Level up in 2025: Best free & low-cost certifications for social media managers

Contributed blog by Angie Ramirez, Freelance Writer at Government Social Media®

It’s 2025, and this year is all about you! Whether you’re looking to deepen your knowledge, upskill, build your resume, or showcase your expertise, now is the perfect time to invest in yourself. For social media professionals—especially those of us working in the government space—staying ahead of trends and tools is critical. The good news?

There are fantastic free and low-cost certifications available online that can help you shine. Many of these online certification programs can be completed at your own pace and allow you to automatically add the certificate to your LinkedIn profile. This is a great way to showcase your skills and commitment to continued learning.

Let’s dive into some of the best free and low-cost certification options to enhance your skills in social media management and beyond.

1. HubSpot Academy: Social Media Marketing Certification

Cost: Free
Duration: 10 lessons, ~5 hours
Award Type: Certification
Link: HubSpot Academy: Social Media Marketing Certification

This certification offers an all-in-one guide to mastering social media. From creating effective strategies to measuring ROI, the course covers essentials like developing a content calendar, engagement strategies, and digital advertising. With a user-friendly structure, you can learn at your own pace. Once you pass the exam, you’ll earn a LinkedIn-ready certification. Feeling ambitious? Follow it up with the Social Media Marketing Certification II to build on these foundational skills.

2. HubSpot Academy: Digital Marketing Certification

Cost: Free
Duration: 11 lessons, ~5 hours
Award Type: Certification
Link: HubSpot Academy: Digital Marketing Certification

Expand your expertise beyond social media with this comprehensive certification. Covering topics like SEO, content creation, video marketing, and paid search, this course is perfect for those looking to gain an even broader view of digital marketing. Its flexible structure lets you dive deep into digital marketing fundamentals, ideal for government professionals juggling multiple responsibilities.

3. Google Analytics Certification

Cost: Free
Duration: ~5 hours
Award Type: Certification
Link: Google Analytics Certification

For those wearing many hats—and let’s face it, that’s most of us—Google Analytics is a must-know tool. This certification teaches you how to set up and manage a Google Analytics 4 property, use reporting tools, and measure online marketing effectiveness. Even if analytics isn’t your primary focus, this course adds serious value to your resume.

4. Meta Blueprint: Social Media Marketing Professional Certificate

Cost: Free 7-day trial, then $49/month
Duration: ~20 weeks (5-10 hours per week)
Award Type: Certification
Link: Meta Blueprint Certification

Meta can feel like a maze, but this certification makes it manageable. Learn to master Facebook and Instagram marketing, build ad campaigns, and create a strong brand presence across platforms. Perfect for social media marketers looking to up their game, this certificate is hosted on Coursera and offers flexible pacing.

5. LinkedIn Learning: Social Media Marketing Foundations

Cost: $19.99/month (Premium access)
Duration: ~1 hour 16 minutes
Award Type: Certification
Link: LinkedIn Learning: Social Media Marketing Foundations

Short on time? This quick yet impactful course is a great way to sharpen your social media strategy. Led by marketing consultant Brian Honigman, the curriculum covers essentials like crafting personas, publishing engaging content, and setting up creator partnerships. The certification is, of course, shareable on LinkedIn—perfect for showcasing your new skills.

6. Canva Essentials Certification

Cost: Free
Duration: ~1 hour exam
Award Type: Certification
Link: Canva Essentials Certification

For Canva newbies or pros looking to validate their skills, this certification is a quick win. Familiarize yourself with Canva’s tools through short videos, or jump straight to the exam if you’re confident. If you have experience with Canva, you can likely jump straight to the exam, which is a 25-question test that takes about 15 minutes to complete. If you need more test prep assistance, there is a great Canva Essentials course that takes about 1 hour. Once certified, you can proudly display your new credential on LinkedIn.

7. Canva Graphic Design Essentials Certification

Cost: Free
Duration: ~1 hour exam
Award Type: Certification
Link: Canva Graphic Design Essentials

This certification is perfect for beginners aiming to improve their graphic design skills. Like the Essentials certification, you can skip straight to the test or complete a short preparatory course. If you have some knowledge of design and basic experience with Canva, you can likely jump straight to the exam, which is a 25 question test that takes about 15 minutes to complete. If you need more test prep assistance, Canva also offers a Graphic Design Essentials course that includes 8 lessons and takes about 45 minutes to complete. Share your success with a LinkedIn-ready certificate.

8. Hootsuite Academy: Social Media Marketing Certification

Cost: $199
Duration: ~3.5 hours
Award Type: Certification
Link: Hootsuite Academy

Designed for intermediate learners, this certification is perfect for those ready to deepen their social marketing knowledge. The course covers everything from audience building to content optimization and comes with a certification that never expires.

Ready to go bigger?

If these certifications inspire you to take your education even further, consider exploring academic programs. Many universities now offer online degrees and certificates tailored for working professionals. I recently completed a Master’s in Digital Strategy from the University of Florida (Go Gators!), which included a graduate certificate in social media studies. The program was flexible and invaluable for my career growth. If you’re not ready for a full Master’s program, a graduate certificate is a fantastic starting point.

Conclusion

Whether you’re a seasoned social media pro or just starting out, these certifications are excellent opportunities to level up your skills and credentials in 2025. Best of all, they’re flexible, affordable, and designed to fit your busy schedule. So, which certification will you tackle first?

Meet the author

Angela Ramirez (Pitts)

Freelance Writer - Government Social Media LLC

Angela is an award-winning government communicator who is passionate about leveraging social media to build strong relationships between government agencies and the people they serve. During her tenure with the City of Tampa, Angela proudly maintained a dynamic social media presence for the City, telling Tampa’s story through historic events, including the Super Bowl, the COVID-19 pandemic, major hurricanes, and more. She also helped establish a community-centric social media following for the City, growing the @cityoftampa Instagram profile from less than 1k followers to over 100k in under five years.

She has recently moved to the beautiful state of Colorado and now serves as Communications Manger for the City of Lakewood, the 5th largest city in the state. Her passion for government social media continues as she strives to be a thought leader in the field. She takes immense pride in the connections she’s made with social media professionals across the nation.

Angela earned her bachelor's degree from the University of South Florida and is currently completing her master's degree in Digital Strategy from the University of Florida. In her free time, you can find her scrolling Instagram Reels, spending time with her husband and dog, or planning her next big adventure.

Government Social Media® empowers government professionals to achieve mastery in social media through conferences, online training, and professional association membership.

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