Creating content for the purposes of marketing requires a specific skill set that isn’t always easy to learn as you go. If you want to earn premium rates and have access to the best assignments, training in content marketing techniques and best practices will give you a leg up on the competition.
These are some of the top content marketing training courses available today, ranging from free to prestigious but pricy. There is something for every level of need and every training budget.
Top Content Marketing Courses
| Name | Cost | Hours required | Topics Covered | Credentials Earned | Social Following | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hubspot Content Marketing Certification | Free | 6 hours 20 minutes | SEO Blogging Video content Repurposing content Content strategy Content promotion Analytics | Certificate upon completion | Facebook: 48,841 Twitter: 42,529 LinkedIn: 58,455 |  |
| LInkedIn Learning Content Marketing Tutorials | Free first month, then $19.95/month for unlimited access | Modules vary from under 1 hour to several hours each | Content creation Content strategy ROI Newsletters Blogging Ebooks Podcasts Lead generation | Certificate upon completion | Facebook: 1,276,897 Twitter: 16,972 LinkedIn: 2,531,271 | |
| Google Digital Garage | Free | 40 hours to complete all modules | Content creation Content strategy Social media SEO Mobile Ads Video Analytics | Certificate upon completion with exam | Facebook:2,505 Twitter: 1,500 LinkedIn: 1,927 |  |
| eCornell Marketing Strategy Certificate | $3600 for six online courses | 3 months | Marketing strategy Ethics Research and analysis Branding Distribution strategy International marketing | Certificate upon completion | Facebook: 114,273 Twitter: 5,651 LinkedIn: 113,372 | |
| SEMRush Content Marketing Toolkit | Free | 3 hours | SEO Content creation Content analysis Topic research Analytics | Certification with exam | Facebook: 189,251 Twitter: 4,070 LinkedIn: 122,872 | |
| Content Marketing Institute University | 995 | 30+ hours of content, with 12 month of access per enrollment | Planning Audience Story Channels Process Conversation Measurement | certification upon completion | Facebook: 155,337 Twitter: 304,022 LinkedIn: 100,395 | |
| eMarketing Institute Content Marketing Institute | Free | 161 page ebook, self-paced study with test | content creation content optimization content management content distribution | professional certificate upon completion of exam | Facebook: 6,088 Twitter: 1,144 LinkedIn: 6,413 | |
| Clickminded Content Marketing Training | 997 | 3-6 hours | Content framework Messaging Channel selection Goals Calls to action Optimization Campaign walkthrough | certification upon completion | Facebook: 2,048 Twitter: 1,741 LinkedIn: 611 | |
| American Marketing Association Digital Marketing Certification | $249 for members, $349 for non-members | 30 hours of self-paced study with two hours for exam | analytics, social media marketing, user experience (UX), search engine optimization (SEO), digital advertising, email marketing, and content marketing. | Certification with passage of exam (80%) | Facebook: 160,651 Twitter: 70,805 LinkedIn: 237,996 | |
1. Hubspot Content Marketing Certification
The Hubspot Content Marketing Certification course teaches a framework for producing marketing content according to effective SEO principles, as well as repurposing old content to adapt to new search algorithms. Blogging, video content, content promotion, and analytics are all covered. The course is free and includes a certification upon successful completion of an exam at the end. Rating: 5.0
2. LinkedIn Learning Content Marketing Tutorials
The LinkedIn Learning Content Marketing Tutorials training course has modules that cover the basics of content marketing along with specialized topics related to content marketing. Certificates are given when modules are completed. A small monthly fee covers as many modules as you can complete, and the first month is free. Rating 5.0
3. Google Digital Garage
The free Google Digital Garage program offers 32 different courses in digital marketing, including a Fundamentals of Digital Marketing course that takes 40 hours to complete. Certificates are offered upon the completion of each course. Some of the courses are taught and administered by Google, while others are by industry experts or done through platforms like Coursera. Rating: 4.5
4. eCornell Marketing Strategy Certificate
The eCornell Marketing Strategy Certificate is a pricy but top-notch choice for content marketing training with the prestige of a certificate from Cornell upon completion. The courses cover marketing strategy, ethics, research and analysis, branding and distribution strategy, and are geared toward corporate employees of midsize and larger companies. Along with certification, learners can also get continuing education hours through these courses. Rating: 4.0
5. SEMRush Content Marketing Toolkit
SEMRush Content Marketing Toolkit is a shorter course with nine lessons that will only take you three hours to complete, yet will teach you how to use the site’s tools to develop, review and measure your content using SEO principles, all for free. Research, distribution, and tracking are also covered, and the course is taught by SEO expert Ashley Ward. Rating: 4.0
6. Content Marketing Institute University
The great thing about the Content Marketing Institute University course is that it is constantly updated to reflect changes in the industry. CMI chief strategy officer Robert Rose teaches six of the course’s seven parts and the seventh has material from other industry experts. The price of $995 is somewhat prohibitive for many freelancers, but the course is comprehensive. Rating: 4.0
7. eMarketing Institute Content Marketing Training
A free self-taught beginner course using free e-book materials, eMarketing Institute Content Marketing Training offers professional certification if you can pass the test at the end of the course. Covers content creation, strategy, and tracking/metrics. Best for good independent learners. Rating: 4.0
8. Clickminded Content Marketing Training
The ClickMinded Content Marketing Training promises to teach students how to develop profitable content campaigns by creating content for a target persona and focusing on your marketing funnel leading to customer conversion. Once you purchase the course, you get unlimited lifetime access to the content, which includes lectures, downloadable slides, and quizzes. Rating 4.0
9. American Marketing Association (AMA) Digital Marketing Certification
The AMA is the largest digital marketing association in the world, and this certification is a self-study program with an exam that gets you a dual certification from AMA and the Digital Marketing Institute (DMI). Unlike many self-study programs, this one has a fee of $349 for members and $249 for non-members, and participants must score 80% on the final exam to get the certification. Rating: 4.0
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