Looking for the Best Free Digital Marketing Course with a Certificate? My Honest HubSpot Academy Review

“Which is the best free digital marketing course online?”

“How to start learning about content marketing for free?”

People have asked me these questions so many times over the years.

Even a few days back, I got a LinkedIn DM from a graphic designer who wanted to learn about content marketing.

I tell everyone to start with HubSpot Academy.

Why?

• It’s free
• Easy to understand
• Provides multiple free resources
• And provides certificates after course completion.

So, What’s this HubSpot Academy?

HubSpot Academy is a free online training portal launched by HubSpot in 2012. It is a segment under HubSpot, which is a CRM, marketing, and sales software.

They offer several courses on:

• SEO
• Sales
• Content marketing
• Inbound marketing
• Email marketing

And so on.

What Are the Main Benefits of HubSpot Academy?

HubSpot, as a company, has a wealth of information on digital marketing.

Just go through their blog page and ebooks, and you’ll understand.

Moreover, they are the ones who introduced “Inbound marketing,” which changed the way marketers view organic content marketing.

Over the years, they have become industry leaders in the digital marketing segment.

They also enjoy a rating of 4.7/5 on G2.

Stumbled upon HubSpot while researching about free online digital marketing course back in 2020 — you know, to upskill!

Before joining HubSpot Academy, I had completed the Fundamentals of Digital Marketing by Google Skill Shop. So, I had a clear understanding of the basics before I went in-depth, and I would suggest you do the same.

After doing a few courses on HubSpot Academy, here are some of the benefits I got:

HubSpot Academy Certificate Looks Good on the Resume and LinkedIn Profile

The keyword here is “Looks Good”.

Let’s put aside the learning for a sec and focus on whether the HubSpot Academy certificate is worth it.

Well, in my experience, I was never queried regarding the certificate. The interviewing team just wanted to see my practical work and samples.

But yes, for some traditional interviewers who have a slight preference for educational proof, this might work.

Also, over the years, I have seen a few job descriptions where it was specifically mentioned that they wanted these certifications.

So, it’s best you do the courses and get the certificate.

Courses are Free

HubSpot Academy courses and the certificates it offers are free. But yes, for the certificate, you’ll have to qualify the exams.

When I was doing this course, I was doing a part-time job while doing my Master’s in Journalism and Mass Communication.

The pay was not enough for me to afford paid courses, so I went for HubSpot, and the learning was great. And since I was already a part-time content writer, I started applying what I learned to my work.

Free Practical Exercises and Study Guides

They link their blog posts in their courses as resources, which I recommend you read without compromise. Some of them are lengthy, especially the guides, so read them when you’ve ample time.

In these blogs, too, you’ll find several tools, sheets, and documents that’ll help you.

I used these exercise documents as references later in my career to develop my systems, for example, content calendar, templates, and so on.

Along with these, you’ll be quizzed after you complete each video segment or chapter. This is a little fun, and yes, the marks on the quiz don’t impact the final score.

No Deadline and Easy to Use

It’s a self-paced learning forum.

You have to sign up and get started. There are no deadlines, and you can watch the videos whenever you can.

For example, I have 3 courses pending from the last 3 years, and I am not proud of that.

Back in 2020, I used to do the courses after my college and working hours. Some courses you can finish quickly, just watch at 1.5x speed (possible, if your English is good).

But yes, you do need to study well if you want to qualify for the exam for the certificate.

The portal is available on desktop and their HubSpot App.

Here’s the website link: HubSpot Academy

Once you sign up, you will get the home page like this:

The navigation is easy.

You can quickly search for the course you’re looking for and use the catalogue to check all the courses they offer.

Once you start learning, this is the course page you get:

You can easily select any specific video you want to watch. There are no locked videos, so you can even randomly watch the sections you want.

At the end of the course, you’ll be taken to the exam portal.

Unfortunately, there is no separate HubSpot Academy app. The HubSpot Academy is integrated with the HubSpot app.

Download the HubSpot App from the Play Store and then follow these steps:

Step 1: Open the HubSpot App and Login.

Step 2: Use the side bar menu. You have to click on the three-line icon in the top left corner. This will open the menu.

Step 3: In the bottom, tap on “Help”

Step 4: In the Help Menu, click on “HubSpot Academy”

This will open the HubSpot Academy section, and you can easily browse and take your courses.

Once you complete the course, you will get the option to take the exam. These exams do take some time.

So, I recommend that you not start the exam just after the course.

Take a gap, preferably a day, and then you start the exam.

How Hard are HubSpot Academy Exams?

HubSpot Academy Exams have a moderate level of difficulty. Some of the courses do have difficult questions, and the majority of the questions are easy.

When I gave my first few exams in 2020, I found SEO a bit difficult. I had to retake it. However, recently, I gave the email marketing exam, and it was easy.

You’ve to attentively listen to the videos. Almost all the questions are from the videos only. You have to keep a note of everything.

The mistake I made was that I neglected a few pointers while watching the video, and questions came up about that.

Here’s what people are saying about HubSpot Academy exams:

In case you do get a low score, you have to retake the exam.

How Many Times Can You Take the HubSpot Academy Exams?

There is no set limit for the number of times you can retake the HubSpot Exams. Every time you complete your exam, you will receive an email with your score breakdown within 24 hours.

This is helpful, as you can learn and fix it the next time you attempt.

However, yes, you will have to wait for 12 hours.

To earn your certificate, you’ll have to score at least 75%.

After you complete your exam, you will get your digital certificate. You may download it and share it on your LinkedIn profile.

Here’s mine (just to motivate you)

I have added the same to my LinkedIn Profile as well.

I use it in my resume too.

How do I talk to HubSpot if there is Any Issue?

HubSpot Academy has a community where you can discuss and ask your questions.

Someone from the HubSpot team will surely answer your query. If not, the community members may also help you.

Alternatively, if it’s something you want to share directly with the team, you may drop an email to academy@hubspot.com.

You may have to raise a ticket at times if it’s a technical issue.

How have HubSpot Academy Courses Helped in my Career?

When I was a beginner, the courses gave me clarity on the fundamentals.

Once my base was solid, I kept upgrading my knowledge by reading articles, blogs, and ebooks. But the most learning came when I used the knowledge practically.

I used the learning to build my blog website (which I had to let go of due to other commitments), and this website worked as my portfolio. I used it to get my first full-time job in Bangalore as a content and communication officer in a B2B manufacturing company.

As I started working, I used the same knowledge to manage the social media marketing and the website revamp project.

But yes, I did upskill even after that.

Recently, I completed my Advanced Certificate Course in Digital Marketing & Communication from UpGrad. I have written a review article on Medium.

So, Here’s My Final Say on HubSpot Academy

HubSpot only provides basic information.

It’s great for someone who has just started exploring the digital marketing world or is a student. The learning here will help you get an internship and fresher roles. But I would recommend you apply the learning by building your brand.