10 Social Media Marketing Courses for Beginners

You’re never too late to master social media marketing, and the internet is brimming with courses designed specifically for beginners like you. Whether you’re launching a business, promoting a hobby, or learning valuable digital skills, these 10 Social Media Marketing Courses for Beginners give you confidence and practical skills. This guide is part of my social media marketing series, helping you navigate the online landscape one step at a time…

What You’ll Learn

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Coursera Social Media Marketing Courses — Coursera

1. Coursera – University-Quality Learning

Coursera partners with top universities to offer all sorts of professional courses. I’ve done some of the papers and I was very impressed.

You’ll find comprehensive programs covering Facebook ads, Instagram strategy, and content planning.

Many courses offer free auditing (you watch lectures without certification), while verified certificates typically cost $40-$80. The structured, academic approach suits you if you enjoy in-depth learning with assignments and deadlines.

Udemy Social Media Marketing Courses — Udemy

2. Udemy – Affordable and Practical

Udemy hosts thousands of courses that you can purchase individually, often for $15-$30 during frequent sales.

You get lifetime access to video lessons you can watch at your own pace, with no subscriptions required.

The platform is great at practical, hands-on training that shows you exactly which buttons to click and what strategies work right now. Look for courses with high ratings and recent updates so you get the latest social media features.

See the Social Media Marketing Courses at Udemy>> (affiliate link)

Social Media Marketing Classes - Skillshare — Skillshare

3. Skillshare – Perfect for Creative Minds

Skillshare shines when you want to blend marketing with visual creativity, offering classes on creating stunning Instagram posts, engaging video content, and eye-catching graphics.

The platform costs around $32 monthly or $168 annually, giving you unlimited access to thousands of project-based classes.

You’ll love the community aspect where fellow students share their work and offer feedback.

Perfect if you’re teaching hobbies, selling subscription boxes, have an e-commerce store, running a social media business or promoting your online business.

See the Skillshare Social Media Marketing Courses>> (affiliate link)

Hubspot Academy Social Media Marketing — Hubspot Academy

4. HubSpot Academy – Completely Free Professional Training

HubSpot Academy delivers entirely free courses with legitimate certifications.

You’ll learn comprehensive social media strategy, content marketing, and how to measure your results effectively.

The training focuses on building genuine connections with your audience rather than just chasing likes.

Their “Social Media Marketing” certification course takes about 4-5 hours and covers everything from platform selection to crisis management (yikes!)

5. YouTube – Free Learning from Practitioners

Stay up-to-date with YouTube. You’ll find loads of free tutorials from marketing experts who share real-world strategies they’re currently using in their businesses.

You won’t get structured courses or certificates, but you’ll gain practical insights and stay updated on the latest trends and platform changes.

Search for channels like “Hootsuite,” “Social Media Examiner,” or “Neil Patel” to find reliable, beginner-friendly content. Their informal teaching style often feels like getting advice from a knowledgeable friend.

6. Meta for Business – Learn from the Source

Meta (Facebook’s parent company) offers free official training on Facebook and Instagram marketing directly from the platform creators themselves. Their secrets revealed!

You’ll discover how to set up business pages, create effective ads, understand analytics, and use advanced features like Facebook Shops.

The Blueprint certification program provides professional credentials that advertisers recognize.

Learning directly from Meta means you’re getting accurate, up-to-date information about their constantly evolving platforms.

7. Canva Design School – Master Visual Content Creation

Canva Design School provides completely free courses teaching you to create professional-looking graphics without design experience.

You’ll learn how to make social media posts, stories, videos, and branded content that stops people from scrolling on by.

The tutorials are refreshingly simple, showing you how to use templates, choose colors, and create consistent branding across platforms.

Since visual content performs significantly better on social media, these skills directly improve your marketing results.

Google fundamentals of digital marketing

8. Google Digital Garage – Comprehensive and Free

Google offers free courses covering social media within broader digital marketing programs, complete with recognized certifications.

You’ll gain solid fundamentals in online advertising, analytics, and strategic thinking that complement your social media efforts.

The “Fundamentals of Digital Marketing” course includes several social media modules, from AI tools to video marketing, and takes about 40 hours to complete. You also earn an award!

Google’s training emphasizes data-driven decision making, teaching you to measure what actually works for your business.

9. Alison – Self-Paced Free Learning

Alison provides free diploma and certificate courses in social media marketing that you can complete entirely at your own pace.

You’ll work through structured modules covering content creation, audience engagement, and platform-specific strategies without any time pressure.

The courses are genuinely free, though you can pay $25-$50 for official certificates if you want documentation of your learning.

This platform works beautifully if you prefer learning in small chunks between other responsibilities.

See the marketing courses at Alison>> (affiliate link)

10. Wealthy Affiliate – Complete Business-Building Platform

Wealthy Affiliate goes beyond simple courses by offering a full training ecosystem. They teach you how to build an online business using social media marketing alongside website creation and affiliate marketing. This is where I studied and am still there today!

The platform provides a free starter membership with 10 lessons, 1 website, and limited access, while premium membership costs $49 monthly ($19 first month) or $495 annually.

You’ll join a supportive community of entrepreneurs, get access to weekly live training, and receive help building your actual business as you learn and grow.

This option suits you perfectly if you want to turn your social media skills into a genuine income stream rather than just learning theory.

Try Wealthy Affiliate for free! (Affiliate Link)

Skillshare Social Media Marketing Courses

You’ve got remarkable options at every price point, from completely free to affordable subscriptions.

Start with one platform that matches your learning style and budget, complete just one course, and then apply what you’ve learned before moving to the next.

The knowledge you gain will transform your confidence online and open doors you didn’t know existed. Take that first step today – your future self will thank you for starting this journey.

Next Steps: See the Content and Affiliate Marketing Series (includes Social Media Marketing)