9 Free Digital Marketing Resources to Take Advantage of Now

These free 9 free digital marketing resources will help you hone your marketing skills so that you’re ready for the next step in your career.

Invest in yourself through digital marketing resources

Equipping yourself with new knowledge and skills is always a good idea. The digital marketing landscape is always evolving, so wether you're a beginner or a seasoned professional, there's always room to grow.

I was inspired to create this list during the pandemic, when a lot of my colleagues were struggling with job uncertainty. It was amazing to see how some of them pivoted their careers, up-skilled, or otherwise made the most out of a bad situation.

Even though things are retuning to normal, a key takeaway for me is that it's important to stay sharp, and to invest the time and effort into being the best you can be.

But enough of the motivational pep-talk. Let's look at 9 free digital marketing resources that you can take advantage of now.

1. Google Digital Garage

It's no surprise that Google is one of the best places to find free digital marketing resources. 

The Google Digital Garage is a great place for beginners to start. The courses are extensive and cover digital marketing holistically.

There are over 30 classes, two of which come with certificates of completion. Those two classes are: 

• Fundamentals of Digital Marketing 
• Prepare for the G Suite Certification Exam

You can also explore the Google Skill Shop for product-specific courses and certificates. These are more advanced and a nice addition to a CV. 

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2. LinkedIn's "Become an Online Marketing Manager" Course

LinkedIn's "Become an Online Marketing Manager" course is good for those who already have a basic understanding of digital marketing. It will give you the skills you need to move up the corporate ladder and into a management role.

Out of all of the courses on this list, this is the most comprehensive overview of the digital marketing landscape.

The course features 11 modules that cover the following topics:

• Growth hacking
• Advanced branding
• SEO foundations
• Email and newsletter marketing
• Google analytics
• Google AdWords
• Facebook and Twitter
• Sketch for UX design

The course takes about 24 hours to complete and is free for anyone with a LinkedIn Premium account. If you don't have a LinkedIn Premium account, just sign up for the 30-day free trial and make sure to complete the course within the month. (And put a reminder on your calendar to cancel your subscription to avoid getting charged).

3. Ahrefs' Blogging for Business Course

The Ahrefs' Blogging for Business Course is best suited for blogging intermediates. It's an in-depth look at the principles of SEO and what goes into successful content. This course takes five hours, and it's definitely five hours well-spent. 

The Blogging for Business was originally priced at $799, but during the pandemic the company made it available for free. I was expecting them to put it behind a paywall once things started to return to normal, however they didn't—it's still free.

If you're not getting the traction you need from your blog or don't know how to properly optimize your content, this course is for you. 

I should note that this course does promote the use of their own keyword explorer tool. The tool is $99 / month (and well worth it). I use it every day. 

However, there are free alternatives to the keyword planner tool, like Ubersuggest. So, don't let that deter you from checking this course out. 

4. Hubspot Courses and Certifications

Hubspot develops software products for inbound marketing, sales, and customer service. As such, their courses focus mostly on inbound marketing tactics. 

The HubSpot Academy offers 15 certification tracks, including Inbound Marketing, Growth-Driven Design, Frictionless Sales, Email Marketing, and more. 

This is a great fit for SEOs, content marketers, and other inbound marketing professionals. The courses explain how to align content with the buyer journey, which is critical for effective inbound campaigns. 

The entire program takes around four hours to complete and is broken down into several short videos organized into topical sections. You can stop, save your work and come back later.

It's always good to check the reviews of any program you're considering. Like the others on our list, HubSpot Academy receives many positive reviews. 121 G2 users give HubSpot Academy 4.5/5 stars, and Indeed users tend to agree, also rating it 4.5/5 stars.

5. WordStream's PPC University

So far, I've talked a lot about SEO and inbound marketing courses. But, if you're looking for paid marketing education, WordStream's PPC University is an incredible resource.  

Wordstream is an online advertising company, and they have access to thousands of accounts. They've helped companies spend billions of dollars on PPC advertising over the years, and the insight that comes with that is invaluable. 

The course will help you maximize your online advertising budget and get the most bang for your buck. It teaches you the foundation for how paid search works and how to best manage your AdWords account.

There are three modules, PPC 101, PPC 102, and Advanced PPC. So, you can hop in at whatever level you feel most comfortable. 

Many companies are unsure of how to manage their PPC ads right now. So, PPC specialists are playing an important role in helping businesses pivot and adjust their strategies. 

6. SEM Rush's Keyword Research Course

SEM Rush's Keyword Research Course is a quick win for content marketers and writers that are just starting out. This free digital marketing course takes about an hour to complete. 

The course is taught by industry expert Greg Gifford. In it, you'll learn about what keyword research is and why it's important. 

Keyword research is one of the most important steps of SEO. Without it, even the best content can go unnoticed by search engines. So if you're new to SEO, this course is definitely a good use of an hour.

7. Constant Contact's Social Media Quickstarter Course

Constant Contact's social media course is geared toward beginners. It features 101-level modules broken down by social network. 

The courses are well outlined, so you can jump to a specific section. For example, you might skip past the basics and jump to how to schedule posts ahead of time. 

The course provides a pretty detailed overview of marketing techniques for Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google My Business, Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube.

You'll also learn about how to use location-based services, QR Codes, email, ratings and reviews, and blogging as they relate to social media. 

Remember, local listings are critical for businesses right now. People are staying close to home and are relying on online information to help them navigate these difficult times.

So, if you haven't set up a Google My Business page or have questions about that, definitely head over to the Google My Business module. 

8. CopyBlogger's Internet Marketing for Smart People

Copyblogger is offering a free digital marketing resource with a twist. Internet Marketing for Smart People is a free 20-part course and ongoing newsletter that’s delivered via email. 

Each week you’ll get a new lesson on one of the course's four pillars. Those pillars are 

• Relationships
• direct response copywriting
• content marketing, and 
• have something worth selling

Because things are changing fast, the idea is that the advice will be supplemented and ever-evolving as the Internet marketing space changes. 

The fact that the courses are broken up and delivered in installments makes the program manageable and easy to complete.

9. Digital Branding and Engagement Course: edX

edX is a massive open online course provider. Many of the online courses are free, with the option to add a paid certificate at the end. 

The Digital Branding and Engagement Course is taught by Sonia Dickinson, Associate Professor in the School of Marketing at Curtin University. The course is highly comprehensive and relevant to our modern world. 

In the course you'll learn about: 

• The inter-relationship between paid, owned and earned media
• Consumer change and how it is altering brand communications
• Content marketing and how owned content can be distributed across company-owned digital media assets
• The value of Earned Media which interests your audience

The length of this course is four weeks, with an estimated effort of three to four hours per week. Yes, that seems like quite a bit of time. But then again, so is the amount of time we spent binge-watching Tiger King on Netflix. (Guilty). 

Upon completion, you have the option to add a Verified Certificate for $100.  

Which free digital marketing resources will you take advantage of? 

Let us know which free digital marketing resources you're interested in by tweeting us @outliercreative.

As always, if you need a hand in building your digital presence, don't forget to check out our services.