Useful information sources

The following free information sources are truly credible, created by well-known and reputable global organisations. The content are applicable to small business in just about any country including South Africa. It is mainly in online video and free online course format. If you are not familiar with online videos and courses, it is easy to follow. You can watch it directly on the internet from your smartphone, tablet or computer, and in some cases you can even download it onto your tablet or phone when you have access to free or low-cost Wi-Fi, then watch it offline later. More information sources will be added, including non-video or text document format courses, so please watch this space regularly.

Taking your business into the digital world: the very basics

Getting-Your-Business-Online (Building an Online Business)
About: Crash course to start the move to the online world, or if you already have an online presence, to make it more effective. Very short, to-the-point and practical yet very powerful course. Excellent starting point for any small business.
Level: Very basic.
Format: Free video based online course (only pay if you want to get a certificate).
By: Google (presented on the Alison online course platform).

E-Business
About: Obtaining and managing a website, and getting started with online advertising.
Level: Basic.
Format: Free video based online course (only pay if you want to get a certificate).
By: Google (presented on the Alison online course platform).

Digital marketing

Digital and Social Media Marketing - An Introduction
About: Very basics of and excellent place to start with digital marketing, including online advertising and social media marketing.
Level: Basic.
Format: Free video based online course (only pay if you want to get a certificate).
By: Salford Business School, University of Salford (presented on the iVersity online course platform).

Fundamentals of Marketing Your Business Online
About: Optimising your website for marketing purposes, search engine or online advertising and using some of Google's services for marketing.
Level: Intermediate.
Format: Free video based online course (only pay if you want to get a certificate).
By: Google (presented on the Alison online course platform).

Digital Marketing Specialization
About: Comprehensive course series (5 short courses that can be taken separately) on digital marketing. The short courses this course series or specialisation consist of are: 1-Marketing in a Digital World, 2-Digital Analytics for Marketing Professionals: Marketing Analytics in Theory, 3-Digital Analytics for Marketing Professionals: Marketing Analytics in Practice, 4-Digital Marketing Channels: The Landscape, and 5-Digital Marketing Channels: Planning.
Level: Advanced.
Format: Free video based online course (only pay if you want to get a certificate).
By: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, developed for a global audience (presented on the Coursera online course platform).

Online Advertising
About: Excellent overview of online advertising, including banner ads, search engine advertising, social media advertising etc.
Level: Intermediate.
Format: Free video based online course - you even get the certificate for free!
By: Patty Keegan (presented on the Open2Study online course platform).

Social media marketing

Content marketing including viral marketing

Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content
About: Learn why some content gets viral and apply these ideas to be more effective at marketing your ideas, brands, or products. You'll learn how to make ideas stick, how to increase your influence, how to generate more word of mouth, and how to use the power of social networks to spread information and influence, how to use buzz to create virality so that your campaigns become more shareable on social media and elsewhere.
Level: Basic.
Format: Free video based online course (only pay if you want to get a certificate).
By: University of Pennsylvania, developed for a global audience (presented on the Coursera online course platform).

Content Strategy for Professionals Specialization
About: Comprehensive course series (4 short courses that can be taken separately) on content marketing. The short courses this course series or specialisation consist of are: 1-Engaging Audiences, 2-Managing Content, 3-Expanding Your Content's Reach, 4-Ensuring Your Content's Impact.
Level: Advanced.
Format: Free video based online course (only pay if you want to get a certificate).
By: Northwestern University in the USA, developed for a global audience (presented on the Coursera online course platform).

Business models and strategies for the digital age

New Business Models – Working Together on Value Creation
About: Excellent overview of the direction that business is going now and into the future, and broad overview of how you can use technology for a competitive advantage. The course does not go into technical detail of technologies covered, it has a management and social focus. Start here if you wish to begin your digital business exploration from an idea rather than practical angle.
Level: Basic.
Format: Free video based online course (only pay if you want to get a certificate).
By: Nijmegen School of Management, Radboud University Nijmegen in the Netherlands, developed for a global audience (presented on the iVersity online course platform).

Digital Transformations
About: Learn how new technology change our way of doing business and how to apply digital technology to gain more customers and a stronger competitive position. It has a management rather than technical focus therefore it will be easy to follow by anyone.
Level: Basic.
Format: Free video based online course (only pay if you want to get a certificate).
By: Indian School of Business, developed for a global audience (presented on the Coursera online course platform).

Circular Economy: An Introduction
About: This course focusses on one particular but very important direction that current and future business strategy is going into: the circular economy. Learn in detail what it entails and get ideas that may give you a long lasting competitive edge!
Level: Basic.
Format: Free video based online course (only pay if you want to get a certificate).
By: Delft University of Technology, developed for a global audience (presented on the Edx online course platform).

Strategy & Business Models in a Digital World
About: Focus on how digital technology is changing traditional ways of doing and succeesing in business, and use technology for a competitive advantage. The course does not go into technical detail of technologies covered and has a strong strategic management focus.
Level: Intermediate.
Format: Free video based online course (only pay if you want to get a certificate).
By: Babson College, developed for a global audience (presented on the Edx online course platform).

Digital Business Models
About: Focus on advanced strategy and how you can trandform your industry with software and automation.
Level: Advanced.
Format: Free video based online course (only pay if you want to get a certificate).
By: Lund University, developed for a global audience (presented on the Coursera online course platform).

Gamification
About: Learn about the application of game elements and digital game design techniques to non-game problems, especially business. Very interesting, fun and popular course.
Level: Basic.
Format: Free video based online course (only pay if you want to get a certificate).
By: University of Pennsylvania, developed for a global audience (presented on the Coursera online course platform).

New technology for business

Emerging Technologies: From Smartphones to IoT to Big Data Specialization
About: Comprehensive course series (5 short courses that can be taken separately) on new technologies and its applications in business and other aspects of life, including Smartphones, OS, Cloud Computing, Big Data, CDN, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Mobile Communication, LTE, LTE-Advanced, IoT, AR, IPv4, IPv6, TCP, UDP, and Internet operations. The course series has a technical more than business focus, however, it does not go into electronic engineering details. The short courses this course series or specialisation consist of are: 1-Smartphone Emerging Technologies, 2-Big Data, Cloud Computing, & CDN Emerging Technologies, 3-Internet Emerging Technologies, 4-Internet of Things & Augmented Reality Emerging Technologies, and 5-Internet of Things & Augmented Reality Emerging Technologies.
Level: Advanced. This course series gets quite technical, but just a general level of understanding of technology is sufficient to make sense of it.
Format: Free video based online course (only pay if you want to get a certificate).
By: Yonsei University (generally considered the best university in South Korea), developed for a global audience (presented on the Coursera online course platform).

Industry specific digital business and online marketing strategies

Tourism and hotel industry

eTourism: Communication Perspectives
About: General digital or online marketing for the tourism industry marketing. Although it contains theory, it is kept short and practical implimentation is clearly illustrated. Excellent starting point for tourism establishments.
Level: Basic. Tourism businesses can start learning here, then move on to the Coursera or Edx courses listed below, then to more general digital business and online marketing courses listed above.
Format: Free video based online course (only pay if you want to get a certificate).
By: Università della Svizzera italiana (Lugano, Switzerland), presented in English and applicable to a global audience like all other courses listed here (presented on the iVersity online course platform).

Managing Marketing in the Hospitality and Tourism Industry
About: Focus on modern marketing techniques (including very important digital marketing principles) for hospitality and tourism businesses.
Level: Intermediate.
Format: Free video based online course (only pay if you want to get a certificate).
By: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, developed for a global audience (presented on the Edx online course platform).

Hospitality and Tourism Technology and Innovation
About: Focus on digital technology and its application in the management and marketing of hospitality and tourism businesses. Although the focus is on technology, it does not require a background or knowledge of technology.
Level: Intermediate.
Format: Free video based online course (only pay if you want to get a certificate).
By: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, developed for a global audience (presented on the Edx online course platform).

The fundamentals of hotel distribution
About: Learn how modern hotel (and other forms of accommodation establishments) distribution work, with emphasis on the all-important Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) and other forms of formal marketing channels in tourism.
Level: Advanced.
Format: Free video based online course (only pay if you want to get a certificate).
By: ESSEC Business School, developed for a global audience (presented on the Coursera online course platform).

Demand management: Breaking down today’s commercial silos
About: Advanced course in modern tourism marketing channels where digital marketing plays a major important role.
Level: Advanced.
Format: Free video based online course (only pay if you want to get a certificate).
By: ESSEC Business School, developed for a global audience (presented on the Coursera online course platform).

Training providers or colleges

Corporate Digital Learning
About: This course covers the methods, strategy and management of online learning, and how digital learning can supplement or replace conventional class-based learning.
Level: Intermediate.
Format: Free video based online course (only pay if you want to get a certificate).
By: KPMG (presented on the iVersity online course platform).