Top things to know
- Online digital marketing courses range from free email-based lessons to paid post-graduate programs
- Some highly recommended courses include CareerFoundry, Google Digital Garage, Udemy, Coursera, and Simplilearn
- Paid courses range from around $50 to a few hundred dollars. Longer certification programs range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars.
Once upon a time, in the early days of the internet, digital marketing was an elite skill for a specialist group of professionals. Today, digital is so intertwined with marketing it’s almost impossible to separate them.
From search engines and social media to mobile apps and advertising, every organization now uses digital marketing in one way or another. This is exactly why finding a course that actually teaches you employable skills is so necessary.
In this post, we provide a round-up of the best online digital marketing courses in 2024. With the top free digital marketing programs and longer, priced courses, we’ve got something for everyone.
Use the menu to move through the top digital marketing courses easily.
Table of contents
- Best free online digital marketing courses
- Best paid digital marketing courses
- Key takeaways
- FAQ about online digital marketing courses
Best free online digital marketing courses
1. CareerFoundry Digital Marketing Program
Here at CareerFoundry, we offer both a free 5-day short course and a well-regarded full program that includes mentorship and a job guarantee.
CareerFoundry’s Digital Marketing Program at a glance:
- Mode of study: Online
- Ideal for: Anyone interested in pursuing a career in digital marketing and immersion in all aspects of the field
- Duration: 5-day short course, 4 months full-time or 7 months part-time full program
- Price: Free short course, $6,900 for the full program
Who is it for?
This online digital marketing course is perfect for those with a genuine interest in digital marketing who want to study on their own terms under the guidance of both a mentor and a tutor.
How does it work?
The CareerFoundry Digital Marketing course teaches you all the fundamental skills, tools, and processes required to become a digital marketing expert.
Working with an industry expert mentor and tutor, you’ll build projects that you can use in your digital marketing portfolio, preparing you for a career change into the field.
We are confident in our approach and curriculum, so we offer a Job Guarantee: land a job in your desired field within 180 days of graduating from your program or get your money back.
How long does it take to complete?
All of CareerFoundry’s programs are self-paced, meaning there are no scheduled lectures or seminars to attend.
The short course consists of five daily lessons at about 15 min each. Convenient, concise, but comprehensive!
For the full program, you can choose to work part-time at 15-20 hours a week for seven months or full-time at 30-40 hours a week to graduate in four months.
How much does it cost?
The short course is entirely free, while the full program, including a job guarantee, costs $6,900. There is a 5% discount if you can pay upfront.
However, if you’d like to test out the curriculum for yourself before committing to the full tuition cost, we recommend first trying out the free, 5-day short course.
Check out this video to learn more about the free digital marketing course.
Learn more:
- Talk to a program advisor to see if the digital marketing program is right for you
- Why become a digital marketer?
2. LinkedIn Learning Become a Digital Marketing Specialist Course
LinkedIn’s Digital Marketing course at a glance:
- Mode of study: Online video tutorials
- Ideal for: Beginners curious about digital marketing but who aren’t ready to commit to a paid program
- Duration: 20 hours across 11 courses
- Price: Free, with the option of a monthly subscription for more in-depth content
Who is it for?
If you’re new to the mechanics of digital marketing, this course is an ideal introduction to the fundamentals. Think you might be interested in starting a career in the field but aren’t ready to commit the time or money to a paid program? Then dip your toe in first.
How does it work?
This foundation course offers a collection of bite-size video tutorials, each about two hours long. Each course on the program introduces a new digital marketing topic.
Starting with the basic framework and concepts, you’ll go on to learn about the foundations of search engine optimization (SEO), Google Ads, content and social media marketing, and more.
As a high-level introduction, don’t expect to come away with in-depth knowledge. But this course offers an excellent overview. It’ll also provide enough insight to help you figure out which areas might interest you, helping you decide what to expand on if you choose to take things further.
Just as a note, LinkedIn Learning is the new face of Lynda: a well-respected online training provider purchased by the social media giant in 2015 and rebranded in 2021. You can guarantee the quality of the content. There’s a whole swathe of additional courses to choose from, too.
How long does it take to complete?
The entire program includes 20 hours of content across 11 courses. Even if you only check out the first course in the program, you’re only committing to two hours and nine minutes. Worth a go!
How much does it cost?
While this program is free, to access more of LinkedIn Learning’s digital marketing programs, you’ll need to subscribe. This costs between $19.99 and $29.99 a month, depending on your payment plan.
They do offer a month’s free trial, though. Since most of their courses are only a few hours long, there’s plenty for you to get your teeth into.
Learn more:
3. Google Fundamentals of Digital Marketing
Google’s Digital Marketing Course at a glance:
- Mode of study: Online
- Ideal for: Beginners who want to commit a little time
- Duration: 26 modules over 40 hours
- Price: Free
Who is it for?
While LinkedIn Learning’s course is great for those looking to dip a toe in, Google’s Fundamentals of Digital Marketing offers a slightly more consistent experience. It’s ideal for small business owners or those looking for a career change.
How does it work?
While the first program on our list is a mish-mash of courses from different tutors, Google’s program is produced entirely by the company’s trainers. Over 26 modules, it explores the basics of digital marketing, ranging from content to finding success with basic analytics.
The program consists of bitesize videos and quizzes that test your knowledge. The final quiz, or exam, includes 40 questions.
Pass and you receive a digital certification for your LinkedIn profile and resume. This is more than just a vanity certification: it’s accredited by the Interactive Advertising Bureau Europe and the Open University.
How long does it take to complete?
This 26-module course contains 40 hours of learning, which you can complete at your own pace.
How much does it cost?
The course is free and accredited to boot, so that’s pretty good!
Learn more:
4. Copyblogger Content Marketing Tools and Training
Copyblogger’s digital marketing course at a glance:
- Mode of study: Via email
- Ideal for: Beginners and experienced professionals
- Duration: Entirely of your choosing
- Price: Free
Who is it for?
As a content marketing resource, Copyblogger primarily targets writers. Beyond that, its audience is not too specific. Whether you’re a beginner looking for a low-effort way to learn, or an experienced professional keeping up with the latest trends and opinions, Copyblogger will help.
How does it work?
Copyblogger is part blog, part training resource, part newsletter. Unlike courses that demand a given time commitment, you can sign up to Copyblogger to receive 20 emails exploring content marketing topics from copywriting and SEO to keyword research and more.
Because it comes straight to your inbox, you can choose when to read it, rather than feeling pressure at the prospect of making notes in front of tutorials.
While Copyblogger isn’t a course in the traditional sense, it’s hugely popular in content marketing circles. Another reason it’s on our list is that digital marketing trends evolve so quickly. While a formal course can teach you the fundamentals, the specifics go out of date fast.
With new tools, fads, and thinking always emerging, digital marketing professionals must keep up with these trends via a site like Copyblogger or similar if you find that it’s not for you, no problem. But we highly recommend finding and following a similar blog.
How long does it take to complete?
Less of a course and more of a resource; there’s no time commitment to make here. Consume as much or as little as you want!
How much does it cost?
Copyblogger is 100% free, so there’s zero harm in signing up.
Learn more:
- Get started with an introduction to content marketing
- Listen to the Copyblogger podcast
- Check out the blog
4. SE Ranking Content SEO
SE Ranking’s Content SEO at a glance:
Mode of study: Online
Ideal for: Intermediate content and SEO marketers
Duration: 2+ hours
Price: Free
Who is it for?
Aimed at anyone “who needs high performing content”, this short course is ideal if you already have some content marketing knowledge and are looking to expand your SEO expertise.
How does it work?
The easy-to-navigate course content is offered via a combination of video lectures, followed by a practical component, and finally, an online test, which grants you a SE certificate of completion. Joe Williams, the course instructor, presents the material in an informative and easily digestible way. The material itself covers the areas one would expect and does it well.
Furthermore, as an evergreen course, feedback is welcomed and taken on board. And its excellent reviews mean it stands out as a choice when it’s time to showcase your qualifications.
How long does it take to complete?
The video content runs at just over two hours—how long it takes to finish the practical and then take the final test is up to you!
How much does it cost?
A free two-week trial means you have ample time to complete the relatively short course without paying the subscription fee.
Learn more:
Best paid online digital marketing courses
6. Udemy Complete Digital Marketing course
Udemy’s digital marketing course at a glance:
- Mode of study: Online
- Ideal for: Beginners, employees, or small business owners looking to upskill
- Duration: 22.5 hours
- Price: $149.99 (but they regularly offer major discounts)
Who is it for?
This digital marketing course is ideal for those looking to upskill on the job without splashing too much cash. Companies, including VW, Apple, and Eventbrite, all use Udemy’s Digital Marketing course to help develop their staff, too. Udemy is also great for individuals wanting to expand their skill set when starting their own business.
How does it work?
While Udemy is another course that relies on video tutorials, it takes a pragmatic approach, focusing on learning by doing. Combining videos, quizzes, sample projects, and checklists, the program gradually builds your skills. The 12 courses cover the full digital marketing lifecycle, from market research to building a website in WordPress.
Rather than simply explaining the range of digital marketing techniques, it also aims to give you the practical experience of applying them. The aim is to help you create a tailored marketing strategy that’s either free (or very cheap) to implement. With over 600,000 students, this is one of Udemy’s most popular courses.
There are many more digital marketing courses to choose from, too.
How long does it take to complete?
Udemy’s digital marketing course contains a total of 22.5 hours of learning, supported by articles and downloadable resources that help you to ‘learn by doing.’
How much does it cost?
According to Udemy, the base price for the course is $149.99. However, Udemy offers regular (massive) discounts, suggesting that this is a bit of a marketing gimmick (but hey, you’re already learning some digital skills, right there!) The last time we checked, the course was reduced to $16.99, suggesting it’s usually very affordable.
Learn more:
7. Coursera Digital Marketing Specialization course
Coursera’s Digital Marketing Specialization course at a glance:
- Mode of study: Online
- Ideal for: Beginners with no prior experience
- Duration: Approximately 8 months (5 hours a week)
- Price: The Coursera subscription fee is $79 per month
Who is it for?
This course is pitched at beginners with a relatively modest budget. It has a good depth of content, though, so you’ll be well-prepared once you’ve completed it.
How does it work?
For a longer course of study that doesn’t break the bank, this Coursera program has you covered. Coursera’s ‘specializations’ are a series of courses combined to build skills in a particular area, in this case, digital marketing. This particular specialization requires the completion of six courses, but you can take each one at your own pace, and if you want to take a break in between, that’s fine, too.
Each Coursera specialization includes a hands-on project (which follows the courses) that you’ll need to complete to gain certification. For this digital marketing course, you’ll apply your newfound skills to a real-life project created in partnership with industrial supply company, Grainger. Whether industrial supplies are your area of interest or not, the bigger picture here is that you’ll be learning the skills and processes that real employers need. Bonus! You can’t put a price on that.
How long does it take to complete?
If you follow Coursera’s suggested pace of study (5 hours per week) the course will take you 8 months to complete. However, you can set personal deadlines, so if you want to finish it sooner, you can!
How much does it cost?
The course promotes ‘free enrolment’ but you’ll have to pay the monthly Coursera subscription fee of $79 to do the whole thing. As an 8-month course, that’s around $360 if you only subscribe for the duration. However, the subscription also gives you access to thousands of other courses so it’s not bad value for money.
Learn more:
- Check out enrolment options
- Read a breakdown of the seven courses in the program
- Explore more digital marketing courses with Coursera
8. Springboard Digital Marketing Career Track Bootcamp
Springboard’s Digital Marketing course at a glance:
- Mode of study: Mentor-led online course
- Ideal for: Relative newcomers looking to advance their digital marketing skills
- Duration: 6 months (8-10 hours a week)
- Price: $2,399 to $2,994 (depending on payment plan)
Who is it for?
This digital marketing course doesn’t strictly preclude beginners but is geared more towards those with some fundamental writing skills and knowledge of statistics. Given the price tag, it’s probably more suited to those ready to commit to a career in digital marketing. This likely includes people with digital marketing experience already under their belt.
How does it work?
An option on the higher end of the digital marketing course scale, Springboard offers a mentor-led, community-driven, full-stack digital marketing certification. This takes things up a notch from the standard video tutorial approach. Despite being online, you’ll have regular video calls with a mentor (an industry professional) and access to a peer network for support. While you’ll learn the so-called ‘full stack’ of digital marketing skills (from SEO to social), you’ll hone your skills through real-world projects rather than relying solely on video tutorials.
Springboard also focuses on career readiness. You’ll build a marketing portfolio, and a career coach will prepare you for interviews, reviewing your resume. You’ll also have access to a professional network to help you secure your first digital marketing job. Limited slots are available, though, and you’ll need an undergraduate degree to apply.
How long does it take to complete?
Springboard’s course contains approximately 200 hours of learning. They estimate it will take six months to complete if you can commit to 8-10 hours weekly.
How much does it cost?
Although on the pricier end of the scale, you get more bang for your buck with this course. If you’re lucky enough to have the cash up front, the total cost is $2,399. You can also pay monthly as required, at $499 per month (up to $2,994).
Learn more:
9. Thinkful Digital Marketing Bootcamp
Thinkful’s Digital Marketing Course at a glance:
- Mode of study: Online with career mentoring support
- Ideal for: Those looking to change careers and fit study around existing commitments
- Duration: 3 months at 15-20 hours per week
- Price: $4,900
Who is it for?
Thinkful’s digital marketing course targets beginners or professionals looking to change (or start) careers in the field. It offers flexible learning hours, meaning you can fit the course around existing commitments.
How does it work?
Thinkful describes its digital marketing offering as a part-time course with full-time career support. This covers all the usual suspects regarding digital marketing skills, unlimited technical interview practice, and insights into industry and salary expectations. You’ll also be supported in creating a job-winning portfolio and LinkedIn profile, and perhaps most excitingly, exclusive access to open roles.
How long does it take to complete?
Thinkful suggests that with 15-20 hours of commitment per week, the course will take three months. This is similar to Springboard’s digital marketing course but compressed into half the time.
How much does it cost?
Upfront, the full fee is $4,900. If you choose to pay monthly, you can do so for $2,066 per month (although this increases the total fee to $6,200). There’s also an option to pay nothing until you’re earning $40,000 a year and a money-back guarantee if you’re still unemployed six months after graduating. A good safety net!
Learn more:
10. Simplilearn Post Graduate Program in Digital Marketing with Purdue University
Simplilearn’s Digital Marketing course at a glance:
- Mode of study: Online bootcamp
- Ideal for: Business professionals aiming to pursue a career in digital marketing
- Duration: 6 months at 5-10 hours per week
- Price: $3,000
Who is it for?
As a post-graduate program, this course targets existing business professionals with at least two years of experience under their belt and an undergraduate degree in any subject. So while you don’t need to be an expert, this is not a digital marketing course for total novices.
How does it work?
Those seeking an exclusive qualification certified by a legitimate university (and Purdue, no less!) look no further. Unlike most of the courses on our list, this is not just a case of sign-up and go: you’ll have to complete an application first. While this might seem a nuisance, providing you get on the course, you’re guaranteed an element of exclusivity you won’t find elsewhere.
Simplilearn has a team of admissions counselors to guide you through the process, so it shouldn’t be too painful.
This admissions process isn’t just expensive posturing. Post-grad courses like these are often more affordable than private-only initiatives. And there are other benefits, too. Co-created with Facebook, this course offers both academic insight and the relevant, real-world skills that employers are actively seeking.
Not only will you learn popular tools and techniques, but you’ll also dive deeper into more complex topics like reputation management, search psychology, and language targeting. And if all that isn’t sufficient, graduation from this digital marketing course includes Purdue Alumni membership and access to Simplilearn’s career services.
How long does it take to complete?
This post-graduate course takes six months, with a weekly commitment of five to ten hours per week (varying depending on your learning speed).
How much does it cost?
Simplilearn’s Post Graduate Program in Digital Marketing costs a total of $3,000. You can either pay upfront or via a payment plan ($264 per month).
Learn more:
- Read some learner reviews
- Check out the learning path (and request a syllabus)
- See the entry requirements and application process
Key takeaways
In this post, we’ve explored some of the best digital marketing courses for 2024. From free tutorials to full post-graduate programs, we’ve covered something for every need and price range. While we highly recommend whetting your digital marketing appetite with a free course, ultimately, it’s up to you to decide which one covers your needs.
But don’t take our word for it. Check out some courses yourself, too. There’s no shortage of them available. And at the end of the day, any digital marketing course is only as good as the effort and commitment that the learner puts into it! So give it gusto, and see you on the other side!
Want to learn more about starting a career in digital marketing? Check out our free, 5-day short course, or check out these guides:
- How to get into digital marketing: tips from an expert
- Are digital marketing bootcamps worth it? The pros & cons
- The 9 best digital marketing certification programs available right now
FAQ for online digital marketing courses
1. What courses are best for digital marketing?
The best courses for digital marketing depend on individual preferences and goals. However, some highly recommended courses include CareerFoundry, Google Digital Garage, Udemy, Coursera, and Simplilearn.
These platforms offer a range of courses taught by industry experts and cover various aspects of digital marketing, such as SEO, social media marketing, content marketing, and analytics. It’s important to research each course thoroughly to find the one that aligns with your specific needs and learning style.
2. Is it worth doing a digital marketing course?
Yes, pursuing a digital marketing course can be highly beneficial. Digital marketing is a rapidly growing field, and having the skills and knowledge in this area can open up various career opportunities. A digital marketing course can provide you with a solid foundation, practical skills, and industry insights that can help you excel in this field. It can also enhance your resume and increase your earning potential.
However, it’s important to choose a reputable course and ensure it covers the key aspects of digital marketing that are relevant to your career goals.
3. How much does it cost to train for digital marketing?
The cost of training for digital marketing can vary depending on factors such as the type of course, the institution or platform offering the training, and the level of depth and specialization. There are free online resources like CareerFoundry and Google Digital Garage that offer introductory digital marketing courses at no cost.
Paid courses can range from around $50 to a few hundred dollars, depending on the platform, course length, and content. Specialized certification programs often have higher costs, typically ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. Pursuing a degree in digital marketing can involve varying tuition costs. It’s important to consider your budget and evaluate the value and reputation of the training program before making a decision.
4. How long does it take to learn digital marketing?
The time it takes to learn digital marketing can vary depending on factors such as the depth of knowledge you want to acquire, your prior experience, the amount of time you can dedicate to learning, and the learning resources you have access to.
Some basic digital marketing concepts can be learned within a few weeks or months, while gaining expertise in advanced strategies may take several months to a year or more. It’s a continuous learning process as the digital marketing landscape evolves. Practical experience and staying updated with industry trends and technologies are also important for ongoing skill development.