Digital Marketing is an exciting field filled with talented experts who work hard to stay on top of the competition.
Hiring managers for digital agencies and companies now look for candidates who are up to date with the latest trends, tactics, and news. If you are trying to get your foot in the digital marketing door and not having any luck, it’s probably due to a lack of relevant skills on your resume. By spending time on gaining digital marketing certification, you will be up to speed with the trends and tools that are used in the best digital marketing agencies.
As a digital marketing agency working with clients across the country, we rely on top-notch talent to keep moving forward. Our experience shows that resumes with low-cost, but authoritative certifications help candidates stand out in 2021.
With thousands of courses and certifications all claiming the same benefits, it is almost impossible to find the best online marketing course that works best for you. That’s why we decided to put together a list of the best courses and digital marketing certification programs that produce real results.
Here’s our list of the best 25 Digital Marketing Certifications that will sharpen your skills and land you a job in 2021:
1) Google Analytics IQ Certification
As an aspiring digital marketer, you’ll soon learn that all facets of digital marketing revolve around “big brother” Google in one way or another.
You don’t need to be a marketing analytics wizard to find success in digital marketing. But it’s crucial to know how to measure campaign metrics as well as monitor KPIs to improve and scale marketing tactics. The Google Analytics Individual Qualification certificate displays to potential employers a working proficiency in Google Analytics for those that pass the final assessment of 70 questions.
To begin, set up an Academy for Ads account and run through Google Analytics for Beginners and Advanced Google Analytics courses to prepare for the exam. We suggest completing the course before applying to jobs as it is a recommended skillset for running an effective marketing campaign.
Where to go: Create a Google Analytics Academy profile to start
Cost: Free
Time Commitment: 4-6 hours
2) Hootsuite Social Marketing Certification
Social media is a powerful tool, but also a very saturated space. This means employers look for candidates that are committed to continually learning and staying ahead of the game.
Hootsuite is the most popular social media management platform among marketers, so why not learn from the best?
Hootsuite offers online social media marketing certification training for all abilities. You can choose to move from the introductory course all the way to an advanced social media strategy certification.
The Social Marketing Certification tests your knowledge of core concepts of social media marketing and demonstrates your abilities as a social marketing wizard. Prior to taking the 60-question online exam to earn the certificate, Hootsuite heavily recommends users start with the free social media training course.
Social media can have a profound impact on your overall marketing strategy and that isn’t changing anytime soon. As a digital marketing agency, we are constantly on the lookout for the best up and coming social media marketers. By completing a social media certification program, you show employers that you have the necessary knowledge and are willing to learn.
Where to go: Hootsuite Academy
Cost: There are multiple plans available with the top 3 listed below. Visit Hootsuite to see them all
- Social Marketing Certification: $199
- Advanced Social Advertising Training: $249
- Advanced Social Media Strategy Certification: $999
Time Commitment: varied
3) Google Ads Certification
As we said before, you need to become very familiar with various Google tools.
A strong Google Ads campaign (sometimes known as adwords certification) can make or break your marketing plan. Most importantly, advertising on Google generates quick results for business looking to boost ROI.
To pass the program, you are tested on your basic and advanced knowledge of Google Ads. You need to comprehend concepts like the value proposition of online advertising, campaign setup and management, measurement, and optimization.
Your certification is complete when you pass the Google Ads Fundamentals assessment and one of the additional advertising product assessments. As another requirement, you must score 80% or higher to pass.
The additional assessments include Search Advertising, Display Advertising, Mobile Advertising, Video Advertising, and Shopping Advertising, and are available through Academy for Ads.
Where to go: Create a Google Analytics Academy account to start
Cost: Free
Time Commitment: 4-6 hours
4) HubSpot Content Marketing Certification
You have heard it before, and you are going to hear it again.
“Content is king” and that’s because it influences all other online strategies.
More specifically, high-quality, relevant content is king.
Content remains a core tenant of digital marketing strategy, and recruiters look for job candidates who possess proficient writing and communication skills.
The HubSpot Certification covers 12 separate categories that will keep you up to date on best practices and research. They are the masters of the inbound methodology and knowing how to use the Hubspot marketing tool is essential in today’s world. This makes the program perfect for aspiring content marketers who want to understand the importance of content marketing and help companies boost marketing ROI.
HubSpot boasts various programs across the digital marketing spectrum and the best part of all is they’re free. The only thing holding you back is you!
Where to go: HubSpot Academy
Cost: Free
Time Commitment: 4 hours
5) Digital Garage: Fundamentals of Digital Marketing Certification
Google’s Digital Garage offers free tutorials on just about every digital marketing concept you can think of.
If you could only pick one certification program it would be Google’s Digital Garage with its wide range of courses.
The training modules are perfect for those looking to learn all of the basics in one place. Topics run from analytics and data insights to display advertising.
The entire course consists of 26 topics and is accredited by the Interactive Advertising Bureau Europe and The Open University.
Beginners looking to learn the essential core concepts of digital marketing and marketers that want to refresh fundamental skills will love the interactive layout and design of the courses.
Marketing agencies like Brandastic value certifications from credible platforms like Google when it comes to hiring for job positions. If you’re unsure of where to begin with your digital marketing training, then Digital Garage is the answer.
Where to go: Google Digital Garage
Cost: Free
Time Commitment: varied
6) YouTube Certification
80% of marketers use visual assets in their social media marketing, and the trend is here to stay.
Video is the most efficient and engaging form of content. The ability to form a comprehensive video content strategy is a highly sought after job skill in 2019 and beyond.
If you didn’t already know, YouTube is the second largest search engine, after Google of course, and a certification from the platform brings instant credibility.
According to YouTube, the Certified Program is committed to educating all creators and users on the platform. Tutorials provide you with the latest best practices as well as advanced industry-level knowledge. There are three separate courses to choose from, including channel growth, content ownership, and asset monetization.
Certifications are only available for qualified YouTube and Google Advertising partners. Once eligibility requirements are met, and you are accepted into YouTube Certified, you can go ahead and complete the program as a Google partner.
Where to go: YouTube
Cost: Free
Time Commitment: varies
7) HubSpot Inbound Marketing Certification
Here we have yet another essential certification from the folks over at HubSpot.
Inbound marketing is a methodology designed to draw visitors and potential customers in, rather than just pushing a brand, product, or service. HubSpot is known as an authority in the inbound marketing space, and the certification is perfect for those that want to stay up to date on the best practices.
The course consists of seven modules that cover everything you need to know, including the fundamentals of inbound, creating buyer personas, and understanding the buyer’ journey.
Anyone can take the course and exam, and anyone interested in digital marketing should have this topic mastered.
Where to go: HubSpot Academy
Cost: Free
Time Commitment: 2 ½ Hour
8) Facebook BluePrint Certification
Facebook boasts 1.49 billion members worldwide, and 22 billion ad clicks per year. That makes the platform a popular option for businesses to reach their target audiences and drive brand awareness. Therefore, a competent digital marketer becomes even more valuable when proficient in advertising on Facebook.
As of now, Facebook’s program offers two different certifications – the Facebook Certified Planning Professional and the Facebook Certified Buying Professional. These certifications are perfect a potential digital marketer looking to show off their Facebook advertising skills to potential employers.
The Planning Professional must demonstrate skills in planning successful campaigns on Facebook, targeting audiences for largest impact, maximizing reach and frequency. The Buying Professional needs to show proficiency in various disciplines including generating and buying Facebook ads, managing Pages, and comprehension of Facebook Pixel.
Both certificates consist of two exams (Need a score of 700 to pass) and stay valid for up to one year. You can take the exams in any order, but Facebook recommends taking them in the order provided on their website. The Blueprint Certification recognizes advanced-level proficiency with Facebook’s family of products and services. By completing the courses, you will also earn credentials to distinguish yourself in the world of digital marketing.
Where to go: Facebook BluePrint Certification
Cost: $150 for each exam
Time Commitment: 2-3 days
9) Stanford University’s Machine Learning Certification
Artificial intelligence has fundamentally changed the way we go about social media, SEO, data, and content marketing. The trend is bucking upward and AI here to stay, so you might as well get familiar with it.
The machine learning course through Stanford University, from the former head of Baidu AI Group/Google Brain, is one of the most subscribed courses on Coursera. It is the perfect introduction to machine learning and covers a broad range of best practices.
Unfortunately, the certificate does not represent official academic credit from Stanford University.
Where to go: Coursera
Cost: Enroll for free
Time Commitment: 11-week course
10) The Digital Marketing Institute Certified Digital Marketing Certifications
Based in Dublin, Ireland, The Digital Marketing Institute offers several different courses and certification programs for digital marketers of all skill levels. These include The Digital and Social Selling Specialist, Certified Digital Marketing Professional, Certified Digital Marketing Leader, and Certified Digital Marketing Manager courses.
The courses range from 30 minutes to complete for a professional level program all the way up to two years for the Master’s level Certified Digital Marketing Manager course. We suggest starting out with the professional level Certified Digital Marketing program, which takes 30 hours to complete. Completion of the course displays a broad range of necessary digital marketing skills like SEO, Digital Advertising, Email Marketing, Social Media Marketing, and more.
According to The Digital Marketing Institute, 95% of graduates are currently employed, 80% are working at Senior or Management Level, and 81% were officially promoted after receiving their diploma. On top of that, recent graduates have gone on to work at Google, Nike, Facebook, Coca-Cola, HubSpot, and Twitter to name a few.
Where to go: Digital Marketing Institute
Cost: Varies by course
Time commitment: 2 hours up to 2 years (depending on the program)
11) University of Vermont Online Digital Marketing Fundamental Certificate
The University of Vermont is listed as one of the top five New England Higher Education and is ranked 11 by Value Colleges for the best value in a digital marketing certificate. Even more impressive, the Digital Marketing Fundamentals Certificate is recognized as the best in the nation by Best Online Marketing Degrees.
The courses are taught by professionals in the field and are designed for general marketers, people who are new to marketing, and even seasoned marketing veterans. Ultimately, the course offers a detailed review of digital marketing through research and developing plans or campaigns.
Where to go: University of Vermont
Cost: $1,695
Time commitment: 10-week program
12) Deep Learning Specialization Certification
Another fantastic course from Coursera related to AI is the Deep Learning Specialization course by deeplearning.ai and The NVIDIA Deep Learning Institute. It was developed to teach the fundamentals of deep learning.
By the end of the five courses, you will have a working knowledge of convolutional networks, RNNs, LSTM, Adam, Dropout, BatchNorm, Xavier/He initialization and more. Keep in mind, this course is best for marketers with some related experience and may be too advanced for beginners.
We suggest completing the Introductory Machine Learning Course from Stanford and Coursera before moving on to the Deep Learning Specialization courses.
The importance of AI will only increase, which means the knowledge you obtain in this course will be beneficial for years to come.
Where to go: Coursera
Cost: Enroll for Free
Time Commitment: 3 months
13) American Marketing Association (AMA) Digital Marketing Certification
The American Marketing Association (AMA) is the biggest professional marketing association in the world. Lucky for you, they partnered with LinkedIn Learning to create a learning path of AMA-approved courses so you can become a Professional Certified Marketer (PCM)® in Digital Marketing.
The course and exam are curated to ensure you have the confidence to conceptualize, execute, and track your digital marketing strategies. It is also flexible so you can move through the classes at your own pace.
Having the American Marketing Association name on your resume or LinkedIn profile will give you authority above other applicants.
Where to go: American Marketing Association
Cost: $249 for AMA members and $349 for non-AMA members
Time Commitment: work at your own pace
14) Duke University Digital Media and Marketing Certification
Another amazing offering from a University is the Digital Media and Marketing Certification from Duke. The online, self-paced course was created for industry professionals who want to enhance their current skills or pursue a new career in marketing.
The 12-month course, taught by industry know influencers, speakers and consultants give you a real-time curriculum online. It is made up of 350 hours of online lectures that cover topics like SEO, content marketing, social media, mobile marketing, PPC, conversion optimization, web analytics, email marketing, and more.
Unfortunately, the credits completed in this certificate program cannot be transferred over for Duke or other University students.
Where to go: Duke University Continuing Education
Cost: $3,195
Time Commitment: work at your own pace
15) Cornell University Digital Marketing Certificate Program
eCornell offers a top tier online and professional development program that rivals the best in the world. This particular certificate provides you with an overview of the digital marketing landscape and everything you need to know to succeed.
The curriculum was developed by the faculty from Cornell’s Johnson Graduate School of Management, and the quality of instruction is the same as what you would get as a full-time enrolled student. Unfortunately, completion of the course does not result in college credits for those that need them.
By the end of the course, you are able to create an integrated digital marketing plan that fits with your company’s goals and resources. Get an Ivy League education at a tiny fraction of the price!
Where to go: eCornell
Cost: $3,600
Time Commitment: 2-months
16) Copyblogger Certified Content Marketer
The Copyblogger Certified Content Marketer Program is the premier content marketing certification online but is only open at certain times throughout the year. To register for the program, you must submit your email to receive a notification when signups open, which is usually twice a year.
By completing the coursework, you become certified by turning in your content samples to be reviewed by professional writers. Once approved, you get your certification that does not expire.
You also have the opportunity to be listed in the Certified Content Marketer directory on their website and become eligible for master-level training (invitation only).
Where to go: Copyblogger
Cost: $495
Time Commitment: varies
17) Twitter Flight School Certification
Learn how to make a lasting impression on Twitter’s 330 million users with Twitter Flight School.
Twitter provides two separate ‘paths’ to help digital marketers gain traction and start advertising on the platform. The Marketing Leadership program is perfect for those looking to explore larger business opportunities on the social media platform. It consists of five 10-15 minutes courses, meaning the entire program takes approximately one hour to complete. The Executive Leadership course is for those looking to enhance their personal brand and takes only 10 minutes
Twitter Flight School boasts best practices and real-life scenarios from businesses to help digital marketers better integrate the social media platform into their work. Simply log in with your Twitter account to gain access to the two individual courses.
Where to go: Twitter Flight School
Cost: Free
Time Commitment: 60 minutes for the Marketing Leadership program and 10 minutes for the Executive Leadership course
18) Quintly Social Media Analytics Course
You may run the best social campaign ever, but you’ll never be able to track or report your goals without a general knowledge of analytics.
This digital marketing course from Quintly Academy covers all of the basic principles of social media analytics that’s perfect for beginners or qualified marketers looking for a refresher. Quintly’s online course teaches you how to track and measure your performance goals on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, Instagram, and more.
As a digital marketing agency managing multiple social campaigns, we understand the importance of a marketer who knows his or her way around analytics. The ability to back up your digital strategy with numbers is an extremely valuable skill for a social media marketer. it gives you credibility and a way to back up all of your decisions and base them off of concrete tangible data.
Where to go: Quintly Academy
Cost: Free
Time Commitment: Work at your own pace
19) Bing Ads Certification
You probably weren’t expecting to see anything related to Bing on this list, but the search engine still provides some value to online marketers.
While it is definitely not the largest search engine, Bing saw some growth stemming from its acquisition of Yahoo and integration capabilities with Microsoft digital marketing tools. Bing’s accredidatin program teaches you how to maximize your ROI when advertising on the platform. Best of all it’s completely free!
To complete the certificate program, simply take the free courses at your own pace to prepare for the exam. You then have unlimited time to finish the free Bing Ads accreditation exam and obtain a score of 80% or higher to pass.
Where to go: Bing Training
Cost: Free
Time Commitment: Work at your own pace
20) New England College of Business – Online Digital Marketing Certificate
The Digital Marketing Certificate from The New England College of Business is the most expensive program on, but it may also give the most freedom. There’s a huge selection of courses to choose from including data analytics/metrics, content marketing, email marketing, viral marketing, and more. This gives students the opportunity to work with new and emerging technologies, study the trends, and learn from experts.
The program takes theories from thought leaders in marketing like Seth Godin, Simon Sinek, Gary Vaynerchuk and more. There are no annoying prerequisites and students are able to enroll in the certificate program at any time. There is also only one required course called digital marketing and the remaining six are up to you.
Where to go: New England College of Business
Cost: $10,185 for full program (additional application fees)
Time Commitment: Work at your own pace (21 credit hours to complete)
21) BrainStation – Digital Marketing Certificate
BrainStation is essentially a tech-focused learning and certificate learning platform. Classes are offered online and at physical campus locations in Chicago, New York, Boston, Toronto, and Vancouver. Designed by industry experts, the program results in a full-spectrum of digital skills pertaining to brand strategy, social media, analytics, search marketing, and email marketing.
As an added bonus, you will work with industry tools like Google Ads, Google Analytics, and Google Search Console. Obtaining the certificate is rigorous and culminates with a capstone project that every graduate needs to complete.
Where to go: BrainStation
Cost: Visit the site to view a full list of scholarship opportunities and payment plans
Time Commitment: Work at your own pace (30 credit hours to complete)
22) SEMrush SEO Toolkit Course
The SEMrush SEO Toolkit Course will help you make the most of the SEMrush suite of digital marketing tools. The lesson plan includes 14 exclusive video lessons prepared by a team of SEMrush professionals consisting of modules like learning, building, and measuring on the platform. Best of all, you’ll become a proficient SEMrush SEO user in only 3 hours and the course is 100% free. Furthermore, users can study the materials and dive deeper into topics as well as quiz yourself on what you’ve learned.
Once you’ve completed the course, you’re ready to take and hopefully pass the SEMrush Certification Exam for SEOs. This certification tests you on all aspects of the SEMrush Toolkit course, covering research, building campaigns, and measuring success.
Where to go: SEMrush SEO Toolkit Course
Cost: Free
Time Commitment: 3-5 hours
23) The Unbounce Landing Page Course
Learn all about landing pages from Unbounce co-founder Oli Gardner in an actionable course. Follow along with step-by-step instructional videos in order to help you create your very own landing pages. The separate modules include landing page fundamentals, page architecture, call to action design, lead capture forms, landing page copywriting, and more.
We recommend this program for all entrepreneurs looking to increase conversions without spending any extra money. Best of all, the course is self-paced so you can complete it as fast or slow as you want.
Where to go: Unbounce
Cost: Free
Time-Commitment: Self-Paced
24) HubSpot Email Marketing Certification
The HubSpot Email Marketing Certification course teaches aspiring marketers how to generate an email marketing strategy that will help grow your business, and maybe even your career. You’ll learn everything from contact management and segmentation to deliverables and analyzing email sends. By the end of the program, you should be able to structure an email marketing strategy that works for humans and provides you with the information you need. The entire course consists of 9 lessons, 27 videos, and 9 quizzes that result in a presentable certificate upon completion. Get started on this free course today!
Where to go: HubSpot
Cost: Free
Time-Commitment: 3 1/2 hours
25) Market Motive Digital Marketing Certification Program
Market Motive advertises its surfaces as a platform for “learning digital marketing from Silicon Valley-based industry experts.” It is now one of the best recognized online training program that has now been providing certificate courses and certifications since 2017. Their specific masters in digital marketing (digital marketing specialist) offers up 365 days of course access, 20+ hands-on projects, a certificate to show your experience. The curriculum covers advanced web analytics, advanced search engine optimization (SEO), Advanced Pay Per Click (PPC), and advanced social media. You can choose from separate membership plans to decide how you want to pay for the program.
Where to go: Market Motive
Cost: $1,149
Time-Commitment: 1-year (self-paced)
Opportunity Will Come to Those Who are Qualified
Recruiters and hiring managers agree on one crucial hiring best practice. Marketing professionals who obtain recognized and authoritative certifications or certificates are more appealing candidates on paper and in person. This is even more important now that rapidly evolving technology like AI is shifting the way all marketers function
It is now one of the most exciting times to be a digital marketer, but it’s also one of the toughest. With new techniques and best practices coming out each and every day, it’s imperative to stay ahead of the competition.
On the bright side, we believe those who take the extra time and effort to enhance and increase their digital marketing skill will be rewarded two-fold for their efforts. Not only will these certifications help you land a job, but if you already work in marketing, they could also help you earn more.
Keep in mind not to overwhelm yourself by taking too many courses. Instead, find one or two that work best for you and put all your effort into mastering those subjects. On the other hand, there are plenty of more beneficial courses online, but we suggest trying out these certified options first.
Want more ways to improve your marketing skills? Check out our list of the Top 18 Digital Marketing Books to Read in 2019-20.
And here is our list of the Top Free Business Apps for 2019 to help you run your business more efficiently.
