Sales & Marketing

How to become a Digital Marketing Specialist

From no experience: every step, how long it takes, and the credential it earns.

Time to get there

6–18 months

Typical pay

$52k–$75k

Starting from

No experience

The steps

1. 1

   Learn the channels

   Paid search, paid social, email and analytics. Breadth first here, unusually.

   3–6 months

   Course that covers thisDIGITAL MARKETING: Complete Digital Marketing CourseUdemy · around $19.99 →
2. 2

   Get certified where it is free

   Google Ads and GA4 certifications cost nothing and are widely asked for.

   Google Ads / GA4 certification

3. 3

   Learn SEO fundamentals

   The channel that compounds, and the one most specialists are weakest at.

   Course that covers thisSEO for Absolute Beginners - Learn SEO Basics QuicklyUdemy · around $19.99 →
4. 4

   Run real campaigns

   Spend a real budget, even a small one, and report on what it returned.

   6–12 months

   Course that covers thisComplete Social Media Marketing CourseUdemy · around $19.99 →

Course links are Udemy affiliate links — we earn a commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you. Licences and exams named above are issued by state boards and certifying bodies we have no relationship with; we list them because they are what the job actually requires.