The 30 Best Online Courses for YouTube

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Buckle up, aspiring Youtubers. We’re bringing you The 30 Best Online Courses for YouTube.

Ten years ago, YouTube videos were much simpler than they are now. Much more pixelated, too. Many of us remember watching the first viral videos: Charlie Bit My Finger, Numa Numa, Evolution of Dance, and End of Ze World. Back then, we didn’t need to read about the 30 best online courses for YouTube. There were no careers in making YouTube videos.

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Now, though, YouTube creators are a dime a dozen. Yet, only a few of them are good, and only a few of the good YouTube creators are successful. The successful YouTubers live pretty alluring lives, though. Fast cars, big houses, and equipped camera crews. What’s not to love about their lifestyle? Plus, they’re spending their time making videos about topics they love.

So, You Want to Be a YouTuber?

Many people do. That doesn’t mean you won’t stand a chance, but you have to work hard. When you watch a viral video, you see five minutes of fast-paced content that you love. But you don’t see what’s happening behind the scenes. The outtakes, the technological errors, the 70-hour workweeks that make your eyes beg for a rest from the computer screen.

Sound intimidating? It’s tough work, but you can be an excellent YouTube creator; there’s space for you still.

Finding the Right Online Courses for YouTube

Whether you seek fame or the knowledge to create high-quality videos, the resources to become a great YouTuber are out there. Don’t worry about finding them, though; we’re bringing them to you! In the following 30 courses, you’ll find all you need to create compelling content, find your voice, produce excellent videos, and grow your channel.

Methodology

Getting an education or going back for more education can be a costly endeavor, sometimes with hit or miss results. That is why we at Online Course Report take our jobs seriously and provide you with a ranking of the best online courses for YouTube based on weighted factors. With the amount of time and money you will be investing in these courses, we want to be as transparent as possible about the criteria in which we ranked our courses. Some of the criteria and questions we asked ourselves when formulating our ranking include:

Price: Is the course reasonably priced for the amount of content taught?

Content: Is the content of the highest quality and conveyed in an understandable way?

Proven Track Record: Does the course have a proven track record of producing competent students?

Learner Satisfaction: Are the students that take this course satisfied with the type of education they received?

What Are the 30 Best Online Courses for YouTube?

#1. 30 Days to a Better YouTube Channel by Video Creators

Unfortunately, you probably won’t become a YouTube sensation in a couple of weeks. 30 days is a stretch, too. First, you need excellent content. Next, you must define your voice, brand, and target audience. This process takes time, and, for many passionate video creators, the public engagement part doesn’t come easy. With the help of Video Creators’ short, $29.99 course, though, the process should come a little easier.

Four units constitute the course: Branding, Value Proposition & Target Audience; Search & Discovery: Positioning Yourself To Be Discovered; Audience Growth: Engaging Your Viewers & Building a Community; and Video Content Strategy: Hooking Your Viewers From The Start. Upon completion of this course, you’ll familiarize yourself with the essential tools to grow your channel.

#2. Before Your Shoot by YouTube Creator Academy

The principal components of a successful YouTube video are an excellent idea, high-quality equipment, and flawless execution. To achieve these three things takes a lot of work and preparation. And without knowing what to do, you’re doomed for failure. So how do you learn everything? Well, it takes time, but there are some tools at your service.

Before Your Shoot is the first course in a three-part video production tutorial that YouTube offers. The class comprises three units: Choosing Your Equipment, Developing Your Ideas, and Getting Ready for Your Shoot. Whether you want to join a YouTube creation team or develop your channel, Before Your Shoot will teach you crucial tools to make you successful.

#3. During Your Shoot by YouTube Creator Academy

So you know you want to be a YouTube creator? That’s an excellent first step. And you have your old camera phone ready to shoot. Wait, scratch that: You’ll need something better than an old camera phone. And what about lighting? What about framing? Being a YouTube star takes more than original content and a pretty face. You need to know how to shoot a video, too.

Thankfully, YouTube dedicates a section of its site to aspiring video creators. In During Your Shoot, a free, one-hour YouTube course, you’ll learn how to frame your shots, how to use lighting effectively, and how to record sound like a professional. If you lack a traditional videographer education, try this course.

#4. After Your Shoot by YouTube Creator Academy

So you’ve shot your soon-to-be-viral video, now what? How do you cut up the best bits of your footage? How do you make the good parts shine and hide the bad elements? And how do you add music to a video? The post-production process of video creation is crucial. It’s also challenging and time-consuming.

After Your Shoot is a free, 45-minute video tutorial on post-production techniques. During the course, you’ll get expert tips for selecting your editing tools and editing your videos like a pro. Furthermore, you’ll learn the benefits of adding music and sound effects to your video.

#5. YouTube Masterclass – Your Complete Guide to YouTube by Udemy

Are you ready to become a YouTube sensation? But first, you need to learn, well, everything? If so, you’ve come to the right place: This in-depth YouTube masterclass will teach you everything you need to know.

YouTube takes a lot of work, from creating videos to finding subscribers. To be successful, you must be an artist, marketer, and brand manager at once. And that can be difficult to handle, but thankfully there are courses made for your woes. This $199.99 online YouTube class will focus on starting a YouTube channel, getting more views & subscribers, and building a brand with videos. If you want to learn all about YouTube and its processes, take this course.

#6. 2020 YouTube Marketing & YouTube SEO To Get 1,000,000+ Views by Udemy

Are you a video wiz? You’ve got the right equipment, witty scripts, and sophisticated editing skills? But when it comes to marketing your material, you’re clueless? The truth is, many of us ignore YouTube marketing. We create videos, wait, and hope our videos reach their intended audience. Two percent of the time, this works; usually, though, finding an audience takes manual work.

This $199.99 online YouTube course intends to help you create a prominent and successful YouTube channel with many views. The coursework is divided into nine hours of video and plenty of online course material. By the end of this course, you will know how to promote your channel and individual videos like a marketing professional.

#7. YouTube SEO: How to Rank #1 on YouTube by Udemy

How do you get views on YouTube? Well, viewers. And how do you get viewers? There are two principal ways: subscribers and people who search for your videos. But how do searchers find your videos, and how do subscribers find your channel in the first place? Welcome to the mystery of search engine optimization (SEO).

In this online, $194.99 course, you will learn a proven step by step strategy to rank your videos on the first page of YouTube. This strategy includes creating attention-grabbing thumbnails that draw the attention of potential viewers and learning how to target specific keywords. If your video production skills are refined but you need a little help on the marketing side, this course will be your friend.

#8. VR and 360 Video Production by Daydream

Video technology changes every day. From black-and-white videos to the first technicolor video recorders to IMAX to VR, it’s challenging to keep up with all the changes, and even more difficult to master them. Lately, VR and 360 video production has taken the YouTube world by storm.

This free Coursera class will give you the skills you need to get started with your first VR project. Over the eight-hour course, its instructors will guide you through a step-by-step process to create VR content. Then, you’ll be able to create VR and 360 videos that impress your friends and attract millions of viewers.

#9. Premiere Pro CC for Beginners: Video Editing in Premiere by Udemy

Video editing is an elusive skill. Unless you learn it in a formal setting, you can only enhance your video editing skills by trial and error, with little oversight. Yet, video editing is one of the more crucial components of developing a YouTube channel. Without tasteful and effecting editing skills, your brilliant video will not look so brilliant.

Adobe Premiere Pro is one of the best video editing software applications out there. This $194.99 online course will walk you through each step of the Adobe Premiere Pro editing process. This lengthy, in-depth course includes 12 hours of on-demand video, 7 articles, and 14 downloadable resources. If you want to enhance your editing skills using a single editing software, this is the course for you.

#10. Learning Final Cut Pro X – Video Editing Mastery by Udemy

Here’s a YouTube secret: Videos with terrible content but excellent editing are frequently far more popular than videos with fantastic content and abysmal editing. Why? In our rapid-fire, 21st century world, nobody wants to watch a pixelated video or a video that features your constant sneezes and burps. If you want to be a successful YouTuber, you need to have excellent video editing skills.

Another editing-focused course, this online class focuses on editing with Final Cut Pro X, the popular Apple video editing software. In this $49.99, six-hour course, you’ll learn how to become a master with Final Cut Pro X. And you’ll be well on your way to becoming a successful YouTuber.

#11. Find Your Voice by Video Creators

There’s a fascinating, weird, and superbly awkward phenomenon that video cameras create. Somebody speaks to you, explaining something or telling a story, and they act perfectly natural. But the second you point a video camera at them, they freeze. Once they unfreeze, they speak in an ungainly manner, and you feel like you don’t know them at all.

This problem is surprisingly common: It is troublesome to stand behind a video camera. As a YouTube star, you can’t afford this problem. In Find Your Voice, a $49 online YouTube course, you’ll learn how to feel confident on camera and naturally read a script. And on your next video, you’ll shine in front of the camera.

#12. Stand Out and Make Money on YouTube! by Professional YouTuber JAZZA

Sometimes, the best teachers are dedicated teachers—people who admire education and are familiar with teaching methodologies. Other times, it is best to learn from masters—people who dedicate themselves to the art they’re teaching. In this case, the prolific YouTuber JAZZA is here to teach you how to become a famous YouTuber.

This free course is offered on Skillshare, an education-based website. While you have to sign up to take the class, you don’t have to pay for it. In this class, JAZZA will teach you about YouTube promotion, how to stand out, how to make money, and how to find your niche.

#13. Marketing and Monetizing on YouTube by Linkedin Learning

Do you have a brand that you want to promote everywhere you can on the internet? You’ve done social media marketing, pay per click advertising, email marketing—what’s left? YouTube, actually. YouTube is an excellent place to market and monetize your brand. It’s a diverse platform to advertise your brand in video format.

This $24.99 LinkedIn Learning course will teach you the secrets of starting and maintaining a successful and profitable YouTube channel. Additionally, you’ll learn how to set up a business account in YouTube Studio and discover strategies for producing video content optimized for discovery and ad placement. If you want to learn how to advertise for a company on YouTube, this is the course for you. Try a free trial for Linkedin Learning.

#14. Viral Academy by Jumpcut

Influencer is the word of the last decade. Everywhere you go on the internet, you see them: Instagram influencers, yoga influencers, lifestyle influencers, YouTube influencers. It’s a pretty cool gig—you’re famous for being famous, and you get paid for it. Jumpcut is a YouTube academy comprised of several prolific YouTube influencers who want to bring their skills to you.

Five units constitute the Viral Academy: Social Media Secrets, Launch Your Own Channel, Viral Marketing Masterclass, Influencer Intel, and Paid to Promote. It is crucial to learn these skills before becoming a YouTuber and fighting your way to becoming a famous YouTuber like the Jumpcut crew.

#15. Build a Fan Base on YouTube by Creativelive

So you’ve got the video planning and editing down. You know your content deserves plenty of views, but they’re not coming in. Why? You have no steady fan base—only your Facebook and Instagram friends see you advertise your video. You need to access more people; how else will you achieve world fame?

Build a Fan Base on YouTube is a $49 course that concentrates on drawing people toward your YouTube channel. The course instructor, Sunny Lenarduzzi, will teach you how to choose the best topics based on search terms and keywords. Furthermore, she will walk you through the many ways to promote your videos and channel. If you want to become a viral success, this is the course for you.

#16. iPhone Filmmaking: From Shoot Through Edit by Creativelive

Some people want the nicest video rigs—the best camera, lighting, and editing software. They think that’s the key to a successful YouTube channel. And for many people, it is. But did you know many people make their way through YouTube fame with an iPhone? Of course, iPhones have a bit more than a meager camera; they’re pretty good. Good enough to make excellent videos.

In this $49 online course, class instructor Cielo de la Paz will teach you how to plan, shoot, and edit your video using nothing more than your iPhone. You’ll master advanced video apps on the iPhone and learn how to use iPhone video accessories like gimbals and mics. If you want to be a minimalist YouTuber, give this class a try.

#17. Fundamentals of DSLR Filmmaking by Creativelive

iPhone cameras—and the cameras of many other, newer smartphones—are good, really good. But they’re still not as good as DSLRs, and they probably never will be. So if you want to go the traditional route and film with a DSLR, you’ll have the power to produce higher-quality videos than iPhones. First, though, you’ll have to overcome the learning curves that come with a DSLR.

In this $149 online class, instructor Victor Ha will try to make your integration into all things DSLR easy. Ha will walk you through the essential videography components of a DSLR. Then, he will teach you useful techniques, from framing shots to producing simple projects to spatial relationships.

#18. Vlog Like a Boss by Creativelive

There are many styles of YouTube videos: video game streams; social, political, and environmental commentary; short films and documentaries; music videos; and vlogs. Vlogs are one of the tried-and-true methods for YouTube influencers. They’re relatively easy to make, simple to edit, and viewers love vlogs.

In Vlog Like a Boss, a $49 online YouTube class, instructor Amy Schmittauer will teach you everything you need to know about vlogs. You’ll learn how to connect with your audience, drive traffic, create personable content, edit, and build an audience using vlogs. Vloggers are some of the best paid YouTubers—if you want to be in their league, this is the course for you.

#19. Earn Money with Ads on YouTube by YouTube Creator Academy

Listen, artists: We know you romanticize the starving artist’s life. Sleeping, eating, working, and resting on your ten-year-old futon with more holes than Swiss cheese. Let us tell you a secret, though. At some point, that lifestyle won’t seem romantic anymore, and you’ll need to make some money.

In this free, short online course, you’ll learn how you can make money with ads on your YouTube videos. Three short units constitute this class: Make Money on Youtube, Ads on YouTube, and Making Advertiser-friendly Content. By the end of this short course, you’ll realize that you can transform your artist’s lifestyle from your basement to a classy loft.

#20. Ways to Make Money Beyond Ads by YouTube Creator Academy

Ads will get you somewhere, but it’s not the only way to make money on YouTube. It’s not the best way, either. YouTube now offers tools like Super Chat and channel memberships, as well as a merch shelf integration with Teespring, to diversify your monetization options. By harnessing these methods, meager teenagers become millionaires. And you can, too.

In this free online YouTube course, you’ll learn how to monetize by engaging with fans, crowdfunding, channel memberships, and selling merchandise from your channel. To clarify, you should have a productive and high-quality YouTube channel first, or else your efforts to monetize will be unsuccessful.

#21. The Quickstart Guide to YouTube by YouTube Creator Academy

Many YouTube courses listed here assume that you’re already proficient in navigating YouTube, but that’s not true for everyone. If you’re brand new to YouTube, you could benefit from an organized primer on YouTube, its functions, how to establish yourself or your brand, and a quick rundown of its policies and guidelines. It’s an introductory course, and you don’t need any background knowledge to begin.

The Quickstart Guide to YouTube isn’t the most gripping course on this list. None of the skills you gain in this course can be applied in many real-world functions, but it is crucial to know these skills if you want to become a successful YouTuber.

#22. Get Discovered by YouTube Creator Academy

As you’ve probably noticed reading through this list, finding an audience is a critical aspect of becoming a famous YouTuber. The reasons are obvious, but the path to find a broad, semi-permanent audience is a bit more elusive. On Get Discovered, a free YouTube course, you’ll learn how to enhance your channel’s search and discovery potential on YouTube using metadata, collaborations, captions, and promotions.

You’ll learn about search and discovery, thumbnails and titles, descriptions, and other methods to attract and engage a large audience. This class is especially useful for YouTubers who have good ideas and excellent video skills, but little marketing knowledge.

#23. Get Insights with YouTube Analytics by YouTube Creator Academy

YouTube Analytics is the keeper of invaluable information: You can learn about who watches your videos, how many people view your channel, how much money you’re making, and how many people your channel reaches. YouTube Analytics holds vital insights that you can harness to expand your channel and target audiences.

The class comprises six different lessons focusing on the insights YouTube Analytics offers. By the end of the short online class, you’ll learn how to uncover trends to see what’s working and what’s not. Furthermore, you’ll find out who’s watching, what they like to watch, and which videos could make you the most money.

#24. Building a Global Channel by YouTube Creator Academy

Our world is more connected now than ever before. Around the globe, people are playing the same video game, listening to the same music, and watching the same live stream. This allows YouTubers to access more countries and more people, but only if they have the means to translate their videos (Esperanto did not work out, unfortunately).

Did you know you can increase the accessibility of new and existing videos with platform tools that translate and transcribe them? If not, this online YouTube class will teach you how. Additionally, you’ll learn strategies to boost the visibility of your channel to audiences around the world.

#25. Use Comments to Connect with Your Community by YouTube Creator Academy

Simple outreach is an accessible and powerful tool. Only good things can come from letting your community know that you appreciate them, answering questions, and providing input for commenters. If you’ve been on the internet long enough (or around ten minutes, really), you’re aware that the internet has many trolls. Well, you should know how to deal with hurtful or inappropriate comments, too.

Use Comments to Connect with your Community is a short and free course on the different features available to help you to keep your community positive and safe for you and your fans. If you want to keep the bad apples away and hold the good ones close, take this course.

#26. Learn SEO! by Miles Beckler

In web content, blogs, YouTube videos—everywhere, really, SEO is essential. SEO is how we find information. Nobody ever landed first on a YouTube or Google search by accident. No, it takes intentional research and work. SEO is complicated; few people know how it works, and those who do won’t tell anybody else. Still, there are some best practices that you should learn.

Learn SEO! is a free, two-hour course on YouTube for all things SEO. You’ll learn about keyword research, optimization, and implementation. If your videos are crisp, your commentary perfected, and your community outreach methods optimized, but you’re missing viewers, check out this free course.

#27. Video Marketing Made (Ridiculously) Easy by Udemy

We’ll admit it: Marketing can be a chore. Marketing is the boring, tedious work that precedes and follows brainstorming videos, shooting them, and publishing them. But without marketing, your YouTube channel won’t attract viewers. And without attracting viewers, it won’t succeed. You must know how to use video marketing to generate leads, boost profits, and help spread the message of your business.

Video Marketing Made (Ridiculously) Easy is the “no brainer guide to producing, publishing & promoting YouTube videos that boost the bottom line.” In this quick, $19.99 Udemy course, you’ll learn how to publish your YouTube video for maximum discoverability, produce an engaging YouTube video, and promote it.

#28. Stunning Aerial Videography and Photography Using Drones by Udemy

Are you a current or aspiring nature or extreme sport videographer? As you’ve seen in the last few years, drones are the new best thing. They are more affordable than helicopters, more stable than people, and a lot less scary to lose than a human. Thus, drones have become one of the most popular nature videography tools.

In this $94.99 Udemy course, you’ll learn how to create aerial videos and photos that delight your audience. This class runs through everything from basic drone handling up to advanced flying and editing. By the end of the online course, you’ll be able to harness six tools to help you with your planning, flying, filming, and editing.

#29. Youtube Beginners Guide to A Successful Channel by Eduonix Learning Solutions

The most successful YouTube channels comprise many moving parts: scriptwriting, filming, editing, marketing, and other behind-the-scenes tasks. It can seem challenging to manage each section—it is. Many of the most prominent YouTubers have employees dedicated to small, specialized tasks to expedite the process. But as a beginner YouTuber, you’re on your own.

So how do you manage all the moving parts? It’s a tall task, but it’s possible, and this free class will teach you how. This course will teach you how to create a YouTube channel to push forth your brand and become a tech-savvy marketer. Furthermore, you’ll learn how to market yourself and your channel, including keyword optimization and video keyword tags.

#30. Video Marketing Hacking: How to Fire Up Your Online Presence by Udemy

The world’s biggest brands have commercials, billboards, influencers, and promotional events to promote their brand. YouTubers-to-be don’t have as many tools; all you have, initially, are internet marketing tools. And because the odds of becoming famous are against you, you should learn all you can and harness all the knowledge you have.

This free, $134.99 Udemy course will teach you how to use video marketing to dramatically increase traffic, conversions, and sales in your business. This class isn’t the best or most affordable course on this list, but it does deserve mention because it can provide valuable information. If you want to create better video marketing campaigns, give this class a go.

What does it take to become a successful YouTuber?

That is a huge question with an equally hefty answer, which we’ll trim down. First, it takes hard skills: videography skills, editing skills, and marketing skills. That’s what the majority of courses in this list focus on. Without those skills, you can’t go anywhere; but having the proper technique is not enough.

You must find your niche. It would be better if your niche were unique in some way. Otherwise, you’re going to be one of a million YouTubers trying to get famous for the same thing. What makes you unique? What makes you shine behind the camera? What do you do so naturally that you don’t need to act? Do you want to teach yoga? Talk about penguins? Show off your card tricks?

Sure, some YouTubers are putting on a show. And they’re good at it. But your chances of finding success will be higher if you do something you love and something you can perform well. So, to answer your question, it takes the aforementioned hard skills, but it also takes enthusiasm and confidence behind the camera.

Some skills come naturally. The formula to become a famous YouTuber is to use as many of your natural talents. That way, you’ll shine, and viewers will feel your enthusiasm. Nobody wants to subscribe to a YouTuber who is reading a script or yawning behind the camera. Do what you do best, then people will flock to your channel.

What are my chances of becoming a viral YouTuber?

The truth is, your chances aren’t excellent, but that doesn’t mean you should give up your efforts before trying in. Just stay conservative: As a great band once wrote, “Keep your day job until your night job pays.” Don’t quit your job to make YouTube videos when only 50 people are watching them.

Here’s the thing. If producing YouTube videos is a chore from day one, you will never become successful. Sure, your job will eventually frustrate you, whatever it is, but you should enjoy it in your heart of hearts. By loving your job, you’ll enjoy the long road to fame if you get there, and be content if you never become too prominent.

It takes years to become famous. Our advice is to invest a sustainable amount of time into creating YouTube videos and trusting the process. That’s the only way. Share your videos everywhere, make them as good as they can be, and always look for new ideas.

We also want to clarify that there are many YouTube related jobs besides running your channel. Other YouTubers and social media personalities constantly look for videographers, editors, and marketers. Your skills are valuable and marketable; even if you don’t become a prolific YouTuber, you can find a way to get paid for all you learned in these classes.

I hate marketing. Can I skip that part?

No. Well, yes, but only if you don’t care to make a living. If you’re doing it as a hobby, marketing isn’t essential. Otherwise, it is. Imagine being a painter. You’re highly talented, perhaps one of the best painters in the world. But you don’t advertise your work to galleries or tell your friends about your paintings. You stay in your home all day painting and watch your art accumulate with nowhere to go and no income to help you feel gratified.

Get what we’re saying? You can’t just be a good artist for a living. You can be an excellent artist as a hobby, but if you want to make a living, you must be an excellent artist and a good marketer.

If it’s any consolation to you, marketing is an art of sorts. It’s really not that boring. And it may not be your strong suit, but you probably weren’t a good videographer the first time you picked up a video camera, were you?

Everything comes with time. You’ll figure out keyword research, implementation, tags, thumbnails, and everything else you need to become a great marketer in time.

If you’re interested in pursuing online education, then you should check out The 30 Best Online Courses for Web Development and The 30 Best Online Courses for Web Design!