Top Online Certification Courses for Advertising Professionals

6 min read | Feb 11, 2022

By Stephen Pedder

“Encourage innovation. Change is our lifeblood, stagnation our death knell”
-David Ogilvy

The words of David Ogilvy, the Father of Advertising, ring more true today than ever before. Advertising professionals are faced with an ever-changing landscape – one that is both a competitive arena and a creative playground.

Therefore, one of the best ways to stay ahead and stand out as an advertising professional is to engage in microlearning via online certification courses. Continuous upskilling is also highly recommended for new advertising professionals who want to succeed at work.

If you’re wondering what courses to take, Ad Culture presents this list of awesome recommendations. Let’s get started!

What To Look For In Online Certification Courses

Before we dive into the list of top online certification courses you can take, this is our criteria for choosing the courses on our lists. All of the following courses here are:

• Provided by a recognized institution or company
• Designed to target specific skills in advertising
• Perfect for microlearning efforts

It’s important to take certifications from a recognized entity because this is one of the factors that give weight to the certification. On top of this, courses targeting specific skill sets will be beneficial since this can allow you to tailor-fit your learning experience.

Last but not least, microlearning courses are divided into conveniently small learning units. This means that these courses are ideal for busy schedules that most advertising professionals have.

So without further ado, here’s our list of exceptional online certification courses for you to check out.

1. Fundamentals of Digital Marketing Certification | Google Digital Garage

We’re kicking off this list of online certification courses with one of the most well-known companies in the world, Google. The Google Digital Garage is an online learning platform filled with high-quality courses covering various digital skills. Some of these courses are created by Google while some are provided by universities and other institutions.

The Digital Marketing Certification offered by Google Digital Garage is accredited by the Interactive Advertising Bureau. It is perfect for advertising professionals who want to hone a general understanding of the digital marketing landscape.

The course goes through topics such as business strategy, website design, Search Engine Optimization, Search Engine Marketing, social media marketing, mobile marketing and more.

2. Digital Marketing Certification | The Digital Marketing Institute (DMI)

The Digital Marketing Institute (DMI) operates in 135+ countries, making them one of the most recognized providers of digital marketing certification.

The Digital Marketing courses offered by DMI cover the main pillars of digital marketing – which include social media marketing, PPC, email marketing, website optimization, and so on. The different courses offered by DMI also have different levels to suit the learning needs of each advertising professional.

3. Marketing in a Digital World MicroMasters® Program | Curtin University via edX

EdX is a massive online learning platform where institutions like Curtin University, Harvard, MIT, and more can offer a variety of courses. Curtin University is a leading Australian university with campuses located internationally.

The Marketing in a Digital World MicroMasters® (offered by Curtin University via edX) covers topics such as digital branding, reputation management, buyer behaviour, brand management, and online marketing strategies.

Aside from teaching important skills, this course offers a MicroMasters credential that can boost your CV as an advertising professional. It can also be applied if you decide to pursue the full master’s program at Curtin University.

4. Google Ads Certifications | Google Ads

Next up on our list of online certification courses for advertising professionals are the Google Ads Certification courses. These are free courses that cover a scope of topics related to digital advertising with Google. Advertising professionals focused on digital media planning will benefit from taking up these short informative courses.

The courses available discuss Google display ads, search ads, YouTube/video ads, shopping ads, and app ads.

5. HubSpot Content Marketing Certification | HubSpot Academy

HubSpot is a well-known developer of software products for customer service, inbound marketing, and sales.

Their Content Marketing Certification covers topics such as the power of storytelling, frameworks for content creation, generating content ideas, blogging, SEO, and so on. This course is recommended for advertising professionals who want to boost their effectiveness in content marketing.

6. Social Marketing Certification Course | Hootsuite Academy

Next on our list of online certification courses is Hootsuite’s Social Marketing Certification Course. Hootsuite is a social media management platform founded in 2008. Their social media course equips learners with foundational skills in social media marketing.

Topics covered include optimizing social media profiles, social media strategy, growing a social media community, social advertising, and more.

7. Google Analytics Individual Qualification | Google Analytics

Through the Google Analytics Individual Qualification, advertising professionals can get certified for their knowledge on digital analytics and the Google Analytics platform. There is also an option to study Google Analytics with two 1-hour courses that cover beginner and advanced concepts respectively.

Excel at Work With Ad Culture

The online certification courses we covered will help you hone the skills you need to grow. However, becoming a successful advertising professional is an ongoing journey – and we’re here to help.

Ad Culture is a digital advertising recruitment firm located in Toronto, Canada. We publish informative blogs that will help you get the career insights you need.

We also connect top talents in the advertising, tech, or brand/business field with amazing opportunities. Contact our team today to start the process of getting hired by the company of your dreams!