In today’s rapidly changing digital landscape, staying competitive in marketing demands continuous learning and adapting to new trends and technologies. Digital marketing is an ever-evolving field; you must access top online courses to excel.
Whether you’re just starting in digital marketing or an experienced pro aiming to enhance your skills, we’ve compiled a list of the nine best online courses to help you reach your 2023 goals.
Once upon a time, during the early days of the Internet, digital marketing was a skill reserved for a select group of specialists.
Fast forward to today, and digital marketing has become an integral part of the marketing landscape, so much so that it’s challenging to distinguish one from the other.
From social media and search engines to advertising and mobile apps, virtually every organization incorporates digital marketing into its strategies in some shape or form.
That’s precisely why finding courses that equip you with practical, job-ready skills is crucial.
In this article, we’ve compiled a list of the best online digital marketing courses for 2023. Whether you’re looking for free introductory programs or more comprehensive paid courses, we have options to suit every learner’s needs.
Use the menu to navigate our selection of top digital marketing courses effortlessly.
The best online digital marketing courses
1. GreyAcademy
2. CareerFoundry
3. LinkedIn Learning
4. Google
5. Copyblogger
6. Udemy
7. Coursera
8. Thinkful
9. Simplilearn
1. Discover Grey Academy’s Digital Marketing Program
- Study Format: Online
- Ideal for: Aspiring digital marketers seeking comprehensive knowledge
- Duration: Choose between four months of full-time study or a flexible seven-month part-time option
- Price: $18, with potential discounts for upfront payment
Who Should Explore This Program?
Grey Academy’s Digital Marketing course is the perfect choice for individuals with a genuine passion for digital marketing. It offers flexible learning options with dedicated guidance from a mentor and a tutor.
How Does It Operate?
This program equips you with the fundamental skills, essential tools, and proven processes needed to excel as a digital marketing specialist.
With the unwavering support of an industry expert mentor and an experienced tutor, you’ll actively engage in practical projects that can be proudly added to your digital marketing portfolio, ensuring you’re well-prepared for a successful transition into this dynamic field.
Grey Academy is confident in its approach and curriculum, extending a Job Guarantee: If you cannot secure a job in your desired field within 180 days of completing the program, you’ll receive a full refund.
What’s the Program Duration?
Grey Academy’s courses are thoughtfully designed for self-paced learning, liberating you from rigid lecture or seminar schedules.
You can choose between part-time study, dedicating 15-20 hours per week over seven months, or opt for full-time study, committing 30-40 hours per week to graduate in just four months.
What’s the Investment?
The total program cost is $6,900. As an added benefit, a generous 5% discount is available if you opt for upfront payment, making this comprehensive digital marketing education even more accessible.
2. CareerFoundry Digital Marketing Program
- Study Format: Online
- Suitable for: Individuals aspiring to enter the field of digital marketing and seeking comprehensive knowledge in all its aspects
- Duration: Four months for full-time study or up to seven months for part-time study
- Price: $6,900, with potential discounts for upfront payment
Who Should Consider This Program?
CareerFoundry’s Digital Marketing course is an excellent choice for those genuinely interested in digital marketing and looking for flexible learning options with the support of both a mentor and a tutor.
How Does It Work?
This program equips you with the essential skills, tools, and processes to become a proficient digital marketing specialist.
With the guidance of an industry expert mentor and a tutor, you’ll work on real projects that can be involved in your digital marketing portfolio, preparing you for a successful transition into the field.
CareerFoundry is highly confident in its approach and curriculum, offering a Job Guarantee: If you don’t secure a job in your desired field within 180 days of completing the program, you’ll receive a full refund.
What’s the Program Duration?
CareerFoundry’s courses are designed for self-paced learning. There are no fixed lecture or seminar schedules.
You can opt for part-time study, dedicating 15-20 hours per week over seven months, or choose full-time study, committing 30-40 hours per week to graduate in just four months.
What’s the Cost?
The total program cost is $6,900. A 5% discount is also available if you pay the entire fee upfront.
3. LinkedIn Learning’s “Become a Digital Marketing Specialist” Course
- Study Format: Online Video tutorials
- Suitable for: Beginners curious about digital marketing who want a no-cost introduction.
- Duration: 20 hours spread across 11 courses
- Price: Free, with the option to access more extensive content through a monthly subscription
Who Should Consider This Course?
If you’re new to digital marketing and want to grasp the basics without committing to a paid program, this course is an excellent starting point.
It’s perfect for individuals considering a career in digital marketing but want to test the waters before making a significant investment.
How Does It Work?
This foundational course comprises a series of concise video tutorials, each lasting approximately two hours. Each course within the program covers a different aspect of digital marketing.
Starting with the fundamental principles and concepts, you’ll progress to topics like search engine optimization (SEO), content marketing, Google Ads, social media marketing, and more.
While it offers a high-level introduction, I don’t anticipate gaining in-depth knowledge from this course. However, it provides a valuable overview and helps you identify areas of interest, deciding where to focus if you delve deeper.
As a side note, LinkedIn Learning is the rebranded version of Lynda, a respected online training provider acquired by the social media giant in 2015. You can rely on the content’s quality; numerous other courses are available on the platform.
What’s the Course Duration?
The entire program consists of 20 hours of content spread across 11 courses. Even if you only explore the first course, you’ll only dedicate two hours and nine minutes. It’s worth a try!
What’s the Cost?
While this program is free, to access additional digital marketing courses on LinkedIn Learning, you’ll need to subscribe, with monthly plans ranging from $19.99 to $29.99, depending on your payment frequency.
They also offer a one-month free trial, and since most of their courses are relatively short, there’s plenty of content to explore during the trial period.
4. Google’s “Fundamentals of Digital Marketing” Course
- Study Format: Online
- Suitable for: Beginners seeking a comprehensive yet manageable learning experience
- Duration: 26 modules covering 40 hours
- Price: Free
Who Should Consider This Course?
While LinkedIn Learning’s course offers an introductory taste, Google’s Fundamentals of Digital Marketing provides a more structured learning journey. It’s an excellent choice for small business owners and individuals considering a career change in the digital marketing field.
How Does It Work?
Google’s program is curated entirely by the company’s trainers and spans 26 modules, offering an in-depth exploration of digital marketing fundamentals. Topics covered range from content creation to leveraging basic analytics.
The program comprises bite-sized video lessons and quizzes to assess your understanding. The final exam consists of 40 questions.
Upon successfully passing the exam, you’ll receive a digital certification that you can proudly display on your LinkedIn profile and include on your resume.
This isn’t just a superficial certificate; it holds accreditation from the Interactive Advertising Bureau Europe and the Open University.
What’s the Course Duration?
This 26-module course encompasses 40 hours of content; the beauty is that you can progress through it at your own pace.
What’s the Cost?
The course is completely free, and the fact that it’s accredited adds even more value to this excellent learning opportunity.
5. Copyblogger Content Marketing Tools and Training
- Study Format: Via email
- Suitable for: Both beginners and experienced professionals
- Duration: Entirely self-paced
- Price: Free
Who Should Consider This Resource?
Copyblogger primarily caters to writers and content marketing enthusiasts, but its appeal is broad. Whether you’re a novice seeking an effortless way to learn or an experienced professional staying updated on the latest trends and insights, Copyblogger has something valuable.
How Does It Work?
Copyblogger serves as a combination of a blog, training resource, and newsletter. Unlike traditional courses that require a fixed time commitment, you can sign up to receive 20 emails exploring various content marketing topics, including copywriting, SEO, keyword research, and more.
The convenience of these emails landing directly in your inbox allows you to choose when and where to engage with the content, eliminating the pressure of taking notes during tutorials.
While Copyblogger doesn’t follow the traditional course structure, it remains immensely popular within content marketing circles.
One of the reasons it’s included in our list is the rapid evolution of digital marketing trends. While formal courses can impart the fundamentals, the specific techniques can become outdated quickly.
Given the constant emergence of new tools, trends, and strategies, digital marketing professionals must stay abreast of these developments, and Copyblogger provides an excellent platform for this.
Suppose you find that Copyblogger isn’t quite your cup of tea, no worries. However, we highly recommend discovering and following a similar blog or resource.
What’s the Course Duration?
This resource isn’t a formal course with a fixed timeline. There’s no obligatory time commitment here. You can consume as much or as little as you like at your own pace.
What’s the Cost?
Copyblogger is entirely free, making it a valuable and risk-free resource for anyone interested in content marketing and digital marketing trends.
6. Udemy’s Complete Digital Marketing Course
- Study Format: Online
- Suitable for Beginners, employees, and small business owners seeking affordable upskilling.
- Duration: Approximately 22.5 hours of content
- Price: Priced at $149.99, often available at discounted rates
Who Should Consider This Course?
Udemy’s Complete Digital Marketing Course is a great choice for people looking to enhance their skills on a budget. Many reputable companies, such as VW, Apple, and Eventbrite, train employees in this course. It’s also a valuable resource for individuals embarking on their entrepreneurial journey, aiming to expand their skill set.
How Does It Work?
While Udemy employs video tutorials like many other courses, its hands-on and practical approach emphasizes experiential learning. The program blends video lessons with quizzes, sample projects, and checklists, gradually building your digital marketing expertise.
The 12 courses within this program cover the entire digital marketing lifecycle, from market research to website development using WordPress.
Rather than merely explaining various digital marketing techniques, this course aims to provide you with practical experience in their application. The goal is to help you create a customized marketing strategy that can be implemented for free or at a very low cost. With over 600,000 students, it is one of Udemy’s most popular courses.
Udemy also offers various digital marketing courses catering to diverse interests and needs.
What’s the Course Duration?
This course offers approximately 22.5 hours of content, but you can work through it at your own pace, which adds to its flexibility and convenience.
What’s the Cost?
The standard price for this course is $149.99, but Udemy frequently offers significant discounts, making it an affordable option for those looking to acquire digital marketing skills without breaking the bank.
How long does it take to complete?
Udemy’s digital marketing course encompasses 22.5 hours of learning, complemented by articles and downloadable resources that facilitate a “learn by doing” approach.
What’s the Cost?
While Udemy initially lists the base price of the course at $149.99, it’s important to note that Udemy frequently offers substantial discounts. This pricing strategy may seem marketing, but you can access valuable
digital marketing education at a significantly lower cost. During our last check, the course was available for just $16.99, indicating that it’s typically quite affordable, making it even more accessible to learners.
7. Coursera’s Digital Marketing Specialization Course
- Study Format: Online
- Suitable for: Beginners with no prior experience and a modest budget
- Duration: Approximately eight months (averaging 5 hours per week)
- Price: Coursera subscription fee of $79 per month
Who Should Consider This Course?
This course is tailored to beginners who are conscious of their budget. Despite the affordability, it offers comprehensive content, ensuring learners are well-prepared upon completion.
How Does It Work?
Coursera’s program is excellent for those seeking an extended learning experience that won’t break the bank. Coursera’s ‘specializations’ comprise a series of courses designed to build expertise in a specific area, in this instance, digital marketing.
This specialization comprises six courses, but you can complete each independently. If you need to take breaks in between, that’s perfectly acceptable.
Each Coursera specialization includes a hands-on project that follows the courses. In this digital marketing course, you’ll apply your newfound skills to a real-world project developed in collaboration with Grainger, an industrial supply company.
Regardless of your interest in industrial supplies, the significant takeaway is that you’ll acquire the skills and knowledge that real employers demand. Plus, you can’t put a price on that practical experience.
What’s the Course Duration?
Following Coursera’s recommended pace of study, which is approximately 5 hours per week, this course will take approximately eight months to complete. However, you have the flexibility to set personal deadlines, allowing you to finish it sooner if you wish.
What’s the Cost?
The course promotes “free enrollment,” but you’ll need to subscribe to Coursera at a monthly fee of $79 to access the entire specialization. Over the course’s 8-month duration, this subscription fee amounts to around $360.
However, it’s worth noting that the subscription also grants you access to thousands of other courses on the platform, making it a valuable investment for those interested in a broader spectrum of learning opportunities.
8. Thinkful Digital Marketing Bootcamp
- Study Format: Online with career mentoring support
- Suitable for: Beginners and professionals seeking a career change or entry into the digital marketing field while accommodating actual commitments
- Duration: 3 months at 15-20 hours/week
- Price: $4,900 (with various payment options)
Who Should Consider This Bootcamp?
Thinkful’s Digital Marketing Course is designed for beginners and professionals aiming to transition into or start a career in the digital marketing industry. It’s particularly appealing for individuals who require flexible study schedules to accommodate existing commitments.
How Does It Work?
Thinkful’s digital marketing offering is a part-time course with full-time career support. The curriculum covers essential digital marketing skills, unlimited technical interview practice, insights into industry trends, and salary expectations.
It goes beyond teaching skills, helping you create a job-winning portfolio and LinkedIn profile. Additionally, it provides exclusive access to open job positions, a valuable resource for landing your dream job in digital marketing.
What’s the Course Duration?
Thinkful recommends dedicating 15-20 hours per week to the course, allowing you to complete it in three months. This timeframe is notably shorter than Springboard’s digital marketing course, providing an accelerated learning path.
What’s the Cost?
The full upfront fee for the course is $4,900. Alternatively, you have the option to pay every month at $2,066 per month, although this payment plan increases the total cost to $6,200. Thinkful also offers the flexibility to defer payment until you earn a minimum of $40,000 annually.
Moreover, they provide a reassuring money-back guarantee if you remain unemployed six months after completing the program, serving as a valuable safety net for your investment in your career.
9. Simplilearn advanced degree Program in Digital Marketing with Purdue University
- Study Format: Online Bootcamp
- Suitable for: Business professionals aspiring to pursue a career in digital marketing
- Duration: 6 months, requiring 5-10 hours of study per week
- Price: $3,000 (with payment options)
Who Should Consider This Program?
Simplilearn’s Digital Marketing course is tailored for business professionals looking to make a career transition into digital marketing.
It’s important to note that this is a post-graduate program, so it’s best suited for individuals with at least two years of professional experience and an undergraduate degree in any discipline. While you don’t need to be a digital marketing expert, it’s not a course designed for complete beginners.
How Does It Work?
If you’re seeking an exclusive qualification endorsed by a reputable university, Purdue University, this course is the one to explore. Unlike most other courses, this one requires an application process. While this might seem like an extra step, it grants you exclusivity that sets it apart.
Simplilearn provides a team of admissions counselors to assist you through this process, making it a smoother experience. This admissions process isn’t just for show; post-graduate courses like this one are often more affordable than private-only initiatives.
Additionally, there are other notable benefits. Co-developed with Facebook, this course offers academic knowledge and equips you with practical, real-world skills that are highly sought after by employers.
In addition to learning popular tools and techniques, you’ll delve into more advanced topics such as reputation management, search psychology, and language targeting.
Graduating from this digital marketing program includes Purdue Alumni membership and an approach to Simplilearn’s career services.
What’s the Course Duration?
This post-graduate program spans six months, requiring a weekly commitment of 5-10 hours, depending on your pace of learning.
What’s the Cost?
The Simplilearn Post Graduate Program in Digital Marketing is priced at $3,000. You can pay the full amount upfront or choose a payment plan, which amounts to $264 per month. This flexibility in payment makes it more accessible to a wider range of learners.
Key Takeaways:
In this post, we’ve observed some of the best digital marketing courses for 2023, catering to a wide range of needs and budgets. Whether you’re interested in free tutorials or comprehensive post-graduate programs, there’s something for everyone.
While we highly recommend starting with a free course to get a taste of digital marketing, the ultimate choice depends on your specific goals and requirements. Exploring and researching various courses is essential to find the one that best aligns with your objectives.
Remember, the value of any digital marketing course depends on the effort and commitment you put into it. So, give it your all, and we’ll see you on the other side of your digital marketing journey!
