Description

Launch price: R1,050 until 30 November 2026. From 1 December 2026 the price is R1,250.

Most small businesses that “tried ads” lost money for the same few reasons: no conversion tracking, the wrong campaign type, no idea what a profitable cost per sale looks like, and creative that looked like an ad. This course fixes all four.

Across 8 modules and 47 practical lessons, you will learn to plan, build, measure and optimise paid campaigns on Google (Search, Demand Gen, YouTube and Performance Max), Meta (Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp), TikTok and LinkedIn, using the platforms as they work in 2026. That means assets instead of extensions, Advantage+ sales campaigns, Smart+ on TikTok and Google’s move from Display to Demand Gen.

Everything is taught in Rand for South African businesses. You will work out break-even ROAS, budget for the 15% VAT that platforms add to ad spend, and check that customer lists have a lawful basis under POPIA, and test your ad claims against the ARB Code. Worked examples follow a Midrand bakery, a Durban clothing store, a Soweto salon and a Cape Town software firm.

Each module ends with a quiz and a portfolio assignment. You will finish with a capstone paid-media plan you can show employers or clients. We also point you to the official platform certifications worth taking next, and say which are free and which are paid exams. Your report dashboards are built in Google’s free Data Studio (formerly Looker Studio). This course does not promise results or jobs: it gives you the skills and the evidence of them.

How this course works

8 modules and 47 written lessons. Every lesson has a worked South African example, common mistakes to avoid and a practical exercise. Each module ends with a quiz, a quiz review and a practical assignment that becomes part of your portfolio, and the course finishes with a capstone project.

Recognised certifications to take next

This course prepares you for these official certifications and courses from the platform providers. They are issued by those providers, not by Digital Marketing Guide. Check the current cost and requirements on each provider’s page.

• Google Ads Search Certification (Google Skillshop) – Free
• Google Ads Measurement Certification (Google Skillshop) – Free
• AI-Powered Performance Ads Certification (Google Skillshop) – Free
• Meta Blueprint free courses (e.g. advertising and measurement learning paths) (Meta Blueprint) – Free (courses only, no certification)
• Meta Certified Digital Marketing Associate (Meta Blueprint (exam delivered by Pearson VUE)) – Paid, proctored exam (third-party sources list about US$99 in the US in 2026; check the price at registration)
• Meta Certified Media Buying Professional (exam 410-101) (Meta Blueprint (exam delivered by Pearson VUE)) – Paid, proctored exam (not free); check the price at registration
• LinkedIn Advertising Fundamentals Certification (LinkedIn Marketing Academy (formerly LinkedIn Marketing Labs)) – Free (courses and exam)
• TikTok Academy courses (TikTok for Business) – Free (courses only)
• TikTok Media Buyer Certification (TikTok (exam via Kryterion Webassessor)) – Paid, proctored exam (fee shown at registration, not on the info page)
• How to Incorporate PPC Into Your Marketing Strategy for Increased Conversions (Semrush Academy) – Free (course certificate)
• Microsoft Advertising Search certification (Microsoft Advertising Learning Lab) – No fee shown on the official page; confirm when you sign in