Knowledge is one of the most powerful resources a person can have. It is versatile, adaptable, and with near-infinite potential. But we live in a world where knowledge and education can be tricky to acquire. As a result, when an opportunity arises, people must seize it. This is why people frequently undertake the admirable task of self-improvement.
While self-improvement is an excellent tool for personal growth, when it comes to career-wise education, it's preferable to have some form of official certification. Official certificates are proof of acquired knowledge and a sort of trust mandate. Certificates demonstrate to potential employers that your knowledge is solid and that they should put their trust in you.
After all, who would you put your trust in more: a self-taught pilot or someone who worked for years to obtain a pilot's license? The same goes for any career path, albeit the example shown is to an end. Whether you learned something as a hobby or a self-made genius, without direct proof that you're an expert, your skills are inevitably going to be doubted.
This is where free online certificates can help. Because they offer quick courses, you can effectively fast-track yourself into a digital marketing career without having to spend years and years on time-consuming university-level coursework.
To ease your search for the best free online digital marketing courses, here are some of the top picks in terms of quality, ease of access, and course duration.
1. Fundamentals of Digital Marketing by Google
To no one's surprise, digital marketing focuses on working online through digital platforms such as Google. So why not check out Fundamentals of Digital Marketing, which can provide you with free certification.
Generally speaking, prestige is a subjective term, but one must accept that having a certificate from THE company for all our internet purposes can carry a lot of weight. After all, Google and Digital Marketing go hand in hand since the days of Google's inception. With over 25 modules, you'll be able to overcome all the required fundamentals for digital marketing.
These modules offer text and video lessons, as well as quizzes and tests that confirm your knowledge. Fundamentals of Digital Marketing is also customizable to personalize your lesson plan to focus on the areas of your interest.
2. Become a Digital Marketing Specialist by LinkedIn
LinkedIn has become a staple of career advancement and networking platforms in recent years. And through it, you too can Become a Digital Marketing Specialist. With 11 courses and estimated 20 hours of content, you'll be able to enhance your analytical skills in the fields of SEO and marketing.
Become a Digital Marketing Specialist is the perfect course for beginners as it covers all the necessary fundamentals for your digital marketing career. But if you're already knowledgeable in some areas of digital marketing, don't worry. It also teaches you some advanced tactics such as growth hacking, newsletter and email marketing, and even branding strategies.
3. Digital Marketing Fundamentals by The University of Edinburgh
One of the best ways to access free education is through edX. There you'll find some of the most prestigious universities offering free courses. One such university is The University of Edinburgh, where you can learn all about Digital Marketing Fundamentals. It is a comprehensive course that lasts up to 10 months, in which you'll work through all the intricacies of digital marketing.
In that course, you'll learn to analyze successful brands and how digital marketing reflects on the value of businesses. That being said, if you want to receive the certification for this course, you'll need to cover a separate fee. Still, apart from that, anyone can work and study Digital Marketing Fundamentals and its syllabus.
4. Digital Marketing Specialization by the University of Illinois
Coursera is yet another excellent way to access courses from physical universities. It has the identical drawback as edX, where you can complete courses, but it might require additional fees for the final certification. But if you need your certificate quickly, there's no better course than Digital Marketing Specialization by the University of Illinois.
With only about 5 hours a week, you can zoom through your specialization in no time. With this course, you'll be able to master the base points of digital marketing and advanced pricing and product strategies. And since it's entirely flexible, you'll be able to complete it on the side as you focus on your other goals as well.
Conclusion
To put it simply, knowledge is power. So why relinquish the possibilities of gaining free knowledge and skills when you can use them to grow your career, hobby, or passion. With these free online digital marketing certificates, you will give your CV the extra boost it might need to land you your desired job interview.