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Free Online Digital Marketing Courses

  • 22 courses
  • 22 free
  • 19 with a free certificate

Sources: Google, HubSpot Academy, Udemy, Alison · Verified

A free digital marketing course covers the channels where marketing now happens: search engines, paid search and display advertising, social media, email, content and the analytics that measure all of it. Introductory courses tour each channel; specialised courses go deep on one, such as search engine optimisation, paid social or web analytics. This is the subject where free certifications are most common, because the companies that own the advertising platforms and marketing software train people to use them. Their academies offer free courses with free, verifiable certifications that expire and must be renewed, and they keep the content current with their products. Universities offer digital marketing courses on edX that are usually free to audit, with lectures open and graded work and the certificate paid.

Non-profit platforms have self-paced digital marketing courses free in full with an optional paid certificate. When reading a syllabus, look for whether the course is tool-specific or channel-neutral, for exercises inside a real or demo account, and for some indication of when it was last updated, since platform interfaces change often. Digital marketing suits small-business owners running their own campaigns, marketing staff adding a channel, freelancers, and career changers entering marketing through a role that values platform certifications. The marketing page on this site covers the principles that underlie these channels, and the certifications hub lists the marketing credentials that are free to earn.

Our three picks

Editorial, not sponsored
Best free certificate Fundamentals of Digital Marketing Google · 40 hours FreeCertificate included Google's broadest free marketing course, 40 hours with a shareable award on completion Most recognised Google Ads Search Certification Google · 3.7 hours FreeCertificate included The core Google Ads credential, free to study and free to certify with a shareable link Best all-round intro Digital Marketing Certification Course: Get Certified in Digital Marketing HubSpot Academy · 3.4 hours FreeCertificate included Broadest free marketing certification here: SEO, social, ads, email and AI in under four hours.
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    # Course Provider Cost Certificate Level Duration
    1 Fundamentals of Digital Marketing Fundamentals of Digital Marketing is Google's entry-level marketing course on Skillshop, published in January 2025 to… Google · Beginner · 40 hours Google Free IncludedCertificate included Beginner 40 hours
    2 Google Ads Search Certification The Google Ads Search Certification is Skillshop's credential for building and optimising Google Search campaigns. Google · Intermediate · 3.7 hours Google Free IncludedCertificate included Intermediate 3.7 hours
    3 Google Analytics Certification (2026) The 2026 edition of the Google Analytics Certification validates the ability to go beyond basic setup and pull action… Google · Intermediate Google Free IncludedCertificate included Intermediate —
    4 Google Ads Display Certification The Google Ads Display Certification covers planning and running visual ad campaigns on the Google Display Network. Google · Beginner · 2.9 hours Google Free IncludedCertificate included Beginner 2.9 hours
    5 Google Ads Video Certification The Google Ads Video Certification is Skillshop's credential for advertising on YouTube and Google's video inventory. Google · Beginner · 4 hours Google Free IncludedCertificate included Beginner 4 hours
    6 Google Ads Measurement Certification The Google Ads Measurement Certification tests whether you can measure and optimise digital ad performance with Googl… Google · Intermediate · 2.7 hours Google Free IncludedCertificate included Intermediate 2.7 hours
    7 AI-Powered Shopping ads Certification The AI-Powered Shopping ads Certification is the shortest of the Google Ads certifications on Skillshop, with three s… Google · Beginner · 1.3 hours Google Free IncludedCertificate included Beginner 1.3 hours
    8 AI-Powered Performance Ads Certification The AI-Powered Performance Ads Certification focuses on Google's cross-channel, AI-driven campaign types and how to c… Google · Beginner · 4 hours Google Free IncludedCertificate included Beginner 4 hours
    9 Google Ads Apps Certification The Google Ads Apps Certification is for people who promote mobile apps with Google App campaigns. Google · Beginner · 2.8 hours Google Free IncludedCertificate included Beginner 2.8 hours
    10 Google Ads Creative Certification The Google Ads Creative Certification is about the ads themselves rather than campaign settings: how to make effectiv… Google · Beginner · 3.9 hours Google Free IncludedCertificate included Beginner 3.9 hours
    11 Grow Offline Sales Certification The Grow Offline Sales Certification covers Google's Grow Offline Sales marketing objective: using online advertising… Google · Beginner · 2.6 hours Google Free IncludedCertificate included Beginner 2.6 hours
    12 Digital Marketing Certification Course: Get Certified in Digital Marketing The Digital Marketing Certification Course is HubSpot Academy's introduction to marketing online with an inbound-firs… HubSpot Academy · 3.4 hours HubSpot Academy Free IncludedCertificate included — 3.4 hours
    13 Social Media Marketing Certification Course: Get Certified in Social Media Strategy The Social Media Marketing Certification Course teaches how to build and run a social strategy for a business. HubSpot Academy · 5.3 hours HubSpot Academy Free IncludedCertificate included — 5.3 hours
    14 Email Marketing Certification HubSpot Academy's Email Marketing certification course approaches email as a strategic channel rather than a set of t… HubSpot Academy · 4 hours HubSpot Academy Free IncludedCertificate included — 4 hours
    15 Digital Advertising Certification: Develop a Winning Online Advertising Strategy HubSpot Academy's Digital Advertising Certification covers paid media from planning to reporting. HubSpot Academy · 3.8 hours HubSpot Academy Free IncludedCertificate included — 3.8 hours
    16 AEO Fundamentals AEO Fundamentals is a newer HubSpot Academy certification about answer engine optimisation: earning visibility in AI-… HubSpot Academy · 2.3 hours HubSpot Academy Free IncludedCertificate included — 2.3 hours
    17 Basic Concepts of Digital Marketing A short conceptual course on what digital marketing is and how businesses use it, estimated by Alison at 3 to 4 hours. Alison · Advanced Alison Free PaidPaid certificate Advanced —
    18 Digital Marketing Fundamentals for Beginners A short, theory-first tour of digital marketing arranged as eight brief modules plus an introduction and conclusion (… Udemy · Beginner · 0.7 hours Udemy Free NoneNo certificate Beginner 0.7 hours
    19 Free Digital Marketing Basics Course This course pairs an overview of digital marketing concepts with practical demonstrations. Udemy · 5.8 hours Udemy Free NoneNo certificate — 5.8 hours
    20 Content Marketing Certification Course: Grow Better with Content HubSpot Academy's Content Marketing Certification Course is the longest of its marketing certifications, at 8 hours 2… HubSpot Academy · 8.4 hours HubSpot Academy Free IncludedCertificate included — 8.4 hours
    21 Inbound Marketing Certification Course: Attract Customers Through Valuable Content and Tailored Experiences HubSpot Academy's Inbound Marketing Certification Course covers the customer-centric approach HubSpot calls inbound… HubSpot Academy · 4.9 hours HubSpot Academy Free IncludedCertificate included — 4.9 hours
    22 Inbound Marketing Optimization Course The Inbound Marketing Optimization Course follows on from HubSpot Academy's Inbound Marketing certification and is ai… HubSpot Academy · 4.6 hours HubSpot Academy Free IncludedCertificate included — 4.6 hours
    Showing 22 of 22 courses · verified 16 Sep 2026

    Which of these digital marketing courses come with a free certificate

    Most of the 22 courses in the table come with a free credential, because Google and HubSpot certify people in their own platforms and methods. The exceptions are Alison, which sells its certificate, and Udemy, whose free courses carry none.

    Free online digital marketing courses with certificates by Google

    Google's Skillshop pairs optional study modules with an assessment; pass it and the certification is awarded with a unique link and a badge on your public Skillshop profile. Google states that Skillshop costs nothing and that these foundational certifications continue to be free of charge; each is valid for one year unless the certificate says otherwise. Fundamentals of Digital Marketing is the broad beginner course, 17 modules and about 40 hours of material, and earns a free award on completion. The certifications are shorter and channel-specific:

    HubSpot free digital marketing certification courses

    HubSpot Academy's courses are labelled free certification courses: video lessons, quizzes, then a multiple-choice exam that issues the certificate and a badge, with no paid tier. Digital Marketing Certification Course is the general one at 3 hours 24 minutes.

    The others each take a channel. Inbound Marketing (4 hours 53 minutes), Content Marketing (8 hours 23 minutes), Social Media Marketing (5 hours 18 minutes), Email Marketing (3 hours 59 minutes), Digital Advertising (3 hours 48 minutes), AEO Fundamentals (2 hours 20 minutes) on answer engine optimisation, and Inbound Marketing Optimization (4 hours 34 minutes) for people who already run an inbound programme.

    HubSpot's knowledge base lists these as valid for two years, except Inbound Marketing Optimization at one year and AEO Fundamentals, for which no validity period is published yet; you renew by retaking the course and exam.

    Where the certificate is paid or absent

    Alison's Basic Concepts of Digital Marketing is free to study in full, with an end-of-course assessment, but the CPD-accredited certificate is a paid digital or printed product priced inside your account; a free Learner Record is the alternative. Digital Marketing Fundamentals for Beginners and Free Digital Marketing Basics Course are free Udemy courses, which by Udemy's policy have no certificate of completion.

    Where a beginner should start among these free digital marketing courses

    The general courses map the whole field before you pick a channel. Google's Fundamentals of Digital Marketing covers strategy, digital customers, content, business data, social media, search, websites and apps, online shopping, email, video and Google's tools, mixing short lessons with practical exercises. HubSpot's Digital Marketing Certification Course covers consumer behaviour online, ethical strategy, ads and social, content and SEO, the website, email and AI in ten lessons. Udemy's Digital Marketing Fundamentals for Beginners is a theory tour of 42 minutes with a suggested 30-day learning framework, and its instructor says plainly that it is not hands-on. Free Digital Marketing Basics Course, 5 hours 48 minutes, does show tools operated on screen, but its recordings are old, so check current interfaces alongside it.

    Alison's Basic Concepts of Digital Marketing defines the term, classifies the types, explains how search engine optimisation works and contrasts inbound with other approaches; the page labels it advanced, though the outcomes read as introductory.

    Which free digital marketing certification to take next

    Choose by the channel you will actually run.

    • Paid search: Google Ads Search, then Google Ads Measurement for conversion tracking and attribution, which assumes working familiarity with Google Ads and Google Analytics.
    • Display, video and apps: the Display, Video and Apps certifications, with Creative for the ads themselves.
    • Retail: AI-Powered Shopping ads for Merchant Center, product feeds and Performance Max; Grow Offline Sales for stores with physical locations.
    • Owned channels: HubSpot's Content Marketing, Email Marketing and Social Media Marketing, all platform-neutral rather than HubSpot-software courses.
    • Analytics: Google Analytics Certification, for reading reports, key events, attribution and audiences in Google Analytics.
    • Search visibility in AI answers: HubSpot's AEO Fundamentals, which replaced its SEO certification.

    Do you need a paid account to get a free digital marketing certification online

    No. The Google certifications need a free Skillshop login; the study modules are optional and only the assessment is required. HubSpot Academy needs a free account, and the certification courses listed here are the methodology ones; HubSpot's software certifications, whose exercises need a paid HubSpot subscription, are left out. Google Career Certificates on Coursera and IBM or university marketing courses behind subscriptions are not listed either. HubSpot lets you retake a failed exam after a short waiting period at no charge.

    Every credential above is also collected on the digital marketing certifications page, and the Google ones on free Google certifications.

    What to study alongside digital marketing

    The principles behind these channels, segmentation, positioning and the marketing mix, are on the free marketing courses hub. Ad creative and landing pages draw on free graphic design courses, content marketing on free writing courses, and the analytics side on free data science courses.

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    Digital Marketing courses by provider

    Questions about free Digital Marketing courses

    Which digital marketing certifications are free?

    The advertising platforms and marketing software companies issue free certifications for their own products and methods, and those are verifiable online. University certificates on audit tracks are paid. The certifications hub lists the free ones.

    Do digital marketing certifications expire?

    Vendor certifications generally do, because the products change. Expect to retake the assessment periodically to keep a certification current, and check the vendor's stated validity period.

    Is a free digital marketing course enough to get hired?

    It gets you the vocabulary and the platform credentials that job listings mention. Employers also want evidence of results, so run a small real campaign, even for a personal project, while you study.

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