How to learn digital marketing online

1. UDemy

To begin with, I don't want to mislead anyone. UDemy is NOT free, but if you're savvy like me, you'll use their free trial to take as many courses as possible. There are a few free courses on UDemy, but they're usually not the courses you're looking for.

UDemy is a great platform where you can take courses on almost anything for a relatively low price. Most classes are around $14.99. However, they do have a free two-week trial, and depending on the length of the lesson you want to take, you can take a few free lessons before canceling your subscription.

By the time my trial period was over, I had taken four or five marketing classes and one certification. This is great, I highly recommend it. Plus, once you start making some dough, you can buy a class here if you want and have lifetime access to the material! Score!

You will also receive an actual certificate of completion that you can print and place on your LinkedIn profile.

2. Google Certification

Google Certifications, or Grow with Google, is a platform offered by Google that includes certifications that will make you "work ready." These certifications are offered in partnership with Coursera, another great resource. The time required to complete each certificate can vary depending on how deep you want to get.

For example, Google's "Digital Marketing & E-Commerce Professional Certificate" takes 6 months if you spend less than 10 hours a week on the course. Of course, you can always move at a faster pace if you want. This particular course is also intended for complete beginners. They also offer courses on different topics, not just marketing, so if you are interested in UX or IT, you can start with Google.

All Google certifications are taught by industry leaders and you will receive a certificate after completing the course. This certificate can be placed on your LinkedIn profile and is recognized throughout the industry.

As great as this sounds, there is a catch. Since Google partners with Coursera, you'll only have access to a seven-day free trial, after which it's $39 per month. Don't stress now! There are many other Google certifications that take much less time than the six-month program we discussed earlier. As with UDemy, you can choose a shorter course you are interested in and complete it before the trial period expires.

3. HubSpot Academy

Now I know what you're thinking... Chelsey, are some of these resources REALLY free? The answer is yes, absolutely. Unfortunately, many of these resources will eventually ask for some form of payment after the trial period ends, but they are great resources if you make the most of your free trial.

However, one truly free resource, and my personal favorite, is the HubSpot Academy. After logging in, you will have access to a plethora of courses on various topics. HubSpot is geared toward business owners, so when you sign up, you'll need to come up with a name for your "business." When I signed up I used a fictitious business name and listed freelancer as my business type.

Once you do, you'll have access to everything HubSpot and the menu, completely free. HubSpot is great at offering everything from 8 hour courses to 30 minute courses. HubSpot also offers many categories, everything from marketing and sales to web development and design.

When searching for a course, you can also filter by course length, topic and level to find what suits you. With HubSpot, you also receive a certificate that you can add to your resume or LinkedIn profile. This platform is great for just about anything, newbie marketers just learning about the industry, seasoned veterans looking to build their repertoire and learn new skills, and even business owners looking for more knowledge on how to improve their email marketing.

I could go on for hours about HubSpot, but simply put, it's a truly free pitching platform that offers opportunities for all skill sets and levels, and gives you an industry-recognized certificate upon completion.

4. SEMRush Academy

Another favorite and 100% free online learning resource of mine is SEMRush academy. Like HubSpot, SEMRush requires you to create an account. Simply enter and submit your email and choose a password and you're good to go.

SEMRush is actually a search engine marketing software that helps simplify your marketing process. However, they offer their SEMRush Academy online education platform to everyone for free.

There are a variety of courses from keyword analysis to how to get hired as a digital marketer. Unlike the other platforms we've talked about, you don't get a certificate after completing the course, however there are "certification exams" you can take once you're confident in whatever material you choose to study. Once you're ready, take the certification exam and then receive a certificate to include on your resume or LinkedIn.