: Brad Merrill
Social Proof: 4,600 reviews, 4.6-stars, 25,000 students
Sample Review: “This course is extremely comprehensive and well detailed. Furthermore, it gives all the necessary tools to get started without getting a newbie intimidated by the process. This is the perfect course for any beginner looking to start blogging for the passion or for the money!“
Related: I have a free 6-part video series on how to start a blog.
10. Ultimate Google Ads Training 2020: Profit with Pay Per Click
Learn how to:
- Drive consistent traffic to your website or landing page.
- Develop your own profitable ad campaign.
- Effectively advertise your products or services online.
- Use remarketing to reach previous website visitors.
- Set up conversion tracking so you know exactly what’s working and what’s not.
Sticker Price: $125
Instructor: Isaac Rudansky
Social Proof: 40,000 reviews, 4.6-stars, 167,000 students
Sample Review: “Teaching is an art, and Isaac seems to be the Leonardo da Vinci of teaching! This was a great course. It had good and detailed flow of topics, from basic to slightly advanced levels; along with actual implementation examples.“
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The rest of this page is organized by category in alphabetical order, not necessarily by popularity. The courses with the large “hero graphics” in each category are the ones I saw ordered most often.
You can browse the entire list or use this clickable Table of Contents to quickly jump to the subject you want:
- Affiliate Marketing and Niche Sites
- Airbnb
- Amazon FBA and E-Commerce
- App Development
- Blogging
- Ebay
- Entrepreneurship
- Etsy
- Health and Productivity
- Investing
- Fun Stuff
- Marketing
- Merch by Amazon
- Photo, Graphics, and Video
- Public Speaking
- Self-Publishing
- SEO
- Social Media
- Software and Technology
- Teaching Online
- Web Design and Development
Happy learning!
Affiliate Marketing and Niche Sites
Affiliate marketing is one of my favorite side hustles and one of the income streams that helps me make a living from home.
Learn How to Build High Quality Affiliate Websites
Learn how to:
- Build a high quality site with confidence.
- Promote affiliate products in a variety of ways.
Sticker Price: $95
Instructor: Andrew Williams
Social Proof: 943 reviews, 4.5-stars, 5,992 students
Sample Review: “I wish I could give more than 5 stars because this course deserves more stars. I have learned a lot by taking this course. I was able to complete two websites making them look half way decent because I used what was taught to create the websites in a matter of days.”
ClickBank Success – Affiliate Marketing Without A Website
Learn how to:
- Select the right affiliate products to promote.
- Build profitable ad campaigns without needing your own website.
- Optimize your promotional performance.
Sticker Price: $195
Instructor: KC Tan
Social Proof: 4,269 reviews, 4.4-stars, 21,764 students
Sample Review: “I’ve learned so much with this course! KC Tan is an excellent instructor. He covers all the bases. I’ve made money using this method.”
Other Udemy Affiliate Marketing Courses to Consider
Amazon Affiliate Marketing + SEO – This top-rated course focuses on niche selection, site structure, content creation, and SEO for Amazon product review sites.
Affiliate Marketing In 1 Day – Side Hustle Show guest Alex Genadinik shares how to get started in affiliate marketing, even without a website.
Airbnb
Airbnb may be the poster child for a disruptive service in the peer-to-peer economy. If you have more space than you need, you could be sitting on a pile of extra cash.
New to Airbnb? Get $30 off your first stay.
Mastering Airbnb | Learn from SF’s top host, 100+ lectures
How to Create an Empire on Airbnb without Owning a Home
Amazon FBA and E-commerce
Without a doubt, e-commerce powered by Amazon FBA is the hottest side hustle of the year. We’ve heard from some massively successful sellers like Andy Slamans and Will Mitchell on the podcast, and I’ve slowly been dabbling in this business model myself.
The Complete Shopify Aliexpress Dropship Course
Learn:
- All the skills you need to build a PROFITABLE e-commerce store.
Sticker Price:
- $200
Instructor:
- Tim Sharp
Social Proof:
- 4.5 stars, 9800 reviews; 58,000 students
Alibaba – How To Succeed at Importing Products
Learn how to:
- Pick products that resell for BIG margins.
- Import products direct from manufacturers overseas using Alibaba.
- Get manufacturers to use your OEM logos and designs on packaging.
- Communicate and negotiate effectively with manufacturers regarding quality and price.
- Identify reliable factories and know how to avoid scammers.
- And more…
Sticker Price: $90
Instructor: Larry VanDenHandel
Social Proof: 1,185 reviews, 4.4-stars, 12,333 students
Sample Review: “I definitely would’ve made some big mistakes on Alibaba if I didn’t take this course! The information provided here was really helpful, and I definitely feel more confident now using the Alibaba site. I’ve already started contacting suppliers, without feeling uneasy or nervous about what to say or how to negotiate. Thank you!“
Side Hustlers Also Bought:
The Last Amazon FBA Course – Private Label Guide – From a 7-figure Amazon seller, this is advertised as the most in-depth Amazon FBA course on Udemy (and the planet!).
Build a Shopify Dropshipping Business from Scratch
Amazon FBA – How to Private Label Products & EARN Income!
Arbitrage and Amazon’s Fulfillment By Amazon (FBA) Program
Online Arbitrage – Buy Products Online to Resell
App Development
App sales and development continue to be hot side business.
The Complete iOS 12 & Swift Developer Course – Build 28 Apps
This popular course will help you learn how to develop any iOS app you want, become a professional iOS developer, and even score app development jobs on freelancer sites.
Blogging
I see a big paradox when it comes to blogging. On the one hand, I’m clearly a fan, having written more than 1000 posts and continuing to add more each month. But on the other hand, blogging can be a tough business model to crack.
Even though people like Rosemarie keep proving me wrong, if you want to start a blog, be prepared for a long slow road before you see any serious income from it.
Here’s my free video series on how to start a blog of your own.
Writing With Flair: How To Become An Exceptional Writer
Learn how to:
- Dramatically improve your writing quality in just days.
- Make your blog articles more professional.
- Make your writing stand out from the competition.
Sticker Price: $200
Instructor: Shari Raja
Social Proof: 5,900 reviews, 4.4-stars, 70,919 students
Sample Review: “The course is insightful, to the point and useful. The instructor uses real world examples, points out good, better and best ways to re-structure ideas.“
Side Hustlers Also Bought:
Ninja Writing: The Four Levels of Writing Mastery
Blogging for a Living: Perfect Small Budget Project – Learn how to set up and monetize your blog in this bestselling course.
Blog Blueprint: How To Turn Blogging Into A Career – “Build a stunning blog, write irresistible articles, generate a massive audience, collect endless emails, know how to generate 6 figures, and more.”
eBay
I’ve never used eBay for much more than selling random stuff around the house, but it’s one of the most common side businesses to start.
Anywhere you can find a huge marketplace of buyers, there’s room to put your products up for sale and see what happens.
eBay Drop Shipping Guide with No Inventory – Work From Home
Learn how to:
- Source inventory for drop shipping.
- Start a drop shipping store within a few hours.
- Learn the formulas to making profits.
- Create systems for self sustainability.
- Earn money from your new skills.
Sticker Price: $195
Instructor: David Vu
Social Proof: 8,432 reviews, 4.5-stars, 36,909 students
Sample Review: “I took a gamble and bought the course. Now, I’ve made my first few sales and I’m really seeing the potential. If you’re serious about creating a new source of income, this course will get you there.”
The Complete eBay Course – eBay from Beginner to Advanced
Entrepreneurship
How to Come Up with Killer Business Ideas: Complete Workshop
Learn how to:
- Generate business ideas that are insightful and actionable
- Analyze 4 different sections of the business value chain for potential opportunities
- Understand the 5 different types of core innovation and how to apply them
- How to objectively assess your skills, passions, hobbies, & interests
- Use advanced techniques like disintermediation, local modifiers, market enablers to craft ideas
- And more…
Sticker Price: $170
Instructor: Evan Kimbrell
Social Proof: 1,517 reviews, 4.3-stars, 55,919 students
Sample Review: “This is an eye-opening course for anyone who wants to know how to develop an idea for business. I am very happy I took this course. It’s really worth way more money than he charges.”
Side Hustlers Also Bought:
The Essential Guide to Entrepreneurship by Guy Kawasaki
Body Language for Entrepreneurs
Etsy
Etsy is another big-time marketplace to put your “buy buttons” on, especially if you’ve got an artsy-crafty side waiting to shine.
Etsy 101: Set Up a Shop and Promote It on Social Media
Learn how to:
- Create an attractive etsy listing that sells.
- Start selling on etsy.
- Market your product.
- Increase sales conversions of your existing or future products.
Sticker Price: $50
Instructor: Justin OBrien
Social Proof: 283 reviews, 4.8-stars, 4,200 students
Sample Review: “Really glad I took this very thorough and comprehensive course. The pace was just right without the unnecessary jargon. The tutor covers a lot of ground with a clear voice. Lots of supporting PDFs to refer to. Excellent training.”
Freelancing
No doubt freelancing or selling some sort of service is the fastest way to earn side hustle cash.
Copywriting secrets – How to write copy that sells
Learn how to:
- Structure and write compelling sales copy.
- Apply the power of emotional drivers, even when writing in a B2B environment.
- Write powerful calls to action.
- Craft professional press releases that get published.
- Use the power of words to generate more sales leads.
- And more…
Sticker Price: $90
Instructor: Len Smith
Social Proof: 2,980 reviews, 4.5-stars, 29,072 students
Sample Review: “A course I will refer to time and again. So many useful nuggets of information.“
Copywriting – become a Freelance Copywriter, your own boss
Learn how to:
- Draft killer sales copy.
- Attract clients to your new website and get the job.
- Build an awesome portfolio.
- And more…
Sticker Price: $90
Instructors: Len Smith and Sean Kaye
Social Proof: 850 reviews, 4.4-stars, 24,000 students
Sample Review: “Simply amazing. This course is well produced, spoken and shot. Len Smith knows (knew) his stuff. From beginner to novice, this simple course has more information than you can learn in 3 sittings. Repeat value and always worth another look.“
Side Hustlers Also Bought: