Grow with Google

The Marketing Made Clear Podcast

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What is Grow with Google?

Grow with Google is an initiative launched in 2017 to make digital skills accessible to everyone. While it has roots in economic development and digital inclusion, it also offers a full suite of training in marketing and business – via online courses, certifications, and even live events.

It’s essentially Google doing what Google does best: indexing useful information and making it easy to access. Only this time, it’s not search results – it’s professional development.

The programme includes:

• Grow with Google courses and tools – Google’s UK training library now brings together digital marketing, AI, career development, business tools and live learning in one place.

• Google Career Certificates – Longer-form training, including the Digital Marketing & E-commerce Certificate. These programmes are hosted through Coursera and should be treated separately from Google’s free short-course library.

• Skillshop – Self-paced training and certification for Google products, including dedicated Google Ads learning paths and certifications.

• Workshops and mentoring – Often targeted at small businesses, community groups, or career starters.

Why Should Marketers Care?

Whether you’re new to marketing or have been doing it since the days of Ask Jeeves, Google’s training platforms offer several advantages:

1. Much of the Training Is Genuinely Free

Google still provides a substantial library of free training, including digital-marketing courses, Google Ads training and live skills sessions. The important caveat is that not everything under the wider Google learning umbrella is free: longer Career Certificates are delivered through Coursera, although Google also supports scholarship routes.

2. Google Credentials Carry Weight

Google training will not replace professional experience or a postgraduate qualification, but recognised courses and product certifications can still strengthen a CV, particularly for junior marketers, career switchers and specialists who want evidence of platform knowledge.

3. Real-World Tools, Real-Time Learning

Training includes walkthroughs on setting up Google Ads campaigns, improving search performance, using Google Analytics, and tracking campaign ROI. These are not abstract ideas – they’re the exact skills you’ll be expected to use on the job.

4. It’s Flexible and Modular

Courses are self-paced and often bite-sized. You can complete lessons during your lunch break or while your dog finally decides which patch of grass is worthy.

Best Courses for Marketers

Here’s a shortlist of standout courses worth bookmarking:

What’s the Catch?

Honestly, not much. There’s a light promotional aspect to it (naturally), and the training does have a Google-first flavour – it’s not going to give equal weight to competitors like Meta Ads or TikTok, for instance.

But that’s hardly scandalous. You’re learning from the dominant search engine and advertising platform in the world. If you want to make friends with the Google algorithm, this is a smart place to start.

Who’s It For?

• Students and job seekers – You can build a marketing foundation without spending a penny. Certificates are perfect for bolstering your CV or LinkedIn profile.

• Small business owners – If you’re running your own show, this training helps you understand how digital marketing works, and where your money goes.

• Mid-career marketers – Even if you’ve been doing this for years, the landscape evolves. Google Analytics 4 alone is worth swotting up on.

• Marketers in non-profits – With budget constraints, free training is invaluable—and applicable across many platforms, not just Google’s.

A Tool, Not a Silver Bullet

A quick reality check: these courses are useful, but they won’t make you a marketing Jedi overnight. Like any tool, they’re only as good as the person using them.

As a starting point – or even a skills top-up – Google’s free courses are an excellent addition to your learning arsenal. For the longer Career Certificates, check the current delivery and pricing before enrolling.

If you’re serious about levelling up your marketing knowledge, Google now offers a useful learning ecosystem ranging from short free courses to more substantial professional certificates.

TL;DR

• Grow with Google offers a broad mix of practical digital-marketing, AI and career training, with many resources available free.

• Current routes include the Grow with Google course library, Skillshop, live training and longer Google Career Certificates delivered through Coursera.

• Certificates can enhance your CV and provide hands-on skills in SEO, PPC, email, and analytics.

• Especially useful for students, small business owners, and professionals upskilling in the digital space.

• It’s not a magic fix—but it’s one of the best free resources out there for marketers today.