A true professional incorporates lifelong learning into their everyday habits. Setting aside dedicated time for professional development can be challenging but it’s necessary. Fortunately, continuing education no longer means attending conferences or evening classes at a local college. A wide variety of training courses are available online for free or at a nominal cost. Many courses are self-paced so professionals can learn in their free time. In addition to developing skills and learning new career tools, continuing education can help marketing professionals advance in their current position or even find a new one.
Three Continuing Education Opportunities for Marketers
Here are three professional development opportunities you can complete from your laptop—no travel or networking required.
1. LinkedIn Learning
LinkedIn Learning is a treasure trove of knowledge for B2B marketers. B2B Foundations in Social Media Marketing shows marketers how to build a B2B brand on the right social channels. This course teaches marketers how buyers use social platforms to research the products and services they need, and students will also learn how to communicate with buyers on each social channel.
Other relevant B2B Marketing Courses on LinkedIn include:
- B2B Marketing Foundations
- How to Write a B2B Marketing Plan
- B2B Marketing on LinkedIn
- B2B SEO Writing
Learning opportunities don’t stop there. No matter what subject you are interested in, it’s almost guaranteed LinkedIn Learning has a course on it. LinkedIn Learning covers your continuing education needs, from Adobe software to Twitter ads to marketing automation tools, in a convenient, user-friendly interface.
The cost: Some LinkedIn Learning courses can be accessed for free, and the platform offers course samples where possible. Courses generally cost between $35 and $40, while a monthly subscription is $39.99 a month. When you purchase an annual subscription, the price drops to $24.99 a month.
2. HubSpot Academy Certifications
HubSpot is a popular software tool for marketers, and many organizations use HubSpot’s CRM platform to attract visitors, convert leads, and close customers. The training arm of HubSpot, HubSpot Academy, allows savvy marketers to complete free certifications and add industry-recognized badges to their LinkedIn profiles. So far, more than 200,000 professionals have advanced their careers with HubSpot Academy.
HubSpot Academy offers marketing certifications in SEO, social media marketing, automation, inbound marketing, digital marketing, digital advertising, growth-driven design, content marketing, email marketing, and more. In addition to marketing certifications, HubSpot offers certifications in academy sales, service, data privacy, web design, and web development. Visit the website to search the library of free online training.
The cost: HubSpot Academy Certifications are entirely free!
3. Google Certifications
Search engine giant Google offers several free and paid certification courses through its own learning platforms and third-party providers. While Google aims to help people build job-ready skills to start a career in the tech industry, marketers can take advantage of these certifications that will drive results for their organizations.
Google courses are designed and built by experts working at Google, so professionals can be confident they are accessing the most accurate material. To access some certifications, a Skillshop account is required.
Some of the most relevant Google certifications for marketers are:
- Google Digital Marketing Certification
- Google Ads Search Certification
- Google Analytics Individual Certification
- Google Ads Display Certification
The cost: Most Google certifications are free, while others are low-cost.
Never Stop Learning
Marketing is an ever-evolving field. As such, the most successful marketers know how critical it is to make time for professional development and continuing education. Henry Ford once said, “Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young.” When you keep learning, you keep growing. In addition to developing your skills and learning new ideas, you may even find yourself inspired and come up with some creative solutions of your own. Take the first step in your continuing education journey by checking out our resources page featuring white papers, infographics, and more!
