Digital Media Courses For Beginners (Reviews)

Digital media has taken the world by storm, influencing how we consume news, entertainment, and information on a daily basis. Through digital media courses, would-be marketing professionals and design leaders can learn how to connect with their audience on a variety of platforms and channels.

A digital media training class can cover everything from social media management to online content creation and UX design. We’ve assessed some of the most popular and well-renowned digital media courses, to bring you a list of the most valuable options.

If you’re looking for online marketing training options, check our list of the best digital marketing courses.

Digital Media Online Courses For Beginners

1. Digital Media and Marketing Strategies

Offered as part of the comprehensive digital marketing specialization from the University of Illinois, Digital Media and Marketing strategies offer a comprehensive insight into the new media landscape.

The course introduces students to the evolving world of digital media and data, as well as how to leverage these assets to target specific customer segments more effectively.

Providing an in-depth understanding of marketing campaign strategy, and the intricacies of mixing paid, owned, earned, and shared media, this course sets students on a powerful path towards a career in digital marketing, consulting, and promotional strategy.

Who is this for?

Designed for complete beginners in the digital marketing and brand communication world, Digital Media and Marketing Strategies build a foundation for your online advertising knowledge.

It’s a crucial part of the Coursera Digital Marketing Specialization course, specifically focused on concepts like holistic and integrated digital marketing planning.

What you’ll learn?

As part of the Gies College Business suite of online programs, this media and marketing course provides a professional overview of all the digital marketing channels you may use as a budding advertising expert. You’ll learn how to:

• Develop a powerful content marketing strategy based on business goals.
• Integrate multiple forms of media (shared, owned, earned, and paid).
• Critically evaluate the role of social media platforms and influencer campaigns.
• Examine and measure the success of each advertising campaign.
• Understand and identify the risks with marketing strategies.

How much does it cost and how long does it take to complete?

The course is available on Coursera’s monthly plan for $39 per month and takes only around 20 hours to complete. You can reset your deadlines according to your schedule if you’re keen to learn digital media online at your own pace.

If you want to complete the entire Digital Marketing specialization around this course, you’ll need about 8 months to finish it (at a pace of 5 hours per week). Financial aid and scholarships are available.

2. Digital Marketing Full Course

If you want to learn more than just digital media and a get complete overview of digital marketing, the Digital Marketing Full Course is one of your best choices.

Designed for complete beginners, this certification course will teach you everything you need to know about Digital Marketing. It starts from the beginning and takes you step-by-step through ALL digital marketing channels including SEO, SEM, Social Media, Content Marketing, Affiliate Marketing, YouTube Marketing, and Email Marketing.

The course instructors are experienced marketers actively working in the industry. It's a highly actionable course to help you build practical skills.

Who is this for?

This course is for anyone wishing to start a career in digital marketing by securing a job in a digital marketing agency or even starting a digital marketing business. It is packed with real-life examples and tutorials to help you build job-ready skills.

What you’ll learn?

Throughout the 13 courses that are part of this certification, you'll learn how to utilize all digital media channels to create profitable digital marketing campaigns. For each digital channel, you'll learn how it works, how to set up campaigns, and what exact steps to take to optimize your campaigns. The topics covered include:

• Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
• Search Engine Marketing (Google Ads)
• Facebook Marketing (Organic and Paid Ads)
• Social Media Marketing
• Content Marketing
• Affiliate Marketing
• Email Marketing
• Retargeting
• YouTube Marketing
• Google Analytics
• eCommerce SEO

How much does it cost and how long does it take to complete?

The cost to enroll in the Digital Marketing Full Course is $149. With your registration, you get unlimited lifetime access and free updates. This gives you the ability to complete the courses at your own pace and time. The program offers two certifications: an SEO Certification and a Digital Marketing Certification.

It's a highly-rated program that comes with an unbeatable 60-day money-back guarantee offer.

3. Master Digital Marketing Strategy

The digital media course created by Left Bank on Future Learn promises all the guidance you need to master the strategic elements of digital marketing. You’ll learn from industry experts and develop your skills in crucial advertising areas like social media, SEO, and information architecture.

The Master Digital Marketing strategy explores the entire marketing mix, the four “P’s” of promotion, and how you can leverage crucial tools to enhance your campaigns, like automation. When you’re done learning, you’ll even get your own certificate.

Who is this for?

This beginner-friendly course is ideal for those just getting started with digital marketing, or anyone who wants to bring their skills up-to-date. You don’t need any prior experience, but it helps to have a basic knowledge of the online world, and the channels often used for advertising (such as social media).

The expert track is particularly useful for anyone looking to transition from a traditional marketing focus to a more digitally-driven career.

What you’ll learn?

The expert track is actually made up of a series of four individual courses, each with its own distinct focus.

The first course introduces marketing, with insights into the state of the digital landscape, and how to build an advertising strategy. Course 2 looks at the marketing mix and sales funnel, as well as how to track the customer journey.

Course 3 covers price, product, promotion, and placement in the advertising world, while course 4 explores marketing analysis and how to review campaigns. Topics covered include:

• Digital marketing strategy and project planning
• Content marketing, storytelling, and building audience engagement
• Setting up email and social media campaigns
• How to analyze and learn from marketing strategies

How much does it cost and how long does it take to complete?

The course takes around 3 months to complete at a price of $39 per month, so you can expect to spend $117 in total if you finish the classes on time. This price includes a certificate for each course you complete.

4. Fundamentals of Digital Marketing

IAB-accredited, and offering a recognized certification from a leading organization, the Google “Fundamentals of digital marketing” class is perfect for beginners.

With unlimited access to a host of video tutorials and resources, you’ll learn everything you need to know about the basics of online advertising, including how to build an online presence from scratch.

Rather than focusing exclusively on marketing techniques, this digital media class also covers concepts like business strategy, and how to align multiple forms of media into a more comprehensive campaign.

Who is this for?

Ideal for beginners with an interest in building a new marketing career, the Fundamentals of Digital Marketing will help you kick-start your knowledge in the industry with 26 modules all created by leading Google training experts.

Real-world examples and practical learning exercises also ensure you can get hands-on with your new knowledge, and practice marketing skills before you start applying for new roles.

What you’ll learn?

This Google course starts from the very beginning with online advertising, offering an introduction to building your online presence, and how to analyze the marketplace.

Throughout the 26 modules, you’ll learn about building a website, planning a business strategy, and accessing tools like content marketing and display advertising. By the time you’re done learning, you’ll know how to:

• Analyze and understand both customers and competitors
• Set effective goals and track online marketing performance
• Combine search engine, email, and social media marketing
• Master SEO and keyword analysis both locally and globally

How much does it cost and how long does it take to complete?

The digital media training from Google is free to access, with a series of 26 modules to complete, covering around 3 months’ worth of education. There are no deadlines for when you complete the test questions included in the course.

5. MicroMasters Program in Integrated Digital Media

Ideal for those interested in the UX and design sides of the digital marketing world, the MicroMasters program from NYU helps students to unlock new career opportunities with a behind-the-scenes look at the evolving media landscape.

This course explores all of the core information students need to use about UI/UX design, and how to create interactive experiences for consumers of digital media. You’ll develop a comprehensive portfolio during the course of the lessons, ideal for showcasing your knowledge in your field.

Who is this for?

Intended for those seeking a career in the creative design landscape, the digital media course from MicroMasters will support all kinds of graphic designers and multimedia artists. This course looks at how modern consumers connect with media in a digitally-driven world, and what UI and UX designers need to know to support their customers.

What you’ll learn?

Students will learn how to effectively leverage media and technology to their advantage to help companies and clients interact with their end-users. Students also develop all kinds of critical thinking skills which will be transferable into a number of roles throughout the marketing and design industries.

Throughout the course, you’ll learn how to:

• Leverage technology and use digital media tools for UI and UX design
• Integrate and access various technologies within a wider ecosystem.
• Explore the theories of media and technology and create conceptual frameworks
• Evaluate media law and build your own intelligent campaigns

How much does it cost and how long does it take to complete?

This course costs $999 for the full learning experience and will take around 1 year to complete, at a pace of around 8 to 10 hours per week. There are exams and assignments in this course that have specific due dates you’ll need to adhere to.

6. Google UX Design

If you want to build a new series of digital media experiences for the latest generation of consumers, the Google UX Design course could be ideal for you. Created to provide would-be professionals with in-demand skills, this course paves the way to a future in UX design.

You’ll learn all about what it means to be a UX designer and create meaningful experiences for modern customers on apps and websites. You’ll also receive a shareable certificate from Google at the end of the course.

Who is this for?

Google’s course is custom-made for emerging UX designers hoping to get on the path to a new career as quickly as possible. You’ll learn how to use wireframes, mockups, and prototypes to share your ideas with others, and even start building a portfolio.

You don’t need any background knowledge to get started, but you will need access to Adobe XD and Figma.

What you’ll learn?

This Google digital media class provides a comprehensive overview of UX design, and the processes you’ll follow as a professional in this industry. You’ll learn how to evaluate your target audience, define potential pain points, and create media solutions. There’s even guidance on the basics of UX research, like conducting interviews and usability studies. You’ll learn how to:

• Apply foundational UX concepts to design, like accessibility and equity-focused design
• Create a professional UX portfolio with 3 end-to-end projects
• Experiment with design tools like Adobe XD and Figma
• Prepare for new jobs in UX design

How much does it cost and how long does it take to complete?

Charged at a rate of $39 per month, the UX design course takes around 4 months to complete, costing a total of $156. There is a 7-day free trial during which you can cancel with no penalty. Financial aid is also available for those in need of extra support.

7. Digital Media Foundations

One of the top ways to learn digital media online, the Digital Media Foundations course is a hands-on educational experience for anyone interested in the mechanics of the content we consume.

If you’re interested in motion graphics, video editing, audio mixing, or anything else connected to the experiences we have with modern digital tools, this could be the course for you.

The LinkedIn learning course takes an interesting approach to show students behind the scenes how computers, apps, and other tools present media.

Who is this for?

If you’re interested in getting a job in the creative design world, as a photographer, CG artist, or UX designer, this could be the course for you. An enlightening insight into how digital images, audio, and graphics work, the Digital Media Foundations course is great for beginners who want to learn more about how the tools they use work.

What you’ll learn?

Through a series of insightful lessons and 8 chapter quizzes to test your skills, this LinkedIn learning course will explore how computers think, and how devices present graphics and other digital content to consumers in a modern world.

The topics cover everything from the difference between file formats and codecs to how concepts like audio frequency and color channels work. Throughout the classes, you’ll learn:

• How cameras and computers assess color and brightness
• How to use the “language of color” with color modes and transparency
• Adjusting the shape of pictures and speed of videos
• Storing content through codecs and compression

How much does it cost and how long does it take to complete?

A simple overview of the digital media world, this LinkedIn learning course will only take 2 hours to complete, and it’s free to access, with a certificate available upon completion.

8. Fundamentals of Digital Image and Video Processing

Visuals are an important part of the digital media landscape, whether you’re experimenting with web design, photography, or video processing. This course on the fundamentals of digital image and video processing ensures students can make the most of their images and videos in a range of environments.

Covering everything from 2D signals and systems to the power of motion in content creation, the Fundamentals of Digital Image and Video Processing course is ideal for creative students.

Who is this for?

This course is intended for students with a strong focus on the visual world. If you want to know how to make the most out of your photographs or experiment with images and visuals for commercial purposes, this could be the course for you.

There’s no need for any background knowledge, and you’ll gain access to a complete mathematical framework for analyzing images and videos. You’ll also get a shareable certificate, ideal for expanding your career opportunities.

What you’ll learn?

The course covers all the fundamentals of video and image processing, with comprehensive insights into how to perform crucial processing tasks using state-of-the-art tools and techniques. Students will walk away with a powerful knowledge of how to use visuals for a range of use cases. During the course, you’ll learn how to:

• Process and understand 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional images
• Explore signals and systems as they relate to image processing
• Interact with Fourier transform and sampling methods, as well as motion estimation,
• Enhance, recover, and compress images, and graphics

How much does it cost and how long does it take to complete?

The full course takes around 36 hours to complete, and you can finish the syllabus at a pace that suits you. However, you will pay $49 per month for access to the classes, so the quicker you finish the course, the less you need to pay. Financial aid is available.

Are Digital Media Courses Worth It?

Digital media is a consistent part of our world today. We interact with countless forms of digital media on a daily basis, from our social media profiles to websites, apps, and even online videos. Knowing how to leverage, create, and access digital media can be extremely valuable.

The right digital media courses can open the door to a host of new careers in an increasingly tech-focused world. You could use your digital media class to learn about marketing media, and how to integrate campaigns across social, email, and search engine optimization.

Alternatively, you can take a digital media course to learn all about content creation, how to experiment with graphics, enhance images, and store video.

No matter which direction you choose, digital media courses should provide you with the knowledge you need to earn a high-paying career in the evolving media landscape. With many of the courses above, you’ll even be able to earn a certificate to highlight your skills.

Related Courses and Certifications

To further expand your digital media skills, you can consider the following courses and certifications:

Best Digital Marketing Certifications - hand-picked digital marketing certifications worth pursuing. Globally recognized and from top online academies.

Best Social Media Marketing Certifications - a list of accredited certifications for starting a career in social media marketing.

Content Marketing Training Courses - online courses to learn how content marketing really works in digital channels.