Blogging Training Courses UK: Are They Worth IT?
Honest UK review of blogging training courses: what they cover, price ranges, who they suit, and free alternatives that work.
By Tony Musso on
Blogging training courses in the UK range from £29 self-paced online programmes to £2,000+ intensive in-person workshops in London and Manchester. They are worth paying for if you learn best in a structured programme, want personal feedback on your niche and content plan, or are trying to build a blogging business rather than a hobby. For most beginners, though, a well-chosen mix of free content plus one focused paid course (typically £100-£400) delivers more than a premium bootcamp. This guide covers what UK blogging courses actually teach, price ranges, who they suit, and the free alternatives that get you 80% of the way there.
UK salary at a glance
| Level | Typical experience | UK salary range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free online course | 0 hrs | £0 | YouTube + articles |
| Self-paced paid course | 10-40 hrs | £29-£299 | Skillshare / Udemy / Teachable |
| Structured cohort course | 6-12 wks | £300-£1,200 | Live cohorts with feedback |
| In-person workshop | 1-3 days | £300-£2,000+ | London / Manchester |
What UK blogging courses actually teach
Reputable UK courses cover:
- Niche selection and audience research
- Keyword research and SEO fundamentals
- Content planning and editorial calendars
- Writing style and structure
- Photography and image sourcing
- WordPress or Ghost setup
- Monetisation (affiliate, ads, digital products, sponsorships)
- Email list building and newsletters
Be wary of courses that dwell on 'passive income' without covering SEO fundamentals.
Price bands and what you get
- £0 - YouTube (Ahrefs, Income School), free ProBlogger and Copyblogger archives
- £29-£99 - Udemy / Skillshare self-paced courses; useful primers, no personal feedback
- £100-£400 - Teachable-hosted cohort courses; better structure, some feedback
- £400-£1,200 - live cohort courses with tutor feedback and community
- £1,200+ - in-person UK workshops or 1:1 coaching programmes
Who a paid blogging course suits
Worth paying for if:
- You've tried free content and can't finish a plan
- You want peer feedback on your niche and voice
- You're building a business, not a hobby
- You value the network / community access
Not worth paying for if you already have SEO fundamentals and a habit of shipping work.
Free alternatives that actually work
The UK's best free blogging education stack:
- Ahrefs YouTube channel for SEO
- Income School for beginner blog building
- Copyblogger and Problogger archives for craft
- Google Search Central for technical SEO
- A free content planner in Notion or Google Sheets
Expect to spend 20-40 hours across these before deciding whether a paid course adds anything.
Is blogger the right career for you?
Blogging suits people who are happy working alone and can keep publishing for months before the results show. Most of the work is solitary: researching, writing, editing photos and checking analytics, often in the evenings around another job at first. Income is uneven and can drop sharply after a search algorithm update or a lost affiliate deal. You'll also be running a small business, which means tax returns, agreements with brands and following advertising rules. If you want steady pay and colleagues, a salaried content strategist or copywriting role may suit you better.
Practical checks before you commit:
- Publish ten posts on a free platform over eight weeks and see whether you still enjoy it once the novelty wears off.
- Connect Google Search Console to your site and track which posts earn impressions, so you learn how search traffic really builds.
- Pitch two guest posts or a paid freelance article to an established UK blog or website in your niche.
- Use Career Compass to check whether solo, self-directed work fits your interests and priorities.
Common mistakes to avoid
New UK bloggers often trip up on the business side as much as the writing:
- Not telling HMRC. Once your blogging income goes over the HMRC trading allowance, you'll usually need to register for Self Assessment. Keep records of income and costs from day one.
- Hiding ads and affiliate links. The ASA expects sponsored posts and affiliate content to be clearly labelled, for example with "Ad" up front. Unlabelled deals can lead to complaints and lost trust with readers and brands.
- Building an email list without consent. Newsletter sign-ups fall under UK GDPR and PECR. Use a proper opt-in and a privacy notice, and check whether you need to pay the ICO data protection fee.
- Buying a premium course before publishing. An expensive bootcamp won't help if you haven't tested your niche. Publish consistently using free resources first, then pay for feedback on real work.
- Using images you don't own. Pictures copied from search results can lead to copyright claims and invoices. Use your own photos or properly licensed stock.
If you're applying for content jobs or pitching brands, lead with proof rather than course certificates. Employers and brands look for a live site or portfolio, a few posts that rank for real search terms, and traffic or audience figures you can show from Google Search Console or your analytics. Name the tools you use, such as WordPress, a keyword research tool and an email platform. Show that you can write to a brief and a deadline, and that you understand SEO basics and ad labelling rules. One focused niche reads better than a scattered list of topics.
Related reading
See how Career Compass works (one-off report)