Did you know that Google offers a vast array of online courses? They cover everything from digital marketing to Android app development. Some even come with certification.

But which are the best Google online courses? We're going to take a closer look, keep reading to learn more.

1. Fundamentals of Digital Marketing

Cost: Free

Level: Beginner

Timeline: Self-paced

The Digital Marketing syllabus is one of the best free Google courses. It teaches students the concepts of clickthrough rates, landing page experience, campaign optimization, and return on investment.

You'll also learn about the benefits of targeted advertising and understand the technical and cultural challenges that can impact the success of an online advertising campaign.

At the end of the course, students will need to need to pass two AdWords certification exams to become an AdWords certified professional. The exam is optional but encouraged.

2. Android Basics Nanodegree Program

android basics by google course

Cost: $339 per month

Level: Beginner

Timeline: Three months (10 hours/week)

The Android operating system controls around 85 percent of the global smartphone market share. Given its popularity, and given we're increasingly moving towards an app-driven economy, knowing how to be a developer for the Android platform is a fantastic skill to learn.

The Android Basics course is only available on Udacity. It's a self-study course aimed at people with no prior experience of coding. If you have a personal blog or small online store that you'd like to make an app for, this is the course for you.

It consists of four modules: User Interface, User Input, Multi-Screen Apps, and Networking. Over the course of the four modules, you will build a complete and functioning Android app.

3. App Monetization

Cost: Free

Level: Intermediate

Timeline: Approximately one month

Having a business idea, creating a company, and marketing your product is only half the battle. You also need to monetize your concept in a sustainable way.

In the digital world, that's easier said than done. Traditional sources of income---such as online ad revenues---are falling for many organizations. And the lack of a successful monetization strategy continues to hamper several tech giants, with Twitter perhaps the most notable.

This course, which is free on Udacity, mixes theory with real-world examples. It aims to help to develop, implement, and measure your monetization strategy.

The four modules in the course are Introducing Monetization, Monetization Strategies, Implement a Monetization Plan, and Optimize Your Model.

4. Mobile Web Specialist

Cost: Free ($149 with exam)

Level: Beginner

Timeline: Self-paced

The days when everyone used to access the web using a desktop monitor are long gone. Today, you can access websites using everything from your smartwatch to your television.

The vast array of devices we use to go online cause headaches for web developers. Sites and web apps need to be flexible and responsive.

If you take the Mobile Web Specialist course, you'll learn about basic web layout and styling, front end networking, progressive web apps, performance optimization, testing and debugging, and ES2015 concepts.

At the end of the course, you will receive an official Google certification. The exam for the final certificate consists of coding challenges and an interview. The course and exam combined cost $149 to undertake.

5. Android Developer Nanodegree Program

Cost: $399 per month

Level: Expert

Timeline: Six months (10 hours/week)

Google offers two nanodegree programs for Android. We've already looked at the first---Android Basics---this is the second. It's one of the closest things you'll get to an online Google university course.

Before you sign up, make sure you meet Google's suggested prerequisites. They include knowledge of Java, Python, C++, Git, and GitHub. Google also suggests that you should have two years of industry experience.

The nanodegree itself covers home screen widgets, integrating rich media, user testing, creating and integrating libraries, and more.

6. Google Analytics Individual Qualification

Cost: Free

Level: Beginner/Intermediate

Timeline: Self-paced

It's quite easy to learn the basics of Google Analytics, but it's an enormously powerful tool when in the hands of a more knowledgeable user.

The Google Analytics Individual Qualification exam covers all aspects of the Google Analytics app, including planning, implementation and data collection, configuration and administration, conversion and attribution, and reports, metrics, and dimensions.

To undertake the exam, you first need to complete Google Analytics for Beginners and Advanced Google Analytics. Both only take an hour.

The exam is free to take. When you complete it, you will get a certification that's valid for 18 months from the date that you pass. The Google Analytics certification assessments are available in 19 languages.

Four other Google Analytics courses are available: Google Analytics for Power Users, Getting Started With Google Analytics 360, Introduction to Data Studio, and Google Tag Manager Fundamentals.

7. Localization Essentials

Cost: Free

Level: Beginner

Timeline: Approximately 2 weeks

It's easy to forget that there's a whole world of web content out there that's not in your native language. English is responsible for about 40 percent of all web pages, but only 25 percent of web users speak English as their first language.

If you've successfully created an app or product, you might want to try and break into the non-English markets. And for that, you need localization skills.

Localization is about more than translating an app into another language (though that is part of it). It's also about adapting your product to be a cultural fit for another geographic market.

Localization Essentials will teach you about the importance of intangible things such as language tone, but also about technical issues such as date and time formats, alphabetization, and the direction of reading. The course is free.

8. Introduction to Virtual Reality

google course vr free

Cost: Free

Level: Beginner

Timeline: Approximately 2 weeks

Despite growing in popularity, virtual reality remains a niche topic among the wider population. If you want to get ahead of the curve, you could consider taking the Introduction to Virtual Reality course.

This free Google course has three modules: What is VR?, Platforms and Paradigms, and Unity Platform. Across the three modules, you will learn about optics and orientation tracking, game engines, tracking in VR, how to install and open a project in the Unity platform, and much more.

Introduction to Virtual Reality does not offer an exam or Google certification upon completion.

9. Get a Business Online

get business online

Cost: Free

Level: Beginner

Timeline: Three hours

For some business owners, the thought of developing an online digital presence is a daunting prospect. As such, this Google online course for beginners is perfect for SMEs that want to branch out from a Facebook-only digital strategy.

It consists of seven short modules. You will be able to complete the lot in less than 10 hours. There's also an end-of-course assessment, so you can track your progress and see how you've developed.

The seven modules are The Online Opportunity, Steps to Online Success, Online Business Strategy, Building an Online Shop, Sell More Online, Build Your Web Presence, and Get Noticed Locally.

10. Land Your Next Job

Cost: Free

Level: Beginner

Timeline: One hour

For many people, the rationale of studying one of the best Google courses is to get a better job at the end of it all. But all the technical skills in the world won't be any use if you don't also know how to sell yourself to potential employers.

Our final Google course recommendation, therefore, is a slight departure from the content we've looked at so far. The Land Your Next Job course is a quick one-hour blast about how to create a stellar CV, draft a cover letter, develop an online presence, and even how to prepare for interviews.

The Best Google Courses in 2020

We've introduced you to some of the best Google online course. But there are hundreds more out there. Some only take a few hours to complete. Check out the lists on Udacity and Class Central to get a flavor of what else is available.