Is Google Digital Marketing Certification Worth It? (Review)

Google Digital Marketing Certification is definitely worth it. It’s a great course to follow if you want to break into digital marketing. It is offered by Google, it’s free and accredited by Open University and other organizations.

We know that searching and researching for the right online course to invest in can be overwhelming and mentally exhausting. There are just so many options out there in the digital world. But these online courses are truly the most efficient way to grow your digital marketing knowledge and skills.

We’ve already given you a list of the best digital marketing courses, so now we are going to give you a more comprehensive review of one of those courses.

We are diving into the Google Digital Marketing Certification so that you can decide if it’s a good fit for you. In this review, you’ll learn everything you need to know about the Google Marketing certification.

We will talk about what this course entails, the time and money investment required, how it’s delivered, its features and benefits, and how to obtain the Google Digital Marketing Certification for your resume.

What is Google Digital Marketing Certification?

Google Digital Marketing Certification is a certificate awarded by Google after successfully completing the requirements of the Fundaments of Digital Marketing Course. The certificate is accredited by Interactive Advertising Bureau Europe and The Open University.

It is a basic yet well-rounded course for those looking to learn the fundamentals of digital marketing or even brush up on their digital marketing skills and knowledge.

The Google digital marketing course is offered through the Google Digital Garage library. With 26 modules of 40 hours of time investment, this is the only digital marketing course provided by Google Digital Garage that offers a certification.

Google Digital Garage is a learning platform owned by Google. It’s a library of free online courses offered by both Google’s professional trainers as well as a variety of other course platforms.

Google Digital Garage aims to give professionals a simple and flexible way to learn the real-world skills they need to succeed in business. So it’s a good idea to explore the collection of other courses that it provides.

Is Google Digital Marketing Course Free?

Yes! It’s free and simple to register for. When you click the Register button you can either log in with your Google account or register using a different email account.

Once you create your account, you can track your progress, download your certificate (after completing the course and passing an exam) and get free access to all the online lessons and face-to-face workshops available in Google Digital Garage.

Is it a Good Course to Follow?

If you are looking for foundational information to jumpstart your own digital marketing career this course is for you. Even if your sole purpose is to learn more about how to market your own business, this Fundamentals of Digital Marketing course will move you in the right direction.

Here are some practical reasons you may want to say yes to the Google Digital Marketing Certification course:

It’s easy to use.

Not only is the registration process simple, but the layout of the course is broken down into bite-sized chunks so that it’s easy to digest. Each of the 7 sections of the course contains anywhere from 1-7 modules consisting of both videos and check-in questions to ensure you are retaining the information.

At the end of some lessons, there are even some action items to implement in order to move your business forward in the digital space. After you have completed the modules in each section, there is a quick quiz that follows.

Another convenient feature is being able to adjust the YouTube playback speed. If you are an avid note-taker, you can make it slower to allow yourself time. If you are looking to power through the course or are reviewing it for a second time, you can speed it up. A small convenience, but sometimes very valuable!

It covers the fundamentals of online business

The world is online, and even though it’s hard to believe, there are many local businesses that still aren’t taking advantage yet. This course is for those that are starting a new online business, or learning how to make digital marketing a career for themselves.

In this course, you will learn how to build an online marketing strategy, improve how a website ranks on search engines, and use analytics tools to understand online performance. It’s foundational, but a necessary first step.

Obtaining a certification shows that you are dedicated and willing to invest time in your professional growth

Why choose a course that provides a certification? Not only does it show potential employers that you have the knowledge and skills they are looking for, but it also shows that you are responsible, dedicated, and understand that professional growth is important to your success. It goes a long way!

It’s a reputable and credible source

Google knows what they’re talking about when it comes to digital marketing. When it comes to searching for the right course to take online, it can get overwhelming since there are many digital marketing certificate programs out there. Going with Google Digital Garage is a safe bet, especially when wanting to learn the fundamentals of online marketing.

Not only will it give you peace of mind in knowing you are learning legitimate and current information, but it will also hold some weight when putting this certification on your resume.

What You’ll Learn in this Course?

This course, although free, is robust and full of great foundational content. With 26 modules, there are approximately 40 hours of videos, check-in questions, and quizzes. The modules are broken up into 7 main sections titled:

• Take a Business Online
• Make It Easy for People to Find a Business on the Web
• Reach More People Locally, on Social Media, or on Mobile
• Reach More People With Advertising
• Track and Measure Web Traffic
• Sell Products of Services Online
• Take a Business Global

Within each of these sections, there are modules that include videos, quick check-in questions, action items, and a quiz that wraps up the lesson. The videos are great, but if you prefer reading, you can simply click on the “view transcription” button to expand the text and read your way through the course. This is a great way to get your notes as well.

These 7 sections include detailed lessons on:

• Building your web presence
• Planning your online business strategy
• Getting found on Google search
• Deep-diving into social media
• Discovering the possibilities of mobile
• The ins and outs of online advertising
• Finding success with analytics
• Building your online shop
• Expanding internationally

So even though this is a foundational course and the titles of the 7 main sections seem a bit basic, the content within the sections is packed with practical information to get your business off the ground or even your career as a digital marketing consultant to the next level.

How do I get Google Digital Marketing Certified?

After completing all 26 modules and passing the Google digital marketing final exam, you will earn your Google Digital Marketing Certificate to share on LinkedIn or your resume.

Obtaining the certificate is as simple as downloading the PDF from the course page after successfully completing the final exam.

This certification is accredited by Interactive Advertising Bureau Europe and The Open University. It’s globally recognized which makes it beneficial for you to add it to your resume.

Google Digital Marketing Certification Alternatives

Of course, as I’m sure you know, there are many courses online that will uplevel your skills and, ultimately, your business. Sometimes a course may not be the right fit for you, and if that’s the case with Google Digital Marketing, here are some alternatives for you.

Digital Marketing Full Course by ReliableSoft Academy

The Digital Marketing Full Course is our 13 courses in one bundle that includes our SEO, Digital Marketing, Facebook Ads, Google Ads, Keyword Research, Content Marketing, Google Analytics, Email Marketing, Social Media Marketing, YouTube Marketing, Affiliate Marketing, Retargeting and eCommerce SEO courses.

With videos, checklists, actionable tips, and step-by-step instructions, this bundle of courses is designed to make it easy for you to take action in your business and see results right away.

Our courses are updated frequently as we continue to test the market and make the appropriate changes, so you will always have the most current digital marketing best practices.  Within the course, you will learn practical tips and be inspired by real success stories.

The value of this course is $600, but we are offering it at 80% off for only $119. With our 60-day money-back guarantee, it’s essentially risk-free and worth checking out if you are looking for the best bang for your buck.

Udemy – The Complete Digital Marketing Course

The Complete Digital Marketing Course by Udemy dives a little deeper into specific platforms like YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest marketing. At $199.99 it’s a reasonable price, and if you catch it on sale, even better.

With a 30-day money-back guarantee and many good reviews, it’s definitely worth checking out if you are looking for more detailed instructions.

Conclusion

We’ve established that selecting and completing the right online course is not a waste of time. It is a quick, simple, flexible, and effective way to gain knowledge in the digital marketing space.

Since the Fundamentals of Digital Marketing course is completely free, the question to ask yourself is whether or not it is worth your time investment.

Here is a summary of the course features:

• It’s provided by a leader in the space (Google) which makes it a credible source
• It’s FREE!
• It’s one of the most popular Google Certifications to pursue
• It has a simple registration process with no strings attached (you can opt out of emails so that you are not on yet another email list).
• It’s user-friendly and easy to navigate through.
• With a mix of video, text, action items, and quizzes, its bite-sized lessons were designed with a busy professional in mind.
• Its content covers the fundamentals but is practical enough to allow the student to implement and see results in their business.
• For those that are looking for digital marketing certification for their resume or LinkedIn profile, this course provides a globally recognized certification after successfully completing a 40 questions exam.

With so many digital marketing courses available, we believe that the Google Digital Marketing Certification course is definitely one that is worth your while.

Definitely take the time to explore everything that Google Digital Garage has to offer. Between its library of online courses, certifications, live training, and other tools and resources, you are sure to grow your skill or freshen up your knowledge.