For anyone who wants to continue to be successful at marketing their business or brand, it’s important to stay up-to-date on the latest marketing trends, which change on a regular basis. While there are several steps you can take to increase your knowledge of the most recent marketing trends, among the most effective methods is to take an online marketing course. These courses usually come in the form of certifications that can be used to pad your resume and help you become more knowledgeable about essential marketing techniques. The right certifications and courses will look fantastic on your resume.

The only issue with taking an online marketing course is that it can be difficult to decipher which courses are good and which should be avoided. You don’t want to waste your time and money only to find out that the curriculum is surface-level or that the course isn’t viewed well by prospective employers. To effectively determine which courses are the best for you, it’s important to only look for courses that have a sterling reputation and that you can be confident will provide you with useful content that’s relevant to your needs as someone who wants to improve their marketing skills.

These courses or certificates typically take around six months to a year to complete. However, most online courses allow you to learn the subject matter at your own pace, which means that the duration of the program depends somewhat on you. Once the program has been completed, you should receive a certificate or certification, which mainly depends on what type of program you’ve taken. Keep in mind that a certificate is different from a degree.

The main difference between a certificate and degree is that a degree provides more comprehensive learning opportunities and will allow you to be more knowledgeable about a given subject. Degrees also look better on resumes. In many cases, certificates are used to learn a specific skill or to make sure that you stay on top of the industry that you work in. While certificates may not be as beneficial as degrees, they can be completed in a much quicker time-frame and will give you the knowledge you require to tackle most of the challenges that you come across when marketing your brand. Because of how important marketing is to any brand, taking these courses should also improve your brand messaging. This article takes a look at eight of the top online marketing courses that are available for anyone to complete.

Key Takeaways:

• Marketing trends continue to change on a regular basis which is why it is always beneficial to stay-up-to date with some quick marketing courses.
• Our article analyzes the top eight courses we recommend that will also boost your resume and help you become more knowledgeable about essential marketing techniques.

1. Google Analytics

Google Analytics is among the most popular tools that a marketer can use to analyze and measure how their web traffic has grown. While the basic features of this tool are easy to use, it contains some potent features that only advanced users will be able to get the most out of. The Google Analytics certificate is designed to help you learn all there is to know about the Google Analytics tool. Just like the tool, the Google Analytics certificate program is free to take. Keep in mind that Google recommends that anyone who takes the exam has at least some hands-on experience with Google Analytics.

Extensive study materials are provided by Google, which will prepare you for the exam ahead. The test itself is comprised of 70 questions and will take anywhere from 4-6 hours to complete. Once you have passed the test, you will receive a certificate from Google. If you fail, you can choose to retake the test in one week. The certificate that you obtain is good for 12 months. When you complete the test, you will receive the Google Analytics program for free.

2. YouTube Certification

YouTube Certification is a certificate program that provides users with a comprehensive education on YouTube and how to use it for marketing purposes. Keep in mind that many modern employers search for knowledge of video marketing when looking through a resume. The certified program on YouTube is available to anyone and will provide you with a certificate if you pass. The cost of this certification program is free.

There are three separate programs that you can take, all of which have varying time commitments. The three courses include content ownership, asset monetization, and channel growth. Once you have studied all of the materials for your course of choice, you will be able to take a test. Anyone who passes receives a certification that they can use on their resume. This particular certificate is valid for a period of 18 months, after which you will need to retake the course.

3. American Marketing Association (AMA) Digital Marketing Course

American Marketing Association Digital Marketing Course is provided by the largest marketing association in the world. In partnership with LinkedIn Learning, the American Marketing Association has provided a fantastic course that allows students to become a Professional Certified Marketer for Digital Marketing. The point of the course and the eventual exam that you take is to help you learn how to create, execute, and fully track digital marketing strategies.

This certificate looks great on any resume because of the broad ideas that it covers. If you are currently a member of the AMA, this course will cost $249. For everyone else, the price of the course is $349. You can complete this course at your own pace, which means that the time commitment varies. The certificate that you obtain is valid for three years.

4. HubSpot Inbound Marketing Course

HubSpot Inbound Marketing Course is a specialized course that teaches you all there is to know about inbound marketing and the various strategies that you can use to help potential customers find your business. Since HubSpot is considered to be a leading authority when it comes to inbound marketing, this particular course will look great on your resume. The course includes seven separate modules that extend to creating buyer personas, the fundamentals of inbound, and understanding the journey of the buyer. The course is free to complete on HubSpot Academy and takes only 2-3 hours to finish. The certificate is valid for two hours after you pass the test.

5. Facebook Blueprint Certifications

Facebook Blueprint Certifications are designed to help marketers learn how to market their businesses or brands on Facebook, which is a highly popular platform that’s used by nearly 1.5 billion people across the world. This is different from a standard marketing course in that you are required to demonstrate your marketing skills specifically for the Facebook platform.

There are two separate certifications that you can obtain, which include the Facebook Certified Buying Professional and the Facebook Certified Planning Professional, both of which cost $150 to take. Each certificate program comes with two exams that you will be required to pass. Overall, your score must be 700 or higher. Once you obtain a certification, it will remain valid for up to one year. The time commitment needed to complete one of these programs is around 2-3 days.

6. Google AdWords Certification

The Google AdWords Certification will help you become proficient in the Google AdWords platform, which is a platform that focuses on digital advertising. Because of how important digital advertising is to today’s marketers, having the Google AdWords certification can be a boon to your resume. The certificate is valid for a single year and requires you to pass two separate exams. The first exam consists of 100 questions and needs to be completed in two hours. For the second exam, you will have 90 minutes to answer 70 questions. If you initially fail the exam, you can take it again in one week.

7. Copyblogger Certified Content Marketer

Copyblogger Certified Content Marketer is likely the top content marketing certification that can be earned online. However, the course is only available at specific times of the year. If you want to complete this program, the only way to register for it is by submitting an email address in order to obtain a notification when the signups open, which typically occurs twice every year.

The content samples that you write during your coursework will be reviewed directly by professional writers, which is why certification with this program doesn’t expire once you receive it. Completing this course also makes you eligible for what’s known as master-level training, which is only available by invite. The cost of this program is $495. When you want to complete this certificate program, you can do so at your own pace.

8. HubSpot Content Marketing Certification

HubSpot Content Marketing Certification is another highly useful HubSpot certificate program that teaches you how to write premium content that’s relevant to a target audience. When recruiters are searching for top candidates, they will invariably look for someone who knows how to perform content marketing at a high level.

This particular certificate program covers 12 separate categories, which center around the best practices for content marketing. Despite how extensive this program is, it’s completely free to take. Once you start taking this course, you should be able to complete it in around four hours. The certificate that you receive will be valid for 25 months.

Final Thoughts

Before you start taking a marketing course, it’s important to understand that taking one of these courses can be highly beneficial for a number of reasons. For one, well-recognized certificates can give you an advantage over the competition. When a hiring manager or recruiter sees that you have obtained one or more of the aforementioned certificates, it’s likely that these individuals will believe you to be a better hire over someone who has a resume that’s better on paper. Keep in mind that some of these programs have clubs and strong networking opportunities that can provide you with a pathway for future employment. These clubs are also great for discussing marketing with like-minded professionals.

If you’re trying to determine whether you should obtain a degree or a certificate, both of these course types have their pros and cons. While degrees are typically better for younger individuals who have yet to obtain a job in the marketing industry, certificates allow you to gain extensive knowledge about very specific areas of focus as it pertains to marketing. With a certificate in hand about Google AdWords or content marketing, you can more easily focus on a niche within the industry, which could make it easier to obtain the job that you want. Certificate programs are also less costly and take less time to complete when compared to degree programs. The path that you take depends on where you are in your career and what opportunities you would like to have in the future.