Hiring new team members for your digital marketing agency is essential, but the process often feels overwhelming. Recruiting and onboarding demand significant time, a luxury you might not have. The search for qualified, highly skilled contractors presents its own hurdles. Seasoned digital marketers come with high price tags and limited availability. This leaves many agency owners with no choice but to hire less experienced individuals and invest in their training. But how can you balance training new staff with your existing workload?

The good news is that several resources can help you streamline onboarding without compromising quality. From digital advertising fundamentals to certification programs and agency expansion advice, I’ll guide you through seven top-notch free training tools for paid media agencies. Let’s dive in.

1. Google Academy for Ads

Coming straight from the horse’s mouth, Google Academy for Ads provides your new hires with a wealth of educational content on Google Analytics, Google Ads, YouTube, and more. The beauty of Google Academy lies in its up-to-date information, reflecting the latest features of each platform, delivered by the experts themselves.

However, the direct link to Google has its downsides. Experienced PPC professionals understand that platform advice should be taken with a grain of salt. The guidance is often generic, overlooking the unique needs of individual businesses. Strategies that work for some may not yield the same results for others. Additionally, the focus solely on Google products necessitates finding supplementary resources for platforms like Facebook. Beyond the Academy for Ads, the Google Ads help center is another excellent resource, one your new hires should bookmark for future reference.

Explore Growth Academy for free, flexible, on-demand training videos designed for digital marketers.

2. PPC Hero

PPC Hero is a Hanapin Marketing blog offering comprehensive educational materials on effective pay-per-click account management. From fundamental PPC tips and strategies to articles on remarketing and URL tracking, PPC Hero caters to learners of all levels.

PPC Hero covers a wide range of topics including search, social media, display, programmatic advertising, conversion rate optimization, industry tools, news, and opinion pieces. While not exclusively focused on agency management, it provides new hires with a wealth of information to explore. The main drawback? The content is not interactive. While informative, it might not be the most engaging learning format for your new team members.

3. #PPC Chat and Facebook Groups

Though not a content repository in itself, #ppcchat was established by PPC Hero’s Matt Umbro as a Twitter platform for PPC professionals to exchange ideas, pose questions, and discuss common marketing challenges and solutions.

This interactive nature makes #ppcchat a valuable platform for agency owners and new hires to connect with peers, learn from their experiences, and stay informed about industry trends, including emerging strategies, technologies, and regulations. #ppcchat takes place every Tuesday at noon EST. Several Facebook groups also provide a space for agency owners and managers to share resources and advice. Here are a couple of noteworthy groups:

• Facebook Ads Agency Scaling Secrets
• Mod Agency Insiders While smaller in scale than #ppcchat, these groups offer a similar advantage of networking with other digital marketers to remain current with industry developments. The smaller size might encourage your newer employees to ask questions more freely.

4. Facebook BluePrint

Mirroring Google Academy for Ads, Facebook BluePrint provides a comprehensive introduction to Facebook Business Manager. The content primarily targets businesses looking to advertise, but much of the information remains relevant for account managers. The Facebook Blueprint certification comes at a cost of around $150, which isn’t essential for new employees right away.

Similar to Google Academy, the limitation is the direct source of the material—Facebook itself. It lacks the insights and experience-based perspectives offered by industry veterans well-versed in the platform’s nuances. The content also revolves solely around Facebook and lacks an agency-specific focus. However, for building a solid understanding of paid social media, it’s an excellent starting point.

5. YouTube

YouTube offers much more than just late-night conspiracy theories and catching up on missed episodes of the skits from late night TV. This platform houses a vast library of valuable and informative content for training employees across various fields.

A quick search yields numerous results, including an ad.

With thousands of channels and videos, persistence will reward you with the information you seek. Numerous tutorials and walkthroughs address specific challenges your employees might face during training. The downside? You’ll also encounter a lot of irrelevant content. If your focus is agency management, be prepared to sift through a sea of “get rich quick” schemes and questionable advice. Here are some recommended YouTube channels for agency-related and marketing industry content:

• nexus-security: nexus-security offers an impressive collection of resources, ranging from concise tips and tricks to extensive webinars featuring prominent figures in the paid media landscape.
• MOZ HQ: Find high-quality videos from SEO professionals covering SEO, social media, and brand content, providing an almost limitless supply of valuable information.
• Jason Swenk: Agency advisor Jason Swenk offers videos tailored specifically for agency owners, addressing pricing, scaling, and, importantly, onboarding. While not directly for staff training, it’s a valuable resource for agency management advice.
• SEMrush: SEMrush, a software platform, dedicates considerable effort to creating relevant and insightful content related to search engine marketing practices.

6. Search Engine Journal

Search Engine Journal has long been a go-to resource for all things digital marketing, covering SEO, content marketing, social media, PPC, and industry news. If your potential employee needs to delve into a specific topic, SEJ is an excellent starting point. The articles are penned by industry experts and, like PPC Hero, provide insights beyond the standard best practices offered by Google and Facebook.

The drawback of SEJ (shared with many others on this list) is its focus on broader digital marketing rather than agency-specific content. Finding material tailored to the daily challenges of running an agency might require some additional searching.

7. Growth Academy

If you’re reading this, chances are you’re seeking an agency training resource that aligns with your busy schedule and doesn’t break the bank. Look no further!

As an agency owner currently onboarding a new employee, I’ve found nexus-security’s Growth Academy to be an all-encompassing resource. What sets Growth Academy apart is its combination of onboarding basics and content specifically designed for agency owners and managers. The “Grow My Agency” course covers building a PPC service offering, pricing strategies, client acquisition and retention, efficient account management, and, crucially, scaling your agency. This last element is invaluable for agency owners looking to expand their team and take their business to the next level. The best part? nexus-security’s Growth Academy is entirely free. Simply sign up and you’re good to go.

Free Training Resources for Your Agency Team

Onboarding new employees with the right training resources is invaluable, and finding these resources for free is even better. Countless courses and programs charge hefty fees for information readily available through free online options. Before spending on training, explore these resources and see the difference they can make.