You’re in marketing. Whether you’re a marketer, market manager, or market researcher, you’re in the business of generating sales for your company.

While there’s a definite place for inbound marketing techniques (which we’ll discuss in this article), you can’t avoid dealing with the fundamentals of marketing: advertising and sales. And let’s be honest, without generating sales you don’t have much of a marketing effort to speak of.

So how does one learn marketing? There are a number of ways to do so, and perhaps the simplest (and most effective) method is to learn online.

We’ve compiled a list of eight reasons why you should learn online marketing.

1. It’s Free.

Unlike some ‘in-demand’ courses that cost thousands of dollars, learning online marketing doesn’t require you to spend a penny. There are no hidden fees, no extra charges, and no need to pay for equipment.

To put it another way, if you’ve ever shopped at Whole Foods, you’ll know that the prices are generally quite high. But what if I told you that there was a way to buy all of these groceries (and more) for free?

The same goes for online marketing. You have two options here: you can either join a reputable affiliate program (we’ll discuss these later) or you can use a marketplace like Skillshare or Udemy to learn what you need.

And let’s be honest, what’s more appealing to most people: free or discounted courses? Most people will choose the former. So even if you’re not entirely sure whether or not you’ll utilize a marketplace to learn online marketing, you should probably go with the flow.

2. It’s Accessible.

Anyone can access the knowledge housed within online marketing. Whether you’re sitting in front of a computer, tablet, or mobile phone, you have the ability to learn what you need when you need it.

But this doesn’t mean that all of the content will be accessible to you. For instance, if you’re taking an online marketing course and the instructor uses a template that you cannot edit, you’ll either have to watch the video clip as it is or find a way to contact the instructor to ask for a favor.

The same goes for all forms of learning. If you don’t have access to a certain textbook or if a particular instructor’s style is not for you, you’ll either have to find a way to acquire the necessary resources or look elsewhere for help.

3. It Has a Community.

One of the best things about online marketing is that you have access to a global community of people who are willing to help.

Whether you drop into chat rooms, make use of social media, or engage with other learners through forums and blogs, there’s an entire virtual world of people who are willing to give you a helping hand.

If you’re looking to get a better understanding of how businesses work and how to change management practices to generate more sales, you’ll find a community of experts waiting to help. And don’t worry, because of the nature of these communities, they’re usually very friendly toward newbies. So even if you feel like a total amateur when it comes to marketing, you’ll probably find a group of people who are willing to help you navigate this new and sometimes overwhelming world of marketing.

4. It Has a Variety of Materials.

When you’re looking for a way to learn something new, it’s best to look for content that’s as varied as possible.

If you take an online marketing course and the only resources you have at your disposal are podcasts, video tutorials, and maybe a few case studies, you’ll either have to make do with what you’ve got or look elsewhere for help.

While we don’t recommend avoiding any form of education (even inbound marketing), it’s important to have a variety of materials to choose from. This way you have the best chance of finding the content that’s most relevant to your needs. And let’s face facts, as a newbie marketer, the chances are you’ll have a variety of needs.

If you need an easy-to-follow guide to create an exceptional social media strategy from scratch, you’ll probably have to look elsewhere for help. However, if you have a specific question about paid ads or online marketing analytics, you’ve come to the right place.

5. It Has an In-Demand Inbound Style.

Marketing is a broad term that encompasses a variety of disciplines, such as advertising, sales, and research. However, if you take an inbound marketing approach, you’ll begin to see the discipline as a whole and not as individual tasks, such as designing a website or writing a pitch.

The inbound marketing approach encourages marketers to take a more advisory role, to guide and coach the businesses they’re working with, instead of a more directive role. If you’ve been following along, you’ll have noticed that a lot of the content that we’ve discussed so far has been inbound-style.

This is because most businesses, regardless of size, want to be kept informed of the latest trends and technologies that will help them grow. If you want to learn more about inbound marketing, take a look at HubSpot’s The Ultimate Inbound Marketing Seminar for Free. This comprehensive course will teach you how to market in a new and more effective way, using data and case studies to develop marketing plans that will generate more leads and sales.

6. It Has a Testimonial From a Well-Known Brand.

If you scroll through social media, you’ll frequently come across brands boasting about the great work they’ve done for others, often featuring testimonials from people who’ve benefited from their services.

The best way to learn anything new is by doing, and the same goes for marketing. If you want to learn more about brand marketing, take a look at HubSpot’s The Anatomy of a Brand. This course will help you develop the tools necessary to create a brand identity, articulate that identity to clients and colleagues, and ultimately drive revenue.

7. It Has a Practical Application.

In the real world, marketing is often applied to practical uses. If you want to learn how to market clothing or accessories, take a look at Fashion Marketing Management, a course that offers in-demand skills and a certification. Or if you want to become a digital marketer, take a look at HubSpot’s Digital Marketing Specialization, which trains you on the theoretical foundations of marketing as well as equips you with the practical skills necessary to become a productive digital marketer.

In these kinds of courses, you’ll learn the theories and techniques that you can put into practice right away. Even better, you’ll also have access to real-life case studies that you can analyze and comment on, as well as connect with faculty experts who are available to provide guidance and support.

8. It Has a Proven Track Record.

If you want to learn to market, it’s important to look for courses that have a proven track record. It’s easy to find marketing gurus who’ve published hundreds of articles and produced dozens of videos. But unless you’ve had direct experience with the curriculum, it’s difficult to tell how much of this knowledge is actually applicable to your particular situation.

By taking a proven course, you’ll learn from people who’ve been there and done that, which makes it much easier to understand the theoretical concepts and put them into practice. Additionally, you’ll have access to course materials, such as presentations, video tutorials, readings, and more, that you can refer back to whenever necessary. This makes the whole process much less daunting. And isn’t that what you’re looking for in the first place?

If you want to dive in and learn marketing without any boundaries, try an online marketing degree. You’ll have the opportunity to study the theory and practice of marketing, using tools like HubSpot and other leading platforms, as well as participate in virtual discussion groups with other students and industry experts. Best of all, there are no limits on how much you can learn. Regardless of prior experience, everybody has the potential to succeed in this industry.