Top 10 Online Digital Marketing Courses

by Catherine Smith
GUEST CONTRIBUTOR
Digital Marketing

Digital marketing has become a well-paid profession that is demanded by both small and large employers. Whether you want to sell some generic products or focus on a unique niche such as PhD writing services, you need to be aware of such concepts as SEO, SMM, Google Analytics, and Google Ads. The best way to obtain basic skills in this sphere and identify whether this profession is the right one for you is to complete a well-designed course in digital marketing.

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Below, we analyse the top 10 programmes in this sphere ranging from free ‘sample’ ones to some fully-fledged paid offerings from top institutes.

1. ‘Digital Marketing for SMBs’ by Semrush Academy
This ‘crash course in digital marketing’ is delivered by one of the most reliable digital marketing companies in the western world. 

Pros: 

• Free enrolment.
• Covers the basics of content marketing, affiliate marketing, social media marketing, and SEO.
• Users get certificates.

Cons: 

• Relatively short duration.
• Is primarily focused on newcomers with zero knowledge in this field.

2. ‘Digital Garage’ by Google
If you want to learn digital marketing basics, why not learn them from the owners of the main search engine platform in the world?

Pros: 

• The course programme includes SEO and digital marketing recommendations specifically focused on Google rules and regulations.
• Good information on mobile marketing.
• The course has a duration of 40 hours and includes 26 modules.
• Certificates are accredited by The Open University and other reputable organisations.

Cons: 

• No supervisors and deadlines make it more difficult for learners with low internal motivation.

3. ‘The Complete Digital Marketing Course’ by Udemy
This course by Udemy covers a lot of ground and includes lectures on Facebook marketing, social media marketing, marketing analytics, and a lot of other topics. While this programme is a paid one, there exist seasonal discounts allowing you to purchase it at a relatively small price if you are willing to wait.

Pros: 

• Long course duration.
• Lifetime course updates.
• Programme contents are sufficient to make you a well-versed digital marketer.
• Seasonal discounts make course prices more affordable.

Cons: 

• This course may not be suitable for absolute beginners in the sphere of digital marketing.

4. ‘Digital Marketing Specialisation’ by Coursera
Coursera is another widely recognised provider of high-quality free and paid courses. This programme is conducted in collaboration with the University of Illinois and allows you to use it as a stepping stone to a future MBA degree in this sphere. 

Pros: 

• University certification.
• Many individual topics are grouped into long-term specialisations.
• Credits for course completion can be used to obtain an MBA degree at the University of Illinois.

Cons: 

• Similar to the course by Google, this programme is more suitable for learners with good internal motivation who can progress without external supervision and control.

5. ‘Digital Marketing Course’ by HubSpot
HubSpot is another widely recognised digital marketing leader being the author of such established frameworks as the Flywheel Model. Its digital marketing course is focused on specialists willing to up their game rather than absolute beginners.

Pros: 

• Highly relevant and up-to-date information from a market-leading company.
• A lot of interesting ideas ranging from email marketing to inbound and content marketing.
• Students can complete it for free and receive a certificate.

Cons: 

• This course prioritises inbound marketing, which may not be suitable for all digital marketing scenarios.

6. Udacity
The Digital Marketing course by Udacity is a part of their ‘Nanodegree’ programmes focused on short-term ‘sprints’ led by industry-leading tutors that teach you a highly practical skillset you can instantly use to find new job positions. 

Pros: 

• Practical education under instructors from Global 2000 and Fortune 500 companies.
• One-hour response time to your programme-related queries.
• Three-month course duration prioritising skills you can use right away.

Cons: 

• High programme prices.

7. ‘Become a Digital Marketing Specialist’ by LinkedIn
This programme includes 19 hours of content divided between 11 spheres. This knowledge prepares you for becoming a skilled professional in the field of digital marketing. 

Pros: 

• Practical training including the use of Google Ads and Google Analytics.
• Use of real-life cases for hands-on education.
• Includes basics of graphic design for digital marketers.

Cons: 

• Some parts of the course such as Facebook marketing have not been updated since 2020.

8. ‘Digital Skills: Digital Marketing’ from FutureLearn
This two-weeks course is another free digital marketing programme that is CPD-certified and has a good range of covered topics. It may be a good start for newcomers or an interesting update for specialists feeling out of touch with some recent trends in this sphere. 

Pros: 

• Conducted by specialists from Accenture.
• Students receive a widely recognised certificate.
• The course programme is focused on the integration of different digital marketing methods into a holistic strategy rather than their isolated analysis. 

Cons: 

• A relatively short list of covered topics makes this programme more suitable for newcomers than developing specialists.

9. ‘Mastering Digital Marketing’ by London Business School
This three-month course is delivered by top-level experts in the field of digital marketing. Its relatively high price implies its focus on advancing specialists in this field willing to get industry-recognised certification and make a long-lasting investment in their career. 

Pros: 

• High-ranking certificate.
• Long programme duration.
• A wide range of covered topics.

Cons: 

• A very high price of £2,250 makes it suitable for top-level professionals rather than newcomers and developing digital marketing specialists.

10. ‘Professional Diploma in Digital Marketing’ by Digital Marketing Institute
This is another paid programme with a hefty price tag that is more suitable for career-switchers willing to get solid skills in this sphere and a globally recognised certificate opening many doors before them. 

Pros: 

• Up-to-date content in all spheres.
• Specialised training in soft skills valuable for finding your first customers.
• 200k+ members on the institute’s forum to discuss your plans and problems.

Cons: 

• High tuition fees make this programme a strategic career investment rather than an affordable experiment to try a new profession. 

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Catherine Smith is an online Marketing Manager at PhD Centre, specialising in PhD thesis writing. She is passionate about researching and writing on various topics, including Education, Marketing, and Technology.   

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