Best Platforms for Digital Marketing Certification Courses
Editor’s note: published December 2021 and retained for reference. Course names and availability may have changed since.
Digital marketing professionals need a range of skills to succeed in this competitive field. Digital marketing isn’t a rule-based discipline and there are no guaranteed paths to success, but there are key principles that professionals must master across every channel:
- Content marketing (text, audio and video)
- Web analytics
- Email marketing
- Paid search and social advertising
- Search engine optimisation
- Conversion optimisation
Taking certified courses is the fastest way to learn these fundamentals, and certified professionals are more likely to land roles that give real-world experience. Here are six free and paid online courses that suit beginners.
1. Google Analytics Individual Qualification (IQ)
Google is the centre of the digital marketing world. Aspiring marketers must learn how Google’s algorithms rank and reward business websites, and that doesn’t require being an analytics wizard.
The Google Analytics IQ course builds basic proficiency you can use in countless ways, from measuring campaign metrics to tracking website KPIs. To earn the certificate, students pass a final assessment of around 70 questions, having learnt digital marketing fundamentals, how to start an online business, how target users find brands, Google Ads, international expansion, mobile, content and social media marketing.
Create a Google Analytics Academy profile to begin. It’s free and takes four to six hours.
2. HubSpot Content Marketing Certification
Content keeps dominating digital marketing, and Google keeps rewarding relevant, high-quality content. Candidates with writing and content marketing skills are always in demand.
HubSpot’s content marketing course is ideal for up-to-date search practice, and useful even if you don’t use HubSpot’s tools. It covers social media, email, content, inbound and contextual marketing. Registration is free, and the recognised certification boosts career prospects. Four to six hours through the HubSpot Academy.
3. YouTube Certification
Most marketers are focusing on visual assets and video. YouTube, the second-largest search engine in the world, is the best source of information. Its certification gives video marketers instant credibility: the ability to create comprehensive video strategies for any platform, designation as a YouTube-certified professional or firm, a listing in YouTube’s directory, use of the certified badge, and early access to new features. Three free courses cover channel growth, content ownership and asset monetisation.
4. Udemy Complete Digital Marketing Course
Udemy’s umbrella course covers twelve mini-courses: Facebook Ads, social media marketing, Google Analytics, SEO writing, WordPress setup, market research, LinkedIn marketing, app marketing, email marketing and YouTube marketing. The certification signals your understanding of how the components of digital marketing work within a larger strategy. This one is paid.
5. Semrush SEO Toolkit Course
Every marketer uses Semrush’s tools at some point. This beginner course covers building and sustaining SEO models, content marketing, setting up pay-per-click campaigns, affiliate marketing and social media, across fourteen video lessons by Semrush professionals. Pass the exam to earn the certification. Free, three to five hours.
6. Simplilearn Digital Marketing Specialist
A broader programme covering email, mobile, content, web analytics, conversion optimisation, pay-per-click on Facebook and Google, social media and SEO strategy. It’s the most expensive on this list, but it walks students through more than forty tools and prepares them for the Google Ads, Google Analytics and Facebook certification tests.
Check out these courses and start your journey. Our own team holds more than 35 certifications from Google, HubSpot, LinkedIn, HarvardX and Amazon. If you’d rather work with certified experts than become one, contact Webtales IT Solutions for a free consultation.
Related from Webtales: SEO & GEO services, social media management, digital marketing agency in Navi Mumbai and performance marketing.
