Social media has become an indispensable tool (rightly so!) for businesses looking to connect with their audience, build brand awareness, and drive sales. However, understanding the intricacies of social media marketing requires knowledge, skill, and ongoing education. There’s no shortage of reputable platforms offering free social media marketing training courses designed to enhance your social media marketing knowledge.
Here are some recommendations:
- LinkedIn Marketing Labs
- Meta Blueprint
- TikTok Academy
- TikTok Media Buying Certification
- X Ads Academy
- Pinterest Media Buying Certification
- Coursera: Meta Social Media Marketing
- Google Skillshop
- HubSpot Academy
LinkedIn Marketing Labs
LinkedIn is the leading social media platform for B2B lead generation. ‘Marketing Labs’ is LinkedIn’s own certification course that allows you to build your knowledge of the platform and showcase your LinkedIn marketing expertise.
LinkedIn Marketing Labs currently provide three different courses, each of which focus on a different aspect of LinkedIn marketing.
Fundamentals
This certification focuses on LinkedIn advertising foundations, such as launching a successful LinkedIn advertising campaign, optimising targeting, and reporting.
Total Time: Approx 3 hours
- Introduction to LinkedIn Ads- This part of the course provides the basics you need to know when creating eye-catching ad campaigns that get results. From setting your objectives to measuring success, you’ll learn everything you need to know to make successful ads on LinkedIn.
- Using LinkedIn’s Ad Targeting- Ready to target like a pro? In this section, LinkedIn shows you the ropes of LinkedIn’s audience targeting capabilities.
- Ad Formats on LinkedIn- LinkedIn offers a variety of ad formats, depending on your marketing needs. This course will help you understand the options and choose the perfect format to achieve your marketing objectives.
- Reporting and Analytics for LinkedIn Ads- With the right insights, you can optimise your ad campaigns for maximum impact. Learn how to identify key campaign metrics and use insightful reporting tools.
- Campaign Optimisation Tactics- Learn insider tips and tricks for optimising your LinkedIn ad campaigns.
Marketing Strategy: Building Your Brand’s Online Presence
This certification will give you confidence in building a full-funnel LinkedIn marketing strategy.
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Using LinkedIn for Brand Awareness- This part of the course will show you how to use LinkedIn to build brand awareness and establish your presence in your industry.
- Using LinkedIn for Lead Generation- Leads are the lifeblood of any business – and LinkedIn is a goldmine for generating them. In this part of the course, you will learn how to utilise LinkedIn’s platform to drive leads and conversions.
Content and Creative Design: Engage and Inspire Your Audience
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Building an Organic Presence with LinkedIn Pages- Learn how to create and maintain an active LinkedIn page that engages your audience and showcases your brand in the best possible light.
- Creative Design for LinkedIn- Learn how to design visually appealing content that is compelling for your audience.
- Building a Full-Funnel Content Marketing Strategy- From awareness to conversion, every stage of the marketing funnel is an opportunity to engage your audience. In this part of the course, you will learn how to align your organic and paid content to the marketing funnel, that drives results.
Click here to access LinkedIn Marketing Labs
Meta Blueprint
With Meta platforms like Facebook and Instagram dominating social media marketing, mastering their intricacies can be extremely beneficial in achieving your social media objectives.
Meta Blueprint offers a range of free online training courses designed to educate businesses and social media managers with the knowledge and skills needed to thrive on their platforms.
1. Help Fans and Customers Discover You with a Facebook Page
This course teaches you about the importance of a Facebook Page and how it can help businesses achieve their goals.
In this course, you will learn:
- Establishing an online presence and building a community using a Facebook Page.
- Key elements of a Facebook Page, including profile picture, cover photo, and action button.
- Editing a Facebook Page to keep content updated and engaging.
2. Bring Your Business Online with Instagram
Instagram continues to be a powerful platform for businesses to showcase their products and services. This course focuses on the features of an Instagram business account and how businesses can utilise them to establish a strong online presence.
In this course, you will learn:
- Identifying Instagram business account features.
- Setting up an Instagram business account and understanding Insights.
- The benefits of an online presence on Instagram, including additional messaging options, content insights, and action buttons.
3. Start Advertising from Your Page
Advertising on Meta platforms is a powerful way for businesses to promote their products and services. This course provides businesses with insights into Meta advertising and explores available ad formats.
In this course, you will learn:
- Promoting your business with Meta ads and exploring available ad formats.
- Measuring ad performance and understanding key metrics.
- Implementing advertising best practices to maximise ROI and drive results.
Click here to access Meta Blueprint
TikTok Academy
At TikTok Academy, you will find comprehensive learning opportunities for marketers of all backgrounds, enabling you to become adept at utilising TikTok’s unique features for business success.
This learning experience has interactive modules, quizzes, tokens, and badges. Academy badges, earned upon successful course completion, showcase individual achievements and can be easily shared on social media.
TikTok Academy offers two distinct courses:
1. 101 Course
Total time: 2-4 hours
The TikTok 101 course offers a global overview of TikTok’s product offerings, safety measures for brands, creative best practices, and what sets TikTok apart.
2. Small Business Course
Total time: 1 hour
Tailored specifically for small and midsize businesses, the Small Business course comprises four 15-minute lessons covering essential topics such as creating a Business Account, crafting engaging videos, audience engagement, and utilising TikTok’s advertising solutions to drive sales.
Click here to access TikTok Academy
TikTok Media Buying Certification
The TikTok Media Buying Certification is an official exam that validates expertise in TikTok advertising, enhancing credibility and career prospects in the industry.
The exam, available both online and in-person, provides a digital credential valid for two years upon passing. It covers nine key areas, including media buying and creative and measurement solutions.
While no prerequisites exist, a minimum of one year of experience with TikTok Ads Manager is recommended, alongside relevant marketing knowledge.
Key Points:
- Target Audience: Marketers familiar with TikTok for Business, preferably with a year or more of experience in media buying on TikTok Ads Manager or equivalent training.
- Exam Topics:
- TikTok advertising platform and products
- Creative basics
- Data connections
- Campaign management (setup, optimisation, measurement)
- Preparation Resources: Study guide and practice test provided upon registration.
Certification Process: Conducted in a proctored environment, either online or at testing centres. Successful candidates receive a certification valid for two years, which can be showcased on resumés and online profiles.
Click Here to Access TikTok Media Buying
X Ads Academy
Want to step up your advertising on X? X Ads Academy is a detailed e-learning platform designed for everyone—from beginners to experienced marketers.
With 31 courses and 4 certifications available, X Ads Academy ensures you’re up to date with the latest ad strategies and tools, including real-time updates on new features.
Click Here to Access X Ads Academy
Pinterest Media Buying Certification
The Pinterest Media Buyer Certification exam measures and validates job-related knowledge and real-life experience with Pinterest’s ad platform. Designed to help marketers stand out in the competitive industry, it is especially recommended for those with two to five years of media buying experience, including one to two years with Pinterest advertising tools.
About the Exam:
- Questions: 60 multiple-choice
- Duration: 90 minutes
- Passing Score: 70%
- Retake Policy: 14-day waiting period between attempts after a failed exam
- Must be completed in one sitting without exiting
Click Here to Access Pinterest Media Buying
Coursera- Meta Social Media Marketing
The Meta Social Media Marketing Professional Certificate on Coursera offers an in-depth program designed to help you master the essentials of social media marketing across top platforms. Created by Meta, this course is perfect for both beginners and professionals.
Through hands-on projects and step-by-step guidance, you’ll learn how to build and manage social media activities, create engaging content, and optimise campaigns to drive results.
The course covers:
- Introduction to Social Media Marketing
- Total time: 19 hours
- Social Media Management
- Total time: 17 hours
- Fundamentals of Social Media Advertising
- Total time: 11 hours
- Advertising with Meta
- Total time: 13 hours
- Measure and Optimize Social Media Marketing Campaigns
- Total time: 10 hours
- Meta Social Media Marketing Capstone
- Total time: 6 hours
This certificate spans a total of 76 hours across six courses. It is free to enrol for 30 days, giving you a risk-free opportunity to explore the content and gain new skills. Upon completion, you’ll earn a Meta certification that you can showcase on platforms like LinkedIn to enhance your professional profile.
Google Skillshop
With Google Skillshop, individuals and businesses have access to a wealth of courses designed to provide them with the knowledge needed to successfully marketing through Google.
Here are the current topics offered on Google Skillshop.
Google Ads
Grow your skills in online advertising with Google Ads. Whether you’re looking to promote your business or help clients reach their marketing objectives, Google Ads offers a powerful platform to drive results.
Google Digital Garage
This offers online courses in various digital skills, from marketing to coding and beyond.
Google for Education
Transform education with Google for Education, offering a curated set of trainings for educators, students, and school leaders.
Google Marketing Platform
From analytics to audience insights, Google Marketing Platform offers a suite of tools to help you achieve your marketing objectives and get certified in Google Marketing Platforms.
Google Analytics
Google Analytics is the leading analytics platform for measuring website and app performance. Whether you’re new to Google Analytics or looking to take your measurement strategy to the next level, Google Skillshop offers courses tailored to your needs.
YouTube
Understand successful video marketing with YouTube courses tailored for managed Music, Enterprise, Media partners, and Content ID partners.
Google Ads Manager
Google Ad Manager has courses designed to help publishers grow their proficiency with Publisher tools.
Waze Academy
Waze Academy offers insights to help you reach your target audience and drive engagement with location-based advertising.
Google AdMob
Manage your inventory and drive revenue with Google AdMob, the leading platform for monetising mobile apps. Whether you’re a developer or a publisher, Google Skillshop provides courses to help you maximise your earnings and optimise your app monetisation strategy with Google AdMob.
Click here to access Google Skillshop
HubSpot Academy
HubSpot Academy offers an array of training classes, videos, and certification programs tailored to elevate your proficiency with everything you need to know about the most sought-after business skills.
Here are just some of the free courses that are currently available on Hubspot Academy:
- YouTube Marketing Course: Understand successful ways to grow and optimise your YouTube channel.
- Excel for Marketers: Uncover the usability of Excel to improve your data analysis and reporting efforts.
- Digital Advertising Certification Course: Learn the ins and outs of creating customer-centric advertising goals that drive results.
- How to Build a Paid Media Strategy: Gain foundational knowledge on creating effective paid media strategies to amplify your brand’s reach.
Click here to access HubSpot Academy
Have we missed any thing? Email editor@thelighthouse.social with your free course recommendations. If we review the course and find it valuable to include, we’ll send you a £10 Amazon voucher as a token of appreciation.
