![Best Free Marketing Certifications in 2023 [Plus Top 5 Reviewed]](https://www.reganmcgregor.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/free-marketing-certifications.jpg)
Last Updated on February 20, 2024
If you’re looking to break into the world of marketing, or you’re hoping to get promoted within your current company, you may be wondering if certification is a necessary step. And the answer is: it depends. While there are many great marketing certifications out there that can teach you a lot about the industry, they also tend to be expensive.
So what’s the solution? Luckily, there are some great free marketing certifications available online! In this article, I’ll review some of the best free digital marketing courses with certificates that you can take advantage of.
I’ve taken many certification courses over the past few years to expand my marketing knowledge and grow my career. In this article, I’ll tell you about each certificate and how it can help improve your skillset too.
Finally, towards the end of this article, I’ve compiled a huge list of 77 free digital marketing certifications covering a broad range of topics. So let’s start learning!
Table of Contents
Best Free Marketing Certifications Reviewed
1. Google Analytics Certification
Time: 4h 36m
Difficulty: Intermediate
Expires: 1 Year
Pros:
- Comprehensive course that covers a lot of ground
- Great for people who want to learn about the latest version of Google Analytics
- Demo account is provided so you can play around with real data
Cons:
- Course lacks structure and focus in some areas
- Not as comprehensive as it could be in terms of reports and explore capabilities
- Would be more interesting with some video or audio content included
Maybe you’re a seasoned pro at Google Analytics, and you might have even completed the Google Analytics Individual Qualification in the past. Well, forget everything you know and get ready to dive into the world of Google Analytics 4 (GA4).
Google Analytics 4 is the new standard, with Google Analytics set to be deprecated in 2023. With its many amazing new features, it’s time to focus on becoming a certified Google Analytics 4 professional so potential employers and clients will place you above the rest.
Covered In This Certification
This Google Analytics 4 certification course is perfect for those already acquainted with the basics of Google Analytics and who want to be updated on the latest version.
This Google Analytics Certification course will teach you:
My Experience Completing This Certification
The course attempts to address a wide range of themes. However, I felt it focused more on setting up and comprehending Google Analytics 4 than on the reports and explore capabilities. The course’s structure is also lacking. The certification course is based on written components and tries to incorporate perplexing interactive elements that provide no benefit. It would be much more interesting if there were some video/audio content in it.
On the bright side, it’s comprehensive enough to explain the distinctions and similarities between GA4 and Universal Analytics. Google also includes small quizzes throughout the course to confirm that you’re on the right track. Finally, the best news is that they provide you with a demo account so you can play around with real-world data straight away. This is especially beneficial if you don’t have a lot of visitors or want to view app data when you don’t have one.
Conclusion
Overall, the Google Analytics Certification is a great way to learn about the latest version of Google Analytics. Even though the course is lacking in some areas, it’s still comprehensive and provides you with a demo account to play around with. I recommend this course to anyone who wants to get up to speed on Google Analytics 4.
2. HubSpot Content Marketing Certification
Time: 7h 24m
Difficulty: Beginner
Expires: 2 Years
Pros:
- Comprehensive course that covers many content-related topics
- Engaging instructors who use real-world examples
- Templates and worksheets allow you to apply what you’ve learned as you go
- Community aspect helps you engage with others and continue learning after passing the certification
Cons:
- Could cover more on distribution and repurposing
- Lacks some depth in terms of E-A-T SEO framework
- Takes a significant amount of time to complete (around seven hours)
If you’re looking to get ahead in your content marketing career, the HubSpot Content Marketing Certification is a great place to start. The course is comprehensive and covers a wide range of topics, from developing a content strategy to creating and promoting content.
Even if content marketing isn’t your end goal, don’t rule this certification out. Content is still an essential part of any digital marketing strategy, and this course covers many content-related areas, such as storytelling and SEO.
Covered In This Certification
The HubSpot Content Marketing Certification is an excellent course for anyone who wants to understand how content can become a driver of business goals. It will teach you frameworks for content production and how to distribute that content through multiple channels.
This HubSpot Content Marketing Certification course will teach you:
My Experience Completing This Certification
The HubSpot Content Marketing Certification sets the standard for an online certification course. They cover many topics in a logical progression and digestible format. Though out this course, they provide templates such as a Content Gap Analysis that allow you to take your learning and apply them to you as you complete the course.
The instructors are engaging and use real-world examples to drive home the points covered in the topics. They also do an excellent job of incorporating HubSpot where it is beneficial, without overselling the product to those who will not find it helpful. This allows the course content to focus on content marketing through quality videos.
More recently, Hubspot has introduced a community aspect to their academy, allowing you to engage with others while completing the certification and continue learning after you’ve passed your certification.
Although I believe this to be one of the more robust online certification courses, it could cover more content on distribution and repurposing. Furthermore, it would be beneficial to see them include more information on the E-A-T SEO framework and how it applies to the content you create.
It’s important to remember that, while the course is comprehensive, you shouldn’t expect it to be completed in an hour or two. It’ll take around 7 hours to finish, and I recommend doing it over a few days. HubSpot simplifies this by dividing the course into logical parts covering each topic.
Conclusion
The HubSpot Content Marketing Certification is one of the more comprehensive and well-structured online marketing certification courses available. It’s perfect for those who want to understand how to use content to drive business goals and get ahead in their content marketing career.
While it lacks some depth in terms of distribution and repurposing, it makes up for it in other areas, such as its focus on quality content and the use of SEO to drive traffic. If you’re looking for an online marketing certification, this is one of the best courses available.
3. Semrush SEO Fundamentals Exam
Time: 4h
Difficulty: Beginner
Expires: 1 Year
Pros:
- Good introduction to SEO concepts
- Engaging material with practical suggestions
- Supplemental readings and quiz questions included
Cons:
- Outdated in places
- Requires some prior knowledge of certain topics
Whether you’re a newbie or an old hand, this completely free SEO Fundamentals certification course is for you. This free online course is ideal for anybody who wants to learn the core concepts of search engine optimization or brush up on specific topics to receive the certification. If you are looking for the most effective methods to optimise your website for search engines and increase visitors and sales to your site, then this course is for you.
Covered In This Certification
The Semrush SEO Fundamentals course is hosted by Greg Gifford, an experienced SEO consultant with two decades of online marketing and web design experience. This course provides a comprehensive overview of SEO while also providing students with actionable tactics they can implement immediately.
This Semrush SEO Fundamentals Certification course will teach you:
My Experience Completing This Certification
This course is an excellent introduction to SEO concepts and does a good job of exploring the main areas from Technical SEO to Local SEO.
The Semrush SEO Fundamentals certification is mainly for beginners without prior SEO knowledge. However, there are moments when the course touches on topics that require some understanding beforehand. Nevertheless, this shouldn’t be a deterrent as the Semrush Academy provides other courses to supplement your learning.
The material is highly engaging, with Greg Gifford delivering some fantastic nuggets of wisdom and plenty of practical suggestions. You’ll be given additional reading after each video to help you dive deeper into the subject. Finally, a short quiz on each theme to ensure you’ve absorbed the information.
Since SEO is constantly adapting, any course on the topic will eventually become outdated. For example, this course discusses the Mobile First Index as a future concept even though it was implemented in September 2020. Although this isn’t a huge deal, the section on page speed could use an update as it fails to mention Core Web Vitals as a ranking factor at all.
Conclusion
The Semrush SEO Fundamentals certification is a great starting point for those new to SEO. It covers all of the basics in an engaging and easy-to-understand manner. The course also provides supplemental readings and quiz questions to help reinforce the concepts taught. Although the material is a little outdated in places, it’s still hugely relevant for those just starting out.
4. Google Ads Search Certification
Time: 3h 42m
Difficulty: Beginner
Expires: 1 Year
Pros:
- Covers all the basics of Google Search Ads
- Engaging, interactive elements
- Good mix of content and depth
- Essential for those seeking a career in Google Ads
Cons:
- Some content is outdated and confusing for those new to Google Ads
- Sections on text ads and CPC bidding are downplayed
- Not as engaging as other certifications with audio or video elements
The Google Ads Search Certification is a great place to start if you’re looking to get started with paid search. This certification will teach you how to create and manage effective search campaigns using the Google Ads platform.
Even if you’ve been doing paid search for a while, this certification is something you want on your resume. In fact, having your ads certification can help your company to become a Google Partner or Premier Partner in the Google Partners program. I’d go as far as to say if you’re looking to score a role at an agency, then this is a must-have certification.
Covered In This Certification
Upon completion of this certification, you will be able to show off your skills in building and optimising Google search campaigns. You’ll also be able to use automated solutions like Smart Bidding and Audience Solutions to improve campaign performance for specific marketing objectives.
This Google Ads Search Certification course will teach you:
My Experience Completing This Certification
This official Google Ads certification is essential for anyone who plans on working in a role that involves managing a paid search budget. Even if you don’t manage the Google Ads account directly, this certification will let you speak the same language as any agency or freelancer you have engaged.
This course is beginner focussed and does a pretty solid job keeping focused on high-level concepts. Throughout most of the course, the modules focus on different scenarios and then quiz you based on another. I found this a great way to let the concepts sink in rather than the traditional gotcha-type quizzes that contain similar options in a multiple-choice list.
The format is not as engaging as others that contain video or audio. But Google has done better at making the interactive elements relevant and interesting.
The overall content covers most parts of Google Search Ads and doesn’t focus on specific areas like setup. Unlike other Google Certifications, this course is the right mix of content and depth.
On a less positive note, the content of this certification is pretty outdated in some areas. This comes as a surprise to me, given the content is text-based. Some examples are the sections about phrase match and broad match modifier. Broad Match Modifier was deprecated by Google back in February 2021, with Phrase Match being updated simultaneously. Given how crucial this is to Google Search Ads, they should revisit this section.
Phrase match and broad match modifier is not the only outdated section in the course. The area on text ads is confusing, given that Google deprecated Expanded Text Ads in June 2022. This makes the tutorial on creating an ad pretty confusing for those who don’t know this.
Finally, as someone who has been doing Google Ads for some time, it’s evident that Google has purposely downplayed certain advanced areas of Google Ads like Manual CPC bidding. Perhaps to ensure simplicity or drive more users to their preferred methods of automated bidding.
Conclusion
The Google Ads Search Certification is a great place to start if you’re starting your Google Ads journey or are looking to get certified. It covers all the basics and provides enough detail to get you up and running.
However, if you’re already managing a Google Ads account, you might find the content a little basic. Additionally, some of the content is outdated, which might confuse those who don’t know any better.
Overall, the Google Ads Search Certification is a great way to get started with paid search. Just be sure to supplement your learning with other resources to stay up-to-date on the latest changes.
5. HubSpot Email Marketing Certification
Time: 3h 18m
Difficulty: Beginner
Expires: 2 Years
Pros:
- Well organised and easy to follow
- Covers a lot of material in a short amount of time
- Provides access to HubSpot’s free email marketing software
Cons:
- Lacks depth in certain areas
- Course might not be relevant to everyone
- Automated emails could be covered in greater detail
As a marketer, you’ll undoubtedly have to deal with email marketing at some point in your career. The HubSpot Email Marketing Certification is the ideal training program for anyone seeking to advance beyond simply sending emails to a list.
In this course, not only will you learn the basics of email marketing but also more advanced topics such as email deliverability and A/B testing. Even if you have experience with email marketing, you’ll still gain new skills and knowledge from this certification.
Covered In This Certification
The HubSpot Email Marketing Certification course is hosted by Courtney Sembler, the Director of HubSpot Academy. She was also a previous Inbound Professor focused on email marketing, GDPR, and contact management. By the end of this course, you’ll have all the fundamental knowledge to launch high-performing email campaigns and a solid understanding of email deliverability and consent.
This HubSpot Email Marketing course will teach you:
My Experience Completing This Certification
If you’re looking to broaden your skill set as a marketer or want to learn more about email marketing, this course is perfect for you. Although, if your focus is on paid advertising, social media marketing, or SEO specifically, then this might not be the right fit.
However, if you discover that your role requires you to send emails on a regular basis, this digital marketing certificate can help you achieve far greater success from your efforts.
No matter your email marketing skills, this course will start from the basics. You’ll also get access to HubSpot’s free email marketing software as you go along, so that you can apply what you’re learning immediately.
The course material is well organised and doesn’t take as much time to complete as some of the other HubSpot Academy certifications.
While the training is a fantastic overview of email marketing, it lacks some depth in certain areas. For example, I thought they might have spent additional time discussing privacy regulations like GDPR and the effects of not adhering to these.
Finally, I would have appreciated more time spent on automated emails and the many sorts of emails you could send to your audience while maintaining timeliness and relevance. This may have been an attempt to make the material appropriate for everyone. But I believe that more specific examples, even if they weren’t completely relevant to me, may have prompted me to try new things.
Conclusion
The HubSpot Email Marketing Certification is the ideal training program for anyone seeking to advance beyond simply sending emails to a list. In this course, not only will you learn the basics of email marketing but also more advanced topics such as email deliverability and A/B testing. Even if you have experience with email marketing, you’ll still gain new skills and knowledge from this certification.
If your role doesn’t require you to send emails, then this course might not be the right fit for you. However, if you’re looking to broaden your skill set as a marketer or want to learn more about email marketing, this certification is perfect for you. You’ll get access to HubSpot’s free email marketing software as you go along, so that you can apply what you’re learning immediately. The course material is well organised and doesn’t take as much time to complete as some of the other HubSpot Academy certifications.
77 Free Digital Marketing Certifications
Google Certifications
| Certification | Time | Difficulty | Expires |
|---|---|---|---|
| Digital Garage: Fundamentals of Digital Marketing Certification | 40h | Beginner | 1 Year |
| Google Analytics Certification | 4h 36m | Intermediate | 1 Year |
| Google Ads Search Certification | 3h 42m | Beginner | 1 Year |
| Google Ads Display Certification | 2h 36m | Beginner | 1 Year |
| Google Ads Measurement Certification | 4h 42m | Beginner | 1 Year |
| Google Ads Video Certification | 4h | Beginner | 1 Year |
| Google Ads Shopping Certification | 3h 6m | Beginner | 1 Year |
| Google Ads Apps Certification | 2h 48m | Beginner | 1 Year |
| Google Ads Creative Certification | 3h 50m | Beginner | 1 Year |
| Google Ads Grow Offline Sales Certification | 2h 36m | Beginner | 1 Year |
| Search Ads 360 Certification Exam | 1h | Intermediate | 1 Year |
| Display & Video 360 Certification Exam | 1h 18m | Intermediate | 1 Year |
| Campaign manager 360 Certification Exam | 1h 18m | Intermediate | 1 Year |
Microsoft Advertising Certifications
| Certification | Time | Difficulty | Expires |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Advertising Search Certification | 5h 04m | Beginner | 1 Year |
| Microsoft Advertising Native & Display Certification | 2h 42m | Beginner | 1 Year |
| Microsoft Advertising Shopping Certification | 4h 05m | Beginner | 1 Year |
HubSpot Academy Certifications
| Certification | Time | Difficulty | Expires |
|---|---|---|---|
| HubSpot Marketing Software Certification | 3h 24m | Beginner | 1 Year |
| Inbound Marketing Certification | 4h 54m | Beginner | 2 Years |
| Content Marketing Certification | 7h 24m | Beginner | 2 Years |
| Inbound Certification | 2h 02m | Beginner | 2 Years |
| Social Media Marketing Certification | 4h 05m | Beginner | 2 Years |
| Digital Advertising Certification | 2h 59m | Beginner | TBA |
| Digital Marketing Certification | 4h 27m | Beginner | 1 Year |
| Revenue Operation (RevOps) Certification | 6h 17m | Intermediate | TBA |
| Inbound Marketing Optimization | 3h 24m | Intermediate | 1 Year |
| Contextual Marketing Certification | 1h 18m | Beginner | 1 Year |
| Email Marketing Certification | 3h 18m | Beginner | 2 Years |
| Sales Enablement Certification | 4h 42m | Intermediate | 1 Year |
| Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Certification | 2h 47m | Beginner | 1 Year |
| HubSpot Reporting Certification | 3h 21m | Beginner | TBA |
| Inbound Sales Certification | 3h 12m | Beginner | 2 Years |
| HubSpot CMS For Marketers Certification | 2h 03m | Beginner | 1 Year |
Semrush Academy Certifications
Ahrefs Academy Certifications
| Certification | Time | Difficulty | Expires |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ahrefs’ Certification Course (Beta) | 7h 04m | Beginner | TBC |
Note: Ahrefs’ certification course is currently in beta. All of the course materials are available to Ahrefs users, and a certification exam will be added in the future.
Product School Certifications
| Certification | Time | Difficulty | Expires |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product Analytics Micro-Certification (PAC)™ | 1h 45m | Intermediate | TBC |
| Product-Led Growth Micro-Certification (PLGC)™️ | 2h | Intermediate | TBC |
Twitter Flight School Certifications
| Certification | Difficulty | Expires |
|---|---|---|
| Ads Manager Fundamentals Badge | Beginner | 1 Year |
| Cross-Border Advertising Badge | Intermediate | 1 Year |
| Get Started On Twitter Badge | Beginner | 1 Year |
| Launch and Connect Badge | Advanced | 1 Year |
| Performance Fundamentals Badge | Advanced | 1 Year |
| #TwitterFlightSchool Video Badge | Advanced | 1 Year |
| Twitter for Creatives Badge | Intermediate | 1 Year |
LinkedIn Marketing Labs Certifications
| Certification | Time | Difficulty | Expires |
|---|---|---|---|
| LinkedIn Marketing Solutions Fundamentals Certification | 4h | Beginner | 1 Year |
| LinkedIn Marketing Strategy Certification | 2h 30m | Intermediate | 2 Years |
| LinkedIn Content and Creative Design Certification | 2h 20m | Beginner | 2 Years |
YouTube Marketing Free Certificates
| Certification | Time | Difficulty | Expires |
|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube Asset Monetization | 5h 36m | Advanced | 1 Year |
| YouTube Music Rights Management Certification | 4h | Advanced | 1 Year |
| YouTube Music Certification | 4h | Advanced | 1 Year |
| YouTube Content Ownership | 5h | Advanced | 1 Year |
Drift Certifications
| Certification | Time | Difficulty | Expires |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conversational Marketing Certification | 1h | Beginner | 1 Year |
| Playbook Basics Certification | 1h | Beginner | 1 Year |
| Conversational Sales Certification | 3h | Beginner | 1 Year |
Final Thoughts
While there are many free marketing certifications available online, it’s important to choose one that is reputable and will teach you the skills you need to succeed in the industry. I hope this article has helped you narrow down your options and find a course that is right for you. With the right certification, you’ll be on your way to an exciting and successful career in marketing!
Now I’d like to hear from you: What was your experience completing these certifications? Did they help you progress in your career? Or maybe there are other certifications that you’d like me to add and review?
Let me know by leaving a quick comment below right now.
