Data plays a critical role in any marketing campaign. Marketers rely on data to predict the needs, desires, and future behaviors of their customers. UX designers rely on data to build responsive websites. Content creators rely on data to write informative blog posts that will attract their target audience. Without data, there would be nothing for them to build upon.
To meet the growing demand for sophisticated and efficient data analysis software, Google has developed its own data visualization platform — Google Data Studio. Whether you are a seasoned marketer a self-taught beginner, there are a variety of online courses available to meet your educational needs. Of course, with so many options out there, it can be difficult to sort out the top programs from the duds. That’s why we did it for you. In our latest article, UXAX features the top 6 Google Data Studio courses available online.
If this is the first time you have ever heard of Google Data Studio, don’t worry — we’re here to break it down for you. In short, Google Data Studio puts the Google Analytics program on steroids. Within minutes, the studio can produce stunning and informative dashboards filled with all of your data. Unlike traditional analytics programs, your data is presented in a streamlined, easy-to-understand format.
With Google Data Studio, users can take advantage of a wide variety of features by:
Many other tools on the market that offer features that are similar to Google Data Studio are quite expensive. The learning curves for these programs may also be a bit higher. Google Data Studio’s intuitive drag and drop features make it easier than ever to manage your data.
Users can connect a variety of programs to Google Data Studio, including:
All too often, we gather a ton of data from sources like Facebook and Moz, but we don’t know how to manage all of it. Google Data Studio easily integrates all of these tools while helping us pick out insights that are helpful and meaningful.
Google Data Studio is completely free. Anyone from a single freelancer to a start-up company can use Google Data Studio to gather critical insights on their audience.
Yes. Users have to manually connect their Data Studio to a Google Analytics view. However, the process is pretty quick and pain-free. Within minutes you can connect your reports from Google Analytics to the data studio, allowing you to visualize and examine all of the data you have gathered.
As you scan through the courses listed below, keep in mind that not all of these courses will fit your learning style or needs. This isn’t necessarily because the course is lacking in quality — we wouldn’t have included it if that were the case — but it might not present that information that suits your individual learning style or cater to your current work schedule.
That is why you have to consider a variety of factors when deciding on a course, such as its:
In no specific order, here are our top 6 recommendations for Google Data Studio courses.
Cost: $99.99
Length: Self-Paced, 46 Lectures in Total
Instructor: Raj Elakkara — Data-Driven Entrepreneur and Product Manager offering over 10 years of experience in health care informatics and supply chain & geographic information systems
Extras: Udemy for Business gives teams access to 4,000+ Udemy courses
Overview: Offering 3.5 hours of on-demand video, 6 informative articles, 8 downloadable resources, lifetime access to courses via mobile and TV platforms, and a certificate of completion, Udemy’s Google Data Studio 2019 course is one of the top options for Google Data Studio beginners. In addition to watching lectures on Google Data Studio methods and techniques, students will also be able to apply what they have learned through activities and quizzes. Students will learn a variety of important techniques, such as:
The course content is broken down into 8 sections: Getting Started, Data Studio Basics, Working with Dates & Time, Data Visualization Best Practices, Our First Dashboard, Blending Data From Multiple Sources, What’s New, and the Conclusion.
Summary: Complete beginners to Google Data Studio are welcome. All they have to do is bring a strong work ethic and the willingness to learn.
Sign up for Google Data Studio 2019 -- The Complete A-Z Guide here.
Cost: $19.99
Length: Self-Paced, 40 Lectures in Total
Instructor: Jayadeep Rath — Google Ads Certified Digital Marketer with 14 years of experience working with both agencies and in-house clients
Extras: Udemy for Business gives teams access to 4,000+ Udemy courses
Overview: For those who have a basic grasp over different Google Data Studio tools and functions, Udemy’s course on How to Create Dashboards with Google Data Studio offers a comprehensive guide to transforming your raw data into stunning data visualizations. Included in the course are 4.5 hours of on-demand video, downloadable resources, and a certificate of completion. Students will learn a variety of methods, such as:
The course is divided into over 20 sections so that each chunk of information can be broken into sizeable pieces.
Summary: Students who want to move onto making their own custom dashboards rather than relying on templates will benefit greatly from this course.
Sign up for How to Create Dashboards with Google Data Studio here.
Cost: Free
Length: Self-Paced, 4 Units Total, 2-5 Hour Completion Estimation
Instructor: Various Google Data Studio instructors
Extras: Students earn a certificate of completion
Overview: We would be remiss if we didn’t include the Google Data Studio course offered by the maker itself. Google’s very own Data Studio course id directed to marketers, business owners, agencies, and data analysts of all backgrounds and levels. Through a mix of short video lessons, hands-on exercises, and interactive tutorials, students learn a variety of techniques and methods for navigating through Google Studio. At the end of the course, students will know how to:
The course is broken down into 4 units, which are further broken down into little lessons. As students move through each section of their lessons, they will complete short quizzes that will test their knowledge. If a student answers a question incorrectly, the test will point them toward the specific lesson that covered the topic that the question was on.
Summary: The Google Analytics Academy course on Google Data studio is best for beginners or users who need a little refreshment on using the tools in the studio.
Sign up for Introduction to Data Studio here.
Cost: $125
Length: Self-Paced, usually takes two to three weeks
Instructor: Benjamin Mangold, Co-Founder of Loves Data offering 12 years of experience training and consulting for companies including Fuji and Google
Extras: Loves Data also offers a free Google Analytics course on learning how to navigate the program
Overview: The Loves Data Google Data Studio Course offers a thorough and comprehensive guide to making the most out of your Google Data Studio account. Comprised of video lessons teaching skills on effectively visualizing data, quizzes and learning exercises, lifetime access capabilities, and a community of students, Loves Data’s Google Data Studio Course is one of the top-rated educational programs on the market. The lessons cover a series of topics including:
Learning alone is never fun, which is why Loves Data also offers a platform for community students to discuss lessons and learn from one another. Students also have access to guided walk-throughs covering different techniques and skills. As Google Studio Data continually updates and revamps its system, you will also need to stay informed on its latest features. To help students remain aware of these changes, Loves Data continually offers free updates for students once they refresh current lessons.
Summary: Anyone from the newbie to the experienced user can greatly benefit from this course.
Sign up for the Loves Data Studio Course here.
Cost: Included in CXL Institute subscription, which is offered on a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis; the course is also included in the CXL Mini-Degree Program which costs $899 for the first user and $299 each for additional users
Length: Self-Paced, Total course length is 4 hours and 30 minutes
Instructor: Michele Kiss, Senior Partner at Analytics Demystified, Recipient of Digital Analytics Association’s “Rising Saw” award in 2011 and “Practitioner of the Year” award in 2013
Extras: Users who enroll in a CXL Institue subscription have access to over 50 courses on data-driven marketing
Overview: Knowing the basics of Google Data Studio will only take you so far. The most successful data marketers are the ones who know how to effectively compile and analyze their mass piles of data. At CXL Institute’s Google Data Studio course, students are exposed to expert-led lessons on:
As an authorized LinkedIn education provider, CXL Institute is able to bestow certificates that can be quickly added to your LinkedIn profile. In order to obtain this certificate of completion, students must pass an exam scheduled at the end of the course.
Summary: The program is well-suited for companies looking to train their employees in digital analytics. Past clients have included Ikea, Hilton, and Cisco.
Sign up for Google Data Studio by CXL Institue here.
Cost: $549
Length: 1 day
Instructor: N/A
Extras: Physical and virtual classroom options are available, as well as private training for groups
Overview: Built for organizations looking to improve their data analytic methods, Jellyfish Training offers a detailed course on making the most out of your Google Data Studio tools. Jellyfish Training’s program offers lessons on handling Google Data Studio from both a technical and strategic point of view.
The course covers topics on:
Students can select from one of three teaching options: in-person training in San Francisco, private training at a location of their choice, and virtual classroom training. Before starting, they should make sure they have access to relevant data sources such as Google Analytics and Google Ads in order to apply the course’s lessons for themselves. However, if they do not yet have access to these sources, they can use the demo versions included in the lessons.
Summary: Jellyfish Training’s unique set of learning options makes it one of the most flexible Google Data Studio training programs on the market.
Sign up for Jellyfish training here.
Google Data Studio can bring great insights to your company’s marketing efforts — but only if you know how to properly use it. So don’t forget to take the lessons you’ve learned from these courses and run with them. Once you have collected the data you needed, it’s time to apply it.
As one of the most ambitious and data-savvy companies in Pittsburgh, UXAX is dedicated to giving your company the data analysis and insights it needs. Contact our team today for a free demo to see what we’re made of.
