The 10 Best Online Courses on Digital Marketing (Free & Paid) (2024)

One of the best ways to teach yourself digital marketing is to follow an online digital marketing training course. A good course will help you quickly build the skills to become a successful digital marketer and boost your career.

In this post, you’ll find the best digital marketing courses online with certificates in 2024. The list includes free and paid courses from reputable organizations.

Here are the key learnings:

• Premium online digital marketing courses cost between $99 and $3000, but there are also some great free options.
• The average course duration is 2 weeks. Some courses can be completed in a few hours, while others can take months.
• All courses are suitable for beginners. No prior experience with digital marketing is required.
• The list includes courses from Google, Hubspot, Coursera, Reliablesoft, and other established academies.

Top 10 Digital Marketing Courses In 2024

1. Google Fundamentals of Digital Marketing (Free With Certification)
2. Reliablesoft Digital Marketing Full Course (Paid With Certification)
3. Udemy The Complete Digital Marketing Course (Paid With Certification)
4. HubSpot Digital Marketing Certification Course (Free With Certification)
6. Copyblogger Online Marketing Course (Free No Certification)
7. LinkedIn Digital Marketing Foundations (Free With Certification)
8. Meta Social Media Marketing (Free With Certification)
9. Simplilearn Digital Marketing Course Online (Paid With Certification)
10. Coursera Digital Marketing Specialization (Paid With Certification)

1. Google Fundamentals of Digital Marketing (Free With Certification)

The Fundamentals of Digital Marketing is a free course that will help you learn the fundamentals of digital marketing.

• Type: Online Training
• Ideal For: Beginners in digital marketing
• Duration: 40 hours
• Cost: Free

How Does It Work?

Google has an online course platform (Google Skillshop, previously Google Digital Garage) offering free courses on several subjects related to career or business development. One topic that is covered in detail is Digital Marketing training.

The Fundamentals of Digital Marketing Course includes 26 modules, with 40 hours of videos, check-in questions, and quizzes.

The modules are broken up into 7 main sections covering the following topics:

• Take a Business Online
• Make It Easy for People to Find a Business on the Web
• Reach More People Locally, on Social Media, or Mobile
• Reach More People With Advertising
• Track and Measure Web Traffic
• Sell Products or Services Online
• Take a Business Global

After completing all 26 modules and passing a final exam (40 multiple-choice questions), you will earn your Google Digital Marketing Certificate to share on LinkedIn or your resume.

The Google Digital Marketing Fundamentals certification is accredited by the Interactive Advertising Bureau Europe and The Open University.

Why Enroll In This Course?

If you are new to digital marketing and want to get a good idea of what digital marketing is and how the different components work together, then this is a good course to follow.

The certification is free and globally recognized, which is a great way to boost your career.

Cost And Duration

The total time to complete all 26 modules is around 40 hours. The video time is 14 hours, and additional time is needed for the exercises and quizzes.

The course is free for anyone to register.

Learn More:

• Fundamentals of Digital Marketing Course Review
• Digital Marketing Certificate Programs

2. Reliablesoft Digital Marketing Full Course (Paid With Certification)

The Digital Marketing Full Course is suitable for beginners who want to get actionable tips on using digital marketing to get more traffic and make more sales.

• Type: Online Training
• Ideal For: Anyone wishing to start a career in digital marketing and get certified
• Duration: 2 Weeks
• Cost: $149

How Does It Work?

Reliablesoft is a full-service digital marketing agency and training academy that has been providing SEO and digital marketing services since 2002.

The digital marketing course bundle has 14 courses covering all major aspects of digital marketing. In particular, it includes the following courses:

1. Digital marketing basics
2. Facebook / Instagram Ads
3. AI Digital Marketing Course
4. Google Ads
5. Search engine optimization (SEO)
6. Keyword research
7. Content marketing
8. Email marketing
9. Google Analytics 4
10. Social media marketing
11. eCommerce SEO
12. Affiliate Marketing
13. YouTube Marketing
14. Retargeting

Upon completing the course and required exams, you get a digital marketing certification to showcase on your CV and open new career opportunities.

Why Enroll In This Course?

We designed this digital marketing course based on our experience working with clients in various industries and on the feedback we received from our students.

What differentiates this course from the rest is that it will not only teach you the theory but will show you step-by-step how to use digital marketing to boost your online presence.

As an active digital marketing agency, we continually optimize our processes by testing different theories and techniques, and our findings are transferred to our online courses.

This means that you can focus on digital marketing practices and procedures that are proven to work and are not only useful in theory.

Each course covers a digital marketing channel in detail, with checklists and actionable tips you can apply to your digital marketing campaigns.

It is suitable for beginners and anyone wanting to learn digital marketing the fastest way.

Among many other things, by registering for this course, you’ll learn the following:

• How to fully optimize your website for SEO
• How to run profitable Google Ads campaigns
• How to make money with Facebook Ads
• How to accelerate content creation and use AI tools strategically
• How to write content that ranks high in search engines
• How to perform keyword research like a pro
• How to configure Google Analytics 4 correctly
• How to use social media marketing to boost your online presence
• How to consistently drive traffic to your website from search engines (regardless of Google Algorithm updates)

The course content is updated regularly to consider the latest digital marketing techniques and practices.

Cost And Duration

The cost of the Digital Marketing Full Course Bundle is $149. Compared to other premium courses in this list, it’s affordable for everyone wishing to learn digital marketing. It also comes with a 60-day money-back guarantee, the best you can find in the industry.

On average, it takes students 2 weeks to finish the course material and final exams.

Learn More:

• Digital Marketing Full Course Reviews
• Other online courses by Reliablesoft Academy

3. Udemy The Complete Digital Marketing Course (Paid With Certification)

The Complete Digital Marketing Course is ideal for those who want to learn the basics of digital marketing.

• Type: Online Training
• Ideal For: Anyone wishing to build their digital marketing skills
• Duration: 22.5 hours
• Cost: $99

How Does It Work?

Udemy is one of the biggest online learning platforms. They offer courses on many subjects covering all areas of marketing, from SEO to Google Ads and Sales.

One course that covers Digital Marketing in detail is the Complete Digital Marketing Course Bundle, which includes 12 courses. Topics include:

• Market Research
• SEO
• SEO Writing
• YouTube Marketing
• Google Ads
• LinkedIn Marketing
• App Marketing
• Email Marketing
• Google Analytics
• Social Media Marketing
• Facebook Ads

The course offers a digital marketing certification. The price is $99, but you can get it at a lower price if you are patient enough. Sign up with Udemy, add the course to your wish list, and wait for the discount period.

Why Enroll In This Course?

I’m not a big fan of Udemy courses. I have tried many courses in the past, and it seems that the courses are made for the masses without giving attention to detail.

Also, sometimes, the course description promises more than what is actually delivered in the course.

Nevertheless, if you can get this course for a reasonable price and not $99, it’s worth the money. As a beginner, you can get a very good idea of how the different marketing components work since it covers everything from website marketing to social media promotion.

Cost And Duration

The course includes 22.5 hours of video time, approximately the time needed to complete it.

The listed price for this course is $99.99, but you can get it for as low as $19.99 with Udemy Offers.

Learn More:

• Udemy Digital Marketing Course Review
• Other online courses by Udemy

4. HubSpot Digital Marketing Certification Course (Free With Certification)

The Digital Marketing Certification Course will give you the skills to succeed in online marketing.

• Type: Online Training
• Ideal For: Beginners looking for a quick introduction to digital marketing
• Duration: 6 hours
• Cost: Free

How Does It Work?

Hubspot is one of the leading companies in the digital marketing industry with various tools, including CRM, SEO tools, content marketing, and sales.

Hubspot’s Online Digital Marketing Course covers the following topics:

• Digital Marketing Fundamentals
• Content Marketing
• SEO Strategy
• Website Performance
• Video Marketing Strategy
• Social Media Strategy
• Paid Advertising
• Email Marketing

Registration is free, and you get a recognized certification upon course completion. Besides the digital marketing course, Hubspot also offers courses (without a certification) that cover various online marketing channels.

Why Enroll In This Course?

Even if you don’t plan to use HubSpot’s tools in your marketing campaigns, they did a very good job with their online courses. You can allocate some time and go through the ones that interest you. The How to Find the SEO Strategy that Fits Your Business lesson by Matthew Barby will give you great insights on how to do SEO for your business.

Digital marketing experts teach all courses with years of experience in the industry. The learning environment is easy to use, and the courses are free.

Cost And Duration

Hubspot courses are free. The digital marketing course takes 6 hours to complete.

Learn More:

• How to Learn Digital Marketing
• More HubSpot Academy Courses

5. Google Digital Marketing & E-commerce (Paid With Certification)

The is a paid course offered by Google through Coursera.

• Type: Online Training
• Ideal For: People with no degree or experience in digital marketing
• Duration: 6 months (10 hours per week)
• Cost: $294

How Does It Work?

Besides the Fundamentals of Digital Marketing, Google offers several professional certificates through Grow with Google. The course material is prepared by Google marketing professionals and can be accessed through a subsidized Coursera Plus subscription, which costs $49 monthly.

The Google Digital Marketing & Ecommerce certificate includes 7 online courses, each taking around 24 hours to complete. The courses cover the following topics:

• Introduction to Digital Marketing and e-commerce
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
• Social Media Marketing (including strategy, planning, and analytics)
• Email Marketing
• Marketing Analytics
• eCommerce (including building an online store)
• eCommerce Marketing
• Retargeting

When you finish all courses, you get the Google Digital Marketing and eCommerce certification accredited by the American Association of Advertising Agencies and the American Advertising Federation.

Why Enroll In This Course?

The courses are intended for people who want to build job-ready skills and enter the digital marketing industry as junior digital marketing professionals. The lessons are easy to follow and suited for beginners without online marketing experience. Coursera offers a 7-day free trial to review the content before committing to a paid plan.

Cost And Duration

Coursera offers the course through the Coursera Plus subscription, which costs $49 monthly.

On average, it takes 6 months (allocating 10 hours per week) for students to complete the course and get certified.

Learn More:

• Google Digital Marketing and eCommerce Course Review
• Google Career Certificates

6. Copyblogger Online Marketing Course (Free No Certification)

This online marketing course combines a series of ebooks and emails to teach your Internet marketing.

• Type: Email and eBooks
• Ideal For: People looking to learn how to use content marketing effectively
• Duration: Self-paced
• Cost: Free

How Does It Work?

Brian Clark is the author behind copyblogger and the creator of the most successful WordPress framework, Genesis. Although the course has been live for over a decade, Brian’s free Internet Marketing course is still a great resource for writing great content.

This course is delivered through email and downloaded ebooks, and it’s free. All you have to do is register using your email address.

Why Enroll In This Course?

Writing great content is essential for the success of any digital marketing campaign. Whether it’s ad copy, articles, or landing page copy, you need to learn how to write engaging content, and this course is a great place to start.

It is suitable for both beginners and advanced users.

Cost And Duration

The cost is free, and with your registration, you get 16 ebooks and 20 emails, which can be completed at your own pace.

Learn More:

• Other Content Marketing Courses (including free options)
• Copyblogger Blog

7. LinkedIn Digital Marketing Foundations (Free With Certification)

The Digital Marketing Foundations course will teach you how to promote your brand online with a targeted marketing strategy.

• Type: Online Training
• Ideal For: Beginners and intermediate learners
• Duration: 1.5 hours
• Cost: Free

How Does It Work?

This short course by LinkedIn Learning is part of the learning path to becoming a digital marketer. It includes 6 lessons covering the following topics:

• The Digital Marketing Framework
• Digital Marketing Basics
• Digital Marketing Key Concepts
• Digital Marketing Hub and Spokes
• Digital Marketing with Your Website
• Digital Marketing with Paid Channels

Why Enroll In This Course?

It’s a free course that comes with a certificate of completion. It’s a good option if you want to understand digital marketing and how it works. It’s a theoretical course that covers the basics and is suitable for deciding whether a digital marketing career is right for you.

The course has a high rating by LinkedIn Learning students.

Cost And Duration

You can enroll in the course for free (for one month) and register for a paid subscription if you decide to continue your learning. The course lasts less than 2 hours, giving you plenty of time to complete without subscribing.

Learn More:

• Other Digital Marketing Courses by LinkedIn
• How to Become a Digital Marketing Specialist (Guide)

8. Meta Social Media Marketing (Free With Certification)

The Social Media Marketing Certificate includes the Digital Marketing Associate certificate and Social Media Marketing Professional Certification by Meta.

• Type: Online Training
• Ideal For: Beginners to social media marketing and digital marketing
• Duration: 3 months (10 hours per week)
• Cost: Free for 7 days

How Does It Work?

The Meta Social Media Marketing Professional Certificate is among the most popular social media certifications. Meta employees prepare the lessons, and the certificate is ACE accredited.

There are two ways to prepare for this course. The first is through Meta’s Blueprint free courses, and the second is through Coursera.

The Coursera program includes 6 courses covering the following topics:

• Introduction to Social Media Marketing
• Social Media Management
• Fundamentals of Social Media Advertising
• Advertising with Meta
• Measure and Optimize Social Media Marketing Campaigns
• Meta Social Media Marketing Capstone

Despite being a Meta course, the lessons include topics related to other platforms. It also teaches tactics suitable for any digital marketing campaign type, not just social media.

Why Enroll In This Course?

The advantage of enrolling in this course is getting two certifications: the Meta Digital Marketing Associate and the Meta Social Media Marketing Professional Certificate.

In addition, you get access to the Meta Career Programs job board, where you can find and apply for entry-level digital marketing jobs.

Cost And Duration

Meta’s suggested time to complete this course is 3 months, but you can do it in less time. We did the whole course in 2 weeks by spending a few hours per day (see our review below for the details).

If you choose to prepare through Coursera, the cost is $49 monthly, but as mentioned above, you can also prepare using free resources.

Learn More:

• Meta Social Media Marketing Professional Review
• Best Meta Certifications

9. Simplilearn Digital Marketing Course Online (Paid With Certification)

The Post Graduate Program in Digital Marketing is a comprehensive online digital marketing bootcamp.

• Type: Online Bootcamp
• Ideal For: Business professionals looking to learn basic and advanced concepts
• Duration: 6 months (10 hours per week)
• Cost: $3000

How Does It Work?

Purdue University offers the program via SimpliLearn, covering several Digital Marketing disciplines and tools.

It’s a course for beginners and includes the following:

• SEO
• Social Media
• Pay-Per-Click (Facebook and Google Ads)
• Conversion Optimization
• Affiliate Marketing
• Blogging
• Web Analytics
• Content Marketing
• Email Marketing and Mobile Marketing

Why Enroll In This Course?

The nice thing about this course is that it includes walkthroughs of more than 35 digital marketing tools, so by the time you complete this course, you’ll have a very good idea of what tools to use in your digital marketing campaigns.

Also, besides getting certified for this course, it prepares you to pass and get certified for Google Ads, Facebook, Google Analytics, and YouTube.

If you work for a company and want to convince your boss to invest in a Digital Marketing Course, this is a very good option from a trusted company.

To be admitted to the course, you need a minimum of 2 years of experience and a bachelor’s degree.

Cost And Duration

The current price of the SimpliLearn Digital Marketing course is $3000.

The program lasts 6 months, assuming you can allocate 10 hours per week for study.

Learn More:

• Simplilearn Digital Marketing Specialist Course Review
• Best Digital Marketing Bootcamps

10. Coursera Digital Marketing Specialization (Paid With Certification)

The Digital Marketing Specialization is delivered by the University of Illinois Coursera and will help you build in-demand skills from university and industry experts.

• Type: Online Training
• Ideal For: People looking to get a Coursera certificate at their own pace
• Duration: 4 months (10 hours per week)
• Cost: $632

How Does It Work?

Another digital marketing training academy worth considering is Coursera. They offer several courses covering all digital marketing channels, from SEO to social media marketing and paid advertising.

The digital marketing specialization includes six courses, each taking around 20 hours to complete, and the total cost to finish all courses is $632. The courses cover the following areas:

• Differences between analog and digital marketing
• Introduction to Digital tools and digital media
• Digital marketing analytics theory
• Digital marketing analytics practice
• Online marketing strategies
• Video Marketing
• Social and email marketing

When you finish all courses and pass all graded assignments, you can get the Coursera Digital Marketing Specialization certification and use the credits towards obtaining the MBA degree awarded by the University of Illinois.

Why Enroll In This Course?

This is a good course for people who have experience with traditional marketing and want to transition to digital marketing. It’s not the best course if you’re looking for actionable digital marketing techniques to increase your traffic and sales.

Cost And Duration

On average, it takes students 4 months to finish the six courses and the capstone project. The monthly subscription cost is $79.

Finishing the course in less than 4 months (allocating more than 10 hours per week) and paying less for monthly subscriptions is possible.

Learn More:

• Coursera Digital Marketing Specialization Review
• Other Coursera Courses and Certifications

Online Digital Marketing Courses – FAQ

We know from experience that choosing a digital marketing course can be a taunting experience. Review the frequently asked questions below to get the insight you need to make the correct decision.

1. How Much Do Digital Marketing Courses Cost?

Online digital marketing programs in 2024 cost between $99 for a Udemy course and $3000 for an online boot camp.

Some courses come with a once-off fee (like the Reliablesoft course), and some with monthly subscriptions (like Coursera’s courses).

To help you decide the best digital marketing course for your needs, here is a comparison table showing the cost of each course.

Here is the list of free digital marketing courses:

2. What Courses Are Best For Digital Marketing?

The best course for digital marketing is the one that fits your budget, learning style, and purpose. Before choosing a course, check the syllabus, reviews from past students, and money-back policies. Look for courses that are updated frequently and review the instructor’s profile and experience.

Good courses have up-to-date information and are taught by experts with hands-on experience in digital marketing campaigns.

If you are confused as to which digital marketing course to follow, our recommendation is the following:

• If you want a good free course to start with digital marketing, follow the Fundamentals of Digital Marketing by Google.
• Register with the Digital Marketing Full Course if you want to learn actionable advice on how digital marketing can help you get more traffic and make more sales.
• If you want to become Google Digital Marketing Certified, go with the Google Digital Marketing and eCommerce Course.

3. Can I Learn Digital Marketing For Free?

Learning digital marketing for free is possible by registering for a free course (like the Fundamentals of Digital Marketing and Hubspot Certification Course) and using online digital marketing guides.

The advantage of registering for a premium course is support during your learning and access to updated material teaching the latest digital marketing techniques and practices.

4. Is a Digital Marketing Course Worth It?

Learning digital marketing through a course is the most efficient way to build digital marketing skills. The learning approach followed by most online courses will help you understand the different components of digital marketing without looking for this information individually on Google or Chat GPT. In addition, a digital marketing course is useful for building practical skills and gaining experience through projects and assignments.

Furthermore, it demonstrates your dedication to ongoing professional growth and learning to prospective employers and clients.

5. How Long Does It Take to Learn Digital Marketing?

The average time needed to learn digital marketing is between 3 and 5 months. During this period, you’ll go through the course material and do practical work. The actual time depends on your experience, background, and how much time you’ll allocate daily to studying and working on digital marketing projects.

Remember that learning the theory is the easy part; the challenging part is to put theory into practice, and for this, you’ll need to spend many months (and even years) experimenting and testing digital marketing techniques.

Nevertheless, the sooner you start, the better it will be for your digital marketing career.

6. How to Start a Career In Digital Marketing

You need to acquire various skills to become a successful digital marketing professional. Digital marketing is not a single discipline, but it includes many principles that cover all online marketing channels.

At the end of the day, when you apply for a digital marketing job, you need to prove that you know at least the following:

• Search Engine Optimization
• Paid Search Advertising (Google Ads and Facebook)
• Email Marketing
• Web Analytics
• Content Marketing
• Conversion Optimization

You can then concentrate on building your real-world experience by working on your own websites, getting a job as a digital marketing freelancer, or in an established digital marketing agency.

Methodology

Many online courses focus on specific digital marketing disciplines. For example, some courses focus only on SEO or social media marketing but don’t give you a complete picture of all digital marketing channels.

The purpose of this guide is to showcase complete digital marketing courses that cover a wide range of digital marketing concepts and not just one area. The list includes different types and levels of courses suitable for beginners, intermediate users, and advanced users.

What To Do Next?

After completing one or more courses, it’s time to put your knowledge to work by getting a job, starting a digital marketing agency, or learning other methods to make money with digital marketing.