Acquire these free online certificates by Google, Microsoft and LinkedIn and get yourself ahead of your competition when trying to land your ideal dream job.
Whether you are in between jobs, or you just want to refresh your knowledge, acquiring these free online certificates is a good way to spice up your resume, while keeping yourself informed about the tools within your field of expertise. After rounding up my last job, I decided to dive into the world of free online certificates, both to refresh my own knowledge, and to give you a clear overview of what is available online.
I will mainly focus on eCommerce certificates, however I will include some popular other options for you to consider at the end of this article. So let’s dive into it. First up:
Free online certificates by Google
Google Analytics Academy
Any online marketeer benefits from knowing how to best use Google Analytics. This helps them make informed decisions about how to improve their online marketing efforts. The best way to stay up to date with Google Analytics is by doing an annual Google Analytics certification. Once certified you will be awarded with a Google Analytics Individual Qualification certificate.
To help you prepare for this certification you can do the Google Analytics for Beginners course, as well as the Advanced Google Analytics course. These courses are not mandatory, you can skip right to the Individual Qualification if you desire to do so. Both the courses and the qualification exam are for free. So save yourself some money, don’t pay a third party online learning center to learn what Google can teach you for free.
Prepare for your Google Analytics Individual Qualifications here.
Start your Individual Qualification here.
Google Ads Certifications
Learn how to get the most out of Google Ads, or test and show off what you know about SEA by getting yourself Google Ads certified. The Google Ads Certifications you can study for and attain are:
‣ Google Ads Search Certification;
‣ Google Ads Display Certification;
‣ Google Ads Measurement Certification;
‣ Google Ads Video Certification;
‣ Shopping Ads Certification;
‣ Google Ads Apps Certification.
Each of these Google Ads features can be studied individually via the link below. It isn’t mandatory to study the certification courses Google offers, in order to do each individual certification. If you work with Google Ads daily and you are confident enough, or if you just want to renew your certification, you can skip right to the certifications.
Prepare for and start your Google Ads Certifications here.
Google Marketing Platform Certification
The Google Marketing Platform Certification Exam currently offers five certifications, all at intermediate level.
These five certifications are:
‣ Search Ads 360 Certification Exam;
‣ Campaign Manager Certification Exam;
‣ Creative Certification Exam;
‣ Display & Video 360 Certification Exam;
‣ Google Analytics Individual Qualification.*
*The Google Analytics Individual Qualification is the same certification as the Google Analytics one I have mentioned before, for some reason it is double indexed on the certification page.
Each exam takes about an hour (if you take your time), and there is the option to prepare for each exam as well (the indicated preparation time per exam is also an hour, so to be well-prepared AND do the exam, you would need two hours tops per exam.
Click here to start your Google Marketing Platform Certification.
Other free online certificates by Google
Fundamentals of Digital Marketing is a nice entry level certification that covers all the basics of Digital Marketing. The total course (26 modules) takes up to 40 hours, master all modules to earn badges and you are offered the chance to get your Google Fundamentals of Digital Marketing certification. Access this course here.
YouTube Music Certification is aimed at anybody in the music industry who wants to make the most out of their YouTube efforts. According to Google this is an advanced course, so it doesn’t hurt to make sure you cover all the bases before you dive into the certification exam. Begin here
Free online certificates by Microsoft
Microsoft Advertising Certification (was Bing Ads)
Just in case you’re confused, yes, Bing Ads has been renamed to Microsoft Advertising (be sure to update your resume appropriately). t might be easy to dismiss the Bing search engine when you are focusing your SEA efforts, but keep in mind that Bing still is the 2nd most used search engine out there (even if it’s miles behind Google). And any potential untapped market should (eventually) be explored to make sure you are getting the most out of your marketing efforts. To make getting qualified more appealing, Microsoft offers a Certified Professional badge, placement in their member directory and an official printable certificate. Getting Microsoft Advertising certified is completely free, and all the course material is freely accessible.
Read more about the Microsoft Advertising Certification right here.
Free online certificates by LinkedIn
LinkedIn Learning (1 free trial month)
No better place to learn than at the biggest online network for professionals. LinkedIn Learning isn’t free but it does come with a 1 month free trial (no payments required). This means that if you are in between jobs, and you have the time to spare, you can get a lot out of a free trial of LinkedIn Learning. Courses are short enough to do a couple per day and finishing a course (often by completing course assessments) awards you with a certificate that you can instantly share on your LinkedIn profile page. And Linkedin Doesn’t joke around. Currently their full portfolio covers a whopping 5000 courses divided over a broad range of topics. The courses are hosted by industry experts and professionals.
LinkedIn Skill Quizzes
While LinkedIn Skill Quizzes aren’t certificates, a passed skill assessment does award you with a neat little icon on your LinkedIn profile for each passed assessment. In my opinion, these Skill Quizzes do add value and weight to your profile (more so than endorsements, but that’s subjective). If you plan to take a LinkedIn Skill Quiz, do keep in mind Skill Quizzes are timed. Make sure you take these quizzes when you can commit to them without getting distracted or interrupted.
To take a LinkedIn Skill Quiz, go to your LinkedIn profile and scroll down to Skills & Endorsements, or use this link.
Paid online certificates
Facebook Blueprint Certifications
The reason Facebook isn’t listed higher on my list is because even though Facebook courses are free, the Certification Exams aren’t. Each exam costs up to USD 150 (actual cost may differ based on your country). If you are just looking for easy ways to update your online marketing knowledge Facebook Blueprint is a good option to consider. Facebook currently offers the following studies:
‣ Digital Marketing Associate;
‣ Marketing Science Professional;
‣ Creative Strategy Professional;
‣ Media Planning Professional;
‣ Media Buying Professional;
‣ Ads Product Developer I;
‣ Ads Product Developer II;
‣ Ads Product Developer III.
Learn more about Facebook Blueprint here.
Adobe Certifications
Similar to Facebook Blueprint, Adobe offers their study material for free, but the actual certification exam will cost you. And Adobe doesn’t joke around, exams cost up to USD 225 per exam. In my opinion this makes taking Adobe exams more suited when an employer you work for offers you the chance to take an Adobe exam. What can you study at Adobe? The current Adobe Certification catalog contains the following certifications:
‣ Adobe Advertising Cloud;
‣ Adobe Commerce Cloud;
‣ Adobe Analytics;
‣ Adobe Audience Manager;
‣ Adobe Campaign;
‣ Adobe Experience Manager;
‣ Adobe Target;
‣ Adobe Marketo Engage;
‣ Adobe Creative Cloud;
‣ Adobe Experience Cloud;
‣ Adobe Experience Platform.
Click here to get a complete overview of what you can expect from Adobe Certifications.
Udemy
If you have a Facebook or Instagram account, chances are you have seen Udemy in your feed before. The online learning platform that has sales and deals 24/7/365 (yet they always use a sense of urgency to get you to take a course). To their defense Udemy does offer some pretty good courses, you just need to dig through their online portfolio a bit to find one that seems worth your time and money. Udemy highlights the following categories as their top categories: Design, Development, Marketing, IT and Software, Personal Development, Business, Photography, and Music.
Check out everything Udemy has to offer via: https://www.udemy.com/