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Google · on Coursera

Foundations of Digital Marketing and E-commerce

4.8(31,586) on Coursera·1.8M enrolled
Beginner 10 hours English Course CertificateFREE
SkillsDigital marketing basicsCustomer journeyMarketing funnelsE-commerce introMarketing channels

Is this course right for you?

Our take
A gentle, free way to test whether digital marketing is for you before committing to the full Google certificate. It is the first course of that programme, and introductory by design.

Good for: complete beginners exploring digital marketing and e-commerce.

Skip if: you already know marketing basics, or you want hands-on tools now.

It sets up the field — the customer journey, e-commerce basics, what the entry-level roles involve — in plain language with no jargon or prerequisites. On its own it is more orientation than training, but it is a credible, well-reviewed on-ramp that feeds straight into the rest of the certificate.

Because it is an intro course, it trades depth for breadth: you will not get hands-on with specific ad platforms or analytics tools here, and one course alone will not make you job-ready. If you already know marketing basics, skip ahead to a later course. Google keeps the programme current (as of 2026).

Comparison · LBS

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About this course

The opening course of the Google Digital Marketing & E-commerce Professional Certificate, covering the foundations of digital marketing and e-commerce roles: core marketing concepts, the marketing funnel, e-commerce business models, and the skills needed for entry-level digital marketing and e-commerce positions.

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Instructor

GC
Google Career Certificates
Coursera instructor

Taught by Google Career Certificates, drawing on Google's marketing expertise and curriculum designed with industry input.

Frequently asked questions

No, and it's a common mix-up. This is the first course of Google's paid Digital Marketing and E-commerce professional certificate on Coursera — a newer, fuller, more job-focused programme than the free Digital Garage course on Skillshop. They overlap on the fundamentals, but this one leads into hands-on tools and a career-oriented certificate.

You can take it on its own for the fundamentals, but it's designed as the opening of a seven-course certificate. Alone it's an introduction; the practical, employable parts — tools, e-commerce, real projects — come in the later courses, so the value builds across the full programme.

Only if you plan to complete the fuller certificate. If you just want the basics at no cost, the free Digital Garage covers them. This paid programme goes further into hands-on skills and e-commerce with a job-focused structure, so the extra spend makes sense when you intend to finish it, not just sample the first course.
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