What is the LinkedIn Marketing Strategy certification?
It is LinkedIn's own free exam on planning campaigns across the funnel, taken on LinkedIn Marketing Academy. The exam page says people who hold it can use LinkedIn for several campaign objectives as part of a wider media plan, and know how to run brand awareness and lead generation campaigns. These are the rules from that page and the Marketing Academy FAQ, checked 4 November 2026:
| Rule | LinkedIn Marketing Strategy Certification |
|---|---|
| Price | Free; all Marketing Academy courses and certifications cost nothing |
| Format | 60 multiple-choice questions: scenario, recall and process questions |
| Time | 60 minutes |
| Pass mark | 75%, which is 45 of 60 questions |
| Attempts | 3; after that, LinkedIn's FAQ says to contact support |
| Notes | You can use your own notes during the exam |
| Valid for | Two years; you can retake the current exam from 22 months to stay certified |
| Prerequisites | None; the courses and practice exam are optional |
| Languages | Academy and most exams: English, German, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Japanese, Simplified Chinese |
| To join | A LinkedIn profile, and permission for Skilljar, which hosts the Academy, to use your name, photo and primary email |
You may see it called LinkedIn Marketing Labs. LinkedIn's July 2021 announcement used that name, launched two certifications, and linked to the same certifications page that is now titled LinkedIn Marketing Academy and lists four.
Which LinkedIn marketing certification should you take?
Choose by the work you do on LinkedIn: running ads, planning campaigns, posting from a Page, or reporting results. All four exams on the certifications page share the format above. Each exam page also counts the optional courses plus a passed practice exam as enough preparation. The path time adds LinkedIn's listed course lengths to the 20-minute practice exam and the 60-minute exam; the last column is our view.
| Certification | What LinkedIn says it covers | You're ready if you have | Full path | Fits a small team that |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advertising Fundamentals | Creating campaigns in Campaign Manager, LinkedIn's ad targeting, optimising for goals | Hands-on Campaign Manager experience | 179 + 80 = 259 min (4 h 19 min) | Is about to run its first LinkedIn ads |
| Marketing Strategy | Several campaign objectives across the funnel, brand awareness and lead generation | Run several campaigns with different objectives | 138 + 80 = 218 min (3 h 38 min) | Already runs ads and wants a plan across the funnel |
| Content and Creative Design | Paid and organic content, an active LinkedIn Page, visual creative | Campaign Manager or full-funnel media planning experience | 111 + 80 = 191 min (3 h 11 min) | Posts from a Company Page and boosts the best posts |
| Marketing Measurement | Campaign reporting, conversion tracking, experiments, showing business impact | Experience with LinkedIn's reporting tools | 155 + 80 = 235 min (3 h 55 min) | Has to show what LinkedIn spend returned |
One course, Building a Full-Funnel Content Marketing Strategy on LinkedIn (36 minutes), sits in both the strategy and content paths. Doing both paths costs 218 + 191 − 36 = 373 minutes, about 6 hours 13 minutes, for two certifications.
What does the Marketing Strategy learning path cover?
Four courses and a short video, 138 minutes in all, then the practice exam. This is the Improve your marketing campaign strategy path as listed on 4 November 2026:
| Step | Length | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Building a Full-Funnel Content Marketing Strategy on LinkedIn | 36 min | Matching organic and paid content to each funnel stage |
| Using LinkedIn for Brand Awareness | 41 min | Brand campaign strategy |
| Using LinkedIn for Lead Generation | 38 min | Driving leads and conversions |
| Account Based Marketing | 20 min | Account tiers, the buying committee, content for it, measuring impact |
| Amplify Your Best Posts with Boosting | 3 min | Video on turning a strong organic post into a paid ad |
| Practice exam | 20 min | 20 questions, no time limit, 15 right to pass, 2 tries |
| Certification exam | 60 min | 60 questions, 45 right to pass, 3 tries |
36 + 41 + 38 + 20 + 3 = 138 minutes of material, and 138 + 20 + 60 = 218 minutes with both exams. The practice exam gives you only two tries, so spend one before the courses to find your gaps and keep one for the end. If you sell to a short list of named companies, read our guide to account-based marketing on LinkedIn after the ABM course; it adds LinkedIn's list and audience minimums from the help pages.
Which LinkedIn marketing classes cover organic posting?
For posting rather than ads, start with LinkedIn's free Design your winning content strategy path: Create Your LinkedIn Page (2-minute video), Build a Credible LinkedIn Page (15 min), Create an Organic Content Rhythm (15 min), Use Insights to Grow Your LinkedIn Page (15 min), Creative Design for LinkedIn (13 min), Boost Your Best Posts to Grow Your Business (15 min) and the 36-minute full-funnel course. That path leads to the Content and Creative Design exam and is written for a Company Page: even Create an Organic Content Rhythm starts from the point where your LinkedIn Page is set up (course last updated 31 August 2026).
For your personal profile and outreach, the four LinkedIn Learning classes below run 38 to 69 minutes; one of them is entirely about Pages. Each course page offers a shareable certificate of completion to show on your LinkedIn profile; it records that you finished the course, while a Marketing Academy certification needs a passed exam. Details from each course page, checked 4 November 2026:
| LinkedIn Learning course | Length | Released | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing on LinkedIn | 43 min | 14 Apr 2025 | Michaela Alexis, trainer, speaker and author: profile, personal brand content, networking, a Company Page; 6 quizzes |
| B2B Marketing on LinkedIn | 38 min | 21 Mar 2025 | Anthony Blatner, described on the page as a certified LinkedIn marketing expert: organic content, Sales Navigator prospecting, ads, analytics and A/B tests |
| Growing Your Business with LinkedIn Pages | 1 h 4 min | 29 Sep 2023 | Michaela Alexis: setting up a Page and reading Page analytics |
| Learning LinkedIn Sales Navigator | 1 h 9 min | 23 Dec 2022 | Instructor Thomas Creighton de Farias: finding leads, company account pages, shared connections, InMail |
Check the release date before you start: the oldest class in the table, Learning LinkedIn Sales Navigator, came out on 23 December 2022, so compare what it shows with the screens you see today. Whichever class you take, turn it into a posting plan straight away; our LinkedIn content matrix guide turns your topics into 75 to 100 post ideas.
How much do LinkedIn Learning marketing courses cost?
LinkedIn Learning comes with Premium plans such as Premium Career and Premium Business; individuals can't buy it on its own. LinkedIn's Learning subscription page says there are no one-off course purchases and no individual Learning subscription, and that Premium is the closest thing to one. Its access page says Learning is included at no extra charge in a number of individual Premium plans; access also comes through an employer's Enterprise plan. Prices on LinkedIn's own plan pages, last updated 20 April 2026; LinkedIn calls them estimates that may exclude tax:
| Plan | Monthly billing | Annual billing | Annual, per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premium Career | US$39.99 | US$239.88 | US$19.99 (239.88 ÷ 12) |
| Premium Business | US$69.99 | US$539.88 | US$44.99 (539.88 ÷ 12) |
A worked example: the four courses in the table above add up to 43 + 38 + 64 + 69 = 214 minutes, about 3 hours 34 minutes. One month of Premium Career at US$39.99 covers all four. The annual plan only pays off if you keep Premium for six months or more (US$239.88 ÷ US$39.99 = 6.0). LinkedIn's help page also mentions a free Premium trial for eligible members; it lasts a month, and billing starts automatically when it ends.
Check what you already pay for. LinkedIn's Premium and Learning page says Sales Navigator Core includes LinkedIn Learning, while Sales Navigator Advanced and Advanced Plus don't. Our breakdown of LinkedIn Premium plans for small business covers what else each plan adds.
Is a LinkedIn marketing certification worth it for a founder?
For a founder, it is worth it when you are about to spend money on LinkedIn ads: the cost is 3 hours 11 minutes to 4 hours 19 minutes per path, and the paths walk through Campaign Manager's objectives, targeting and reporting. It is a weaker use of the week if your plan is posting and conversations from your own profile, because the Academy's content courses are written for a Company Page. If ads are next, this one-week plan fits around other work; the order and times are ours:
Take the practice exam cold
20 questions, no time limit. Write down the topics you were unsure of: targeting, objectives, bidding, measurement.
Do only the courses you need
Pick the path courses that match your missed topics. For a team planning its first campaigns, start with Using LinkedIn for Lead Generation (38 min) and the full-funnel course (36 min).
Write your notes page
One page: objectives and when to use each, audience size rules, budget minimums, the metrics you'll report. You can use your own notes in the exam.
Retake the practice exam, then the real one
If you score 15 of 20 or more, book an hour for the 60-question exam the same day.
Turn it into a one-page campaign plan
Objective, audience, budget, the post or ad you will test first, and the number that decides whether you keep going after 30 days.
If what you need is a steady rhythm of posts from your own profile, Siela's LinkedIn Presence agent posts from your own LinkedIn account in your voice at the cadence you set, and can show you every post before it goes out.
Frequently asked questions
Is the LinkedIn Marketing Strategy certification free?
Yes. LinkedIn Marketing Academy says every course and certification on the site costs nothing, and you join with your LinkedIn profile. The exam, the optional preparation courses and the practice exam are all free. The only cost is time: about 3 hours 38 minutes if you work through the whole learning path, including both exams.
How long does the LinkedIn Marketing Strategy exam take?
You get 60 minutes for 60 multiple-choice questions, and you need 45 right, a score of 75%, to pass. Questions are randomised and mix scenarios, recall and process. You may use your own notes. The optional practice exam has 20 questions, no time limit and needs 15 right.
How many times can you retake a LinkedIn marketing certification exam?
You get three tries in all. LinkedIn recommends reviewing the preparation courses and the practice exam before each retake, and its FAQ says to contact LinkedIn support for next steps if you still haven't passed after three attempts. The practice exam allows two tries, so it is worth keeping one for the end of your preparation.
Do LinkedIn Marketing Academy certifications expire?
Yes, two years after you pass. To stay certified you retake the current version of the exam, and LinkedIn lets you do that from 22 months after you earned it, two months before the certificate expires. Your expiry date is on the certificate itself, which you open from your Marketing Academy profile.
Is LinkedIn Learning included with LinkedIn Premium?
In several plans, yes. LinkedIn's help pages say Learning is included at no extra charge in a number of individual Premium plans, and the Premium Career and Premium Business pages both list it. There is no stand-alone individual Learning plan. Premium Career starts at US$39.99 a month. Sales Navigator Core also includes Learning, but Sales Navigator Advanced and Advanced Plus don't, according to LinkedIn's help page.
What happened to LinkedIn Marketing Labs?
Marketing Labs was LinkedIn's name for its free marketer training when it launched certifications in July 2021. The certifications page that announcement linked to is now titled LinkedIn Marketing Academy. It listed two certifications at launch, Fundamentals and Marketing Strategy, and now lists four, adding Content and Creative Design and Marketing Measurement.
Sources
- LinkedIn Marketing Academy: LinkedIn Marketing Strategy Certification (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- LinkedIn Marketing Academy: Frequently asked questions (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- LinkedIn Marketing Academy: Certifications (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- LinkedIn Marketing Academy: Advertising Fundamentals Certification (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- LinkedIn Marketing Academy: Content and Creative Design Certification (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- LinkedIn Marketing Academy: Marketing Measurement Certification (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- LinkedIn Marketing Academy: Improve your marketing campaign strategy (learning path) (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- LinkedIn Marketing Academy: Practice exam, Marketing Strategy Certification (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- LinkedIn Marketing Academy: Account Based Marketing course (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- LinkedIn Marketing Academy: Design your winning content strategy (learning path) (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- LinkedIn Marketing Academy: Start advertising your business on LinkedIn (learning path) (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- LinkedIn Marketing Academy: Measure your success on LinkedIn (learning path) (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- LinkedIn Marketing Blog: Highlight Your Expertise With Our New LinkedIn Marketing Labs Certifications (Madeline Chan) (published 21 Jul 2021)
- LinkedIn Learning: Marketing on LinkedIn (Michaela Alexis) (released 14 Apr 2025; checked 4 Nov 2026)
- LinkedIn Learning: B2B Marketing on LinkedIn (Anthony Blatner) (released 21 Mar 2025; checked 4 Nov 2026)
- LinkedIn Learning: Growing Your Business with LinkedIn Pages (Michaela Alexis) (released 29 Sep 2023; checked 4 Nov 2026)
- LinkedIn Marketing Academy: Create an Organic Content Rhythm (last updated 31 Aug 2026; checked 4 Nov 2026)
- LinkedIn Learning: Learning LinkedIn Sales Navigator (Thomas Creighton de Farias) (released 23 Dec 2022; checked 4 Nov 2026)
- LinkedIn Help: LinkedIn Learning subscription overview (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- LinkedIn Help: Access LinkedIn Learning with a Premium subscription (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- LinkedIn Learning Help: Access for Enterprise and individual Premium subscribers (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- LinkedIn Premium Career (pricing last updated 20 Apr 2026; checked 4 Nov 2026)
- LinkedIn Premium Business (pricing last updated 20 Apr 2026; checked 4 Nov 2026)