11 Business, branding, and advertising courses for dropshippers 2022 (free and paid)

Dropshipping and eCommerce overlap with business, sales negotiation, branding, and design, which makes sense as they are all related in the business realm. Sharpening your tools in any of these categories can only boost your ability to sell to your audience. Affordable or high budget, there's a course for everyone on our list of online courses.

Investing in a paid course is beneficial if you have an institution in mind that you want to enrol with, or you would like to receive a recognised certificate upon completion. In no particular order, we have some great paid options:

1. MasterClass

Courses from MasterClass are gaining momentum with lessons delivered by well-known masters of their craft. "Sales and Persuasion" by Daniel Pink will teach you how to serve your audience and develop memorable messages. "Advertising and Creativity" by Jeff Goodby and Rich Silverstein cover how to tell compelling stories and the anatomy of an advertising campaign. Annual membership is €192 for unlimited access to workshops.

2. University of the Arts London (UAL)

UAL is a prestigious establishment, ranking second worldwide for Art and Design in the QS World University Rankings 2021. The university offers online short courses including "Strategic Branding Identity and Brand Experience." Prices start from €580 for a one week course with live online lessons.

3. LinkedIn Learning

Find an impressive selection of courses on LinkedIn's learning platform. Themes include business, tech, and creative skills. These online videos are as short as 20 minutes or as long as 15 hours. "Learning PPC with Google Ads" and "Learning Canva" were two courses that caught our eye. Subscription is $19.99 per month when you sign up for one year or $39.99 on a monthly plan.

4. Harvard University

This world-class university has a catalogue of online courses, both free and paid. Interesting business classes such as "Design Thinking and Innovation" are available with courses up to 12 weeks long. Many classes must be enrolled by a certain date as they include live tutoring. Prices for paid classes are around $1,000 to $10,000.

5. Design and Art Direction (D&AD)

A London-based educational organisation, D&AD is most known for its global advertising, design, and digital awards and promoting excellence in commercial creativity. A number of courses can be purchased including "Storytelling for Action." Live virtual or on-demand formats are available. Prices start from £175.

6. Upskillist (previously Shaw Academy)

Founded in Ireland, Upskillist provides online courses in many categories including marketing, design, and business. Sign up for classes in Adobe Photoshop, web design, or SEO. Content is critically assessed by global academic and professional organisations. Successful completion of courses is awarded certificates from US State University APSU and Continuing Professional Development (CPD). Prices start from €49.99 per month.

Start small and without risk by taking a free course. Perhaps you would like to just gain a basic understanding of the themes offered. Or you might want to save money with an accessible learning provider. Here are some to consider:

1. Amazon Console

A completely free platform from Amazon, you can learn about sponsored adverts and how to optimise an Amazon store. Certifications are awarded for some courses and boot camps, such as "Amazon retail for advertisers certification."

2. PPC University by Wordstream

Suitable for beginners, courses from Wordstream allow you to learn about paid adverts for search engine marketing (SEM).

3. Coursera

Coursera is an online platform with a mix of free and paid courses. These are hosted by reputable learning institutions and universities from around the world. "Branding: The Creative Journey Specialisation" and "Foundations of User Experience (UX) Design" are two courses useful for a dropshipping business.

4. Alison

Alison is another Irish learning provider. They offer 3,500 free online courses including "The Complete Online Marketing And Advertising Course," "Graphic Design," and "Fundamentals of Brand Development." Learn about paid advertising methods, branding techniques, persuasive speech, and visual design.

5. FutureLearn

A British education platform founded in 2012, FutureLearn is jointly owned by The Open University and SEEK Ltd. It is a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) provider, which means it offers free training hosted by universities. Notable courses include "The Secret Power of Brands" and "Strategic Brand Management."