Best Free Data Analytics Resources & Tutorials

There are plenty of professionals who are eager to learn data analytics but hesitate because of the perceived up-front costs. Some tools needed to perform data analytics, such as Python and Tableau Public, are free to use, whereas Excel costs $6/month. There are also many free resources available to help beginners get the hang of learning data analytics.

Read on to learn more about the different free resources and tutorials available to help you learn data analytics.

What is Data Analytics?

Data analytics is a broad term that describes the various techniques used to analyze raw, unprocessed data so that relevant insights and trends can be extracted. Organizations then use this information to make more informed, data-driven decisions. The data analytics process includes gathering data, organizing them, and performing statistical analysis on these numbers. Once the analysis is complete, the Data Analyst offers predictions that can inform the company’s next steps.

Each day, an estimated 2.5 quintillion bytes of data is created. This number is expected to grow as more organizations embrace technological advances and expand their online presence. However, until these data are analyzed, they are just numbers. A Data Analyst’s job involves combining computer programming, math, and statistics to interpret these numbers and transform them into actionable insights that they can share with various stakeholders in their organization.

Read more about why you should learn data analytics.

What Can You Do with Data Analytics?

The field of data analytics has many real-world applications across industries and professions. At the core of the data analytics process is the goal of using data to make better decisions. Companies rely on the data's insights to make more informed business decisions, which can help their organization grow, increase revenue, or better serve employees and customers.

Data analytics can help with marketing campaigns by eliminating the bulk of the guesswork in planning, creating content, and developing products. It also provides an overview of customers, which can help organizations better meet their needs. By better understanding your audience and what they want, targeting them with more pointed marketing initiatives and campaigns is easier.

Another widespread use of data analytics is to improve customer service. When data is analyzed, it reveals important insights about customers, which makes it possible to offer them more personalized service. Data can provide information on how customers prefer to communicate, what interests they have, what concerns they hold, and what products they look at most often. In addition, having data stored in a central location allows an organization’s customer service team to be on the same page as their marketing and sales teams.

Another use of data analytics is to improve the efficiency of operations within an organization. Data can reveal weaknesses in operations, as well as opportunities to streamline various processes. This not only helps the business perform more efficiently but can save money over time. For example, if you have a clearer idea of what your target audience is looking for, you won’t need to waste time and resources designing ads or writing content that doesn’t directly target their interests. This leads to less wasted money, as well as better campaign results.

How to Decide Which Online Learning Option is Best for You

Because so many online learning options are available for those interested in studying data analytics, it can be challenging to know which one is the best match for you. Unlike paid data analytics programs that often cover similar core material and provide learners with the same learning incentives, free online courses differ much more in content and quality. It’s helpful to ask yourself the following questions to decide which class is the best for you:

• Does it provide the appropriate level of training? Those new to data analytics may be looking for more of an overview of the field rather than instruction on advanced SQL querying.
• Is the material relevant? The field of data analytics is rapidly evolving, with new technologies and innovations being introduced all the time. This is why a video posted three years ago may no longer be relevant. To ensure that you receive instruction on the most up-to-date software and tools available, it’s important to consider how recently the video was created and if it has been updated to reflect recent advancements in data analytics.
• Does it cover the content you want to study? Whereas some online videos provide a basic overview of data analytics, some short online courses focus on specific topics. This means you will want to select a video or combination of videos and tutorials covering the material you need to learn.

• Does the class provide both theory and practice? Simply watching a lecture or reading a long text on data analytics theory isn’t the most effective way to learn data analytics. Instead, combining hands-on activities that combine theory with practice can lead to better retention. Choosing a learning option that combines activities with instruction leads to better learning outcomes.

Free Online Resources for Learning Data Analytics

The following list contains some of the best available free resources for learning data analytics:

• Noble Desktop’s Data Analytics Blog & Learning Resources page has more than 150 articles covering a variety of relevant data analytic topics. These include how to become a data analytics freelancer, the top data mining tools for 2022, and what training a Data Analyst needs.
• CareerFoundry’s Data Analytics Short Course is a series of five beginner-friendly classes that provide a brief introduction to the field of data analytics. Each 15-minute lesson pertains to a different step of the data analytics process.
• Khan Academy offers an array of free lessons that explore data analytics concepts like spotting patterns in datasets, working with probability and statistics, and using SQL. Each mini-course includes a practice test.
• Google Cloud has a free course in machine learning that includes case studies, video lectures, tutorials, and exercises.
• Kaggle, a subsidiary of Google LLC, is an online community for those who work with machine learning and data science. Their free short courses cover industry-standard data science skills focusing on their practical applications.
• OpenLearn’s Learn to Code for Data Analysis provides learners with a wealth of content on topics from cybersecurity to data analytics. These courses are considered to be high-quality, and many of them are available for free. Its eight-week course, Learn to Code for Data Analysis, teaches students core data analytics and coding skills. By course completion, all learners will be able to write basic analytical algorithms.

Learn Data Analytics with Hands-on Training at Noble Desktop

There’s never been a better time to study data analytics. If you’re interested in learning more about this popular field, Noble Desktop has you covered. Noble offers several data analytics classes for beginners and those with a background in data who want to master specific or advanced tools and skills.

Noble’s Data Analytics Certificate is a project-based course designed to teach students how to collect, wrangle, analyze, and visualize data. Participants complete several real-world projects using predictive and prescriptive analytics to prepare them for careers as Business Analysts or Data Analysts. This course provides all students with one-on-one mentoring, as well as the option of a free course retake to revisit the material.

In addition, Noble’s SQL Bootcamp is a great learning option for learners interested in studying SQL to help with their data journey. This 18-hour class teaches participants how to use PostgreSQL to find information in databases. Those who enroll will learn how to write SQL queries, aggregate data, join tables, and filter results.

For students who want to work with Tableau for data analytics and visualization, Noble’s Tableau Bootcamp is a solid choice. This class is taught by an expert instructor and is available both in-person in Manhattan and in the live online format for those who wish to study remotely. This course takes students on a learning journey, starting with the basics of data visualization. Those enrolled also work with Tableau Public and its various tools for analysis and visualization. By course completion, participants will be able to analyze, filter, structure, and visualize data and publish the results. All students have the option of a free course retake.

Key Insights

• Data analytics is a broad discipline that involves gathering and analyzing data to spot patterns or trends in the numbers.
• The data analytics process draws from various skills, such as computer programming, statistics, analytics, and data visualization.
• Many free online resources are available to help learners begin their study of data analytics. Videos and tutorials can be watched at any time, paused as needed, and rewatched, making them a good learning resource for those trying to balance their data analytics studies around other work or life commitments.
• If you want to learn more about data analytics, a great way to study this in-demand field is to enroll in a live online or in-person class with Noble Desktop.