The highest 10 advertising and marketing certifications which might be well worth the cash
When it comes to digital marketing, knowledge is power.
Industry experience marketers know how to develop a paid social media strategy, which keywords to choose, and how to write converting magnetic content.
These people must appear superhuman to everyone else! But … I know her secret.
The truth is, these marketers are neither lucky nor talented. Most successful marketers have years of trial and error.
But maybe you don't have years. You might want to see results now.
Or you find it difficult to prove your marketing know-how to customers and employers. After all, it can be difficult to stand out in such a competitive area as digital marketing.
This is where marketing certifications come into play.
Years ago, I said certification didn't matter. It was true then. But over time, marketing certifications have evolved and can be an excellent opportunity for many.
They have become more specialized and more solution-oriented – basically they're just more valuable. These days, I'd say there is a place for marketing certifications on your resume, especially if you're just starting out.
However, it's not just that the certification lessons provide insight and value. Marketing certifications can also validate your existing knowledge.
Unfortunately, there are still many useless marketing certifications available. How should you know what to get?
I've done the hard work for you, going through dozens of marketing certification programs and researching data to find the ten certifications worth getting.
Sounds good? Great, let's dive in.
Digital Marketing Pro from the Digital Marketing Institute
This certification is a two-for-one certification. When you complete your Digital Marketing Pro course, you will be certified by both the Digital Marketing Institute and the American Marketing Association.
But the real question is, what lessons are you learning and how can you apply them to your work?
Well, let's go through the curriculum! Certification requires ten courses, from an Introduction to Digital Marketing to an Advanced Strategy Class in Digital Marketing.
Once you've learned the basics of digital marketing (principles, research methods, consumer psychology, etc.), you can start exploring the more difficult topics:
- What are the building blocks of a successful content marketing strategy?
- How often should you post content?
- Should you focus on creating or curating content?
This program covers everything from social media marketing to website optimization. It may not fit every budget, but it is a certification worth considering.
Costs:
- DMI Expert (Postgraduate Diploma in Digital Marketing): 3,787 USD
- Digital Marketing Pro (DMI x AMA double certification): 1,368 USD *
- DMI Master (Certified Digital Marketing Master): $ 11,515
* This is the one we focused on for the information above.
Microsoft Advertising Certification
When it comes to marketing certifications, many tend to stick to what is known. In reality, however, the best marketing advancement is often achieved when you think outside the box.
For this reason, I recommend that you become a Microsoft Advertising Certified Professional. For starters, it's completely free. The program allows you to get the most out of your advertising costs and optimize your advertising campaigns.
Once you complete certification, you will be added to the membership directory so potential employers can quickly confirm your certification status. You could even get a marketing manager's attention by scanning the directory!
This certification is a great stepping stone for anyone entering the marketing world.
Costs: Free!
Individual qualification from Google Analytics
The Google Analytics individual qualification is highly specialized.
Google Analytics should be in every marketer's tool belt. A well-trained digital marketing professional can use Google Analytics to quickly identify the strengths and weaknesses of a particular ad strategy.
With a thorough understanding of Google Analytics, you've come one step closer to building effective digital marketing campaigns.
What does it take to get certified?
The exam lasts 90 minutes and takes place in a single session. As with most of the certifications on this list, you need an 80% minimum score to pass. If you fail you will have to wait a week before trying again.
Fortunately, thanks to Google, you have access to plenty of study materials.
Your Beginner and Advanced Google Analytics Courses Google Analytics courses may seem simple at first, but they contain important information that you as a marketer need on a daily basis.
An absolute must and all it will cost you is your time and attention.
Costs: Free!
OMCP Digital Marketing Certification
If you've never heard of Online Marketing Certified Professional (OMCP) certification, this isn't surprising. It's a pretty advanced certification and for anyone new to the world of digital marketing.
If you want to get an OMCP Digital Marketing Certification, you need to fully demonstrate your digital marketing expertise.
While there are no official prerequisites for the OMCP exams, there are a few criteria that you must meet in order to be certified. You need a lot of experience right away.
In addition to passing your OMCP exams, you need to meet at least one of these three requirements:
- 5000 hours of experience
- A post-secondary degree with 2000 hours of experience
- Completion of a recognized course in digital marketing with 1000 hours of experience
Once you have passed your exam, you can request your certification and confirm your certification status.
So what are you going to learn? First, you will learn about the advantages and disadvantages of content marketing, how to optimize your conversion rate, and all about email marketing strategies. Mobile marketing and paid search are then covered in the courses.
The course concludes with a detailed look at SEO, social media marketing and general digital analysis.
The course may be challenging, but with an increased earning potential of up to 26%, it's no wonder this course is in high demand.
costs::
* This is the test we have focused on in this section.
Hootsuite Academy Marketing Certification
Best of all, you can use the Hootsuite Academy as a tool to identify and strengthen your digital marketing weaknesses.
If you already know what you're doing in the marketing world but want more guidance on using the Hootsuite program, there is a course for that.
However, if you're looking for a more in-depth program that addresses major social media marketing issues, they have a course for that too.
They even have highly specialized marketing courses for those who work in areas like healthcare or social advocacy.
My advice? Take a look at your resume and see what skills you need to develop. Take advantage of Hootsuite's courses by investing the time and money in growing yourself into a stronger online marketer.
Costs: They have nine certifications ranging from $ 99 to $ 999.
Google Ads Marketing Certification
Google Analytics and Google Ads are two sides of the same coin. The more familiar you are with Google tools, the less likely you are to make marketing mistakes.
Google Ads can set or pause your marketing strategy. Because of this, studying is an absolute must when you're just starting out.
Even if you've already run a few campaigns, it is worth it to take around five hours to get this certification.
The course sheds light on the more complicated Google Ads topics. If you're unsure about the value proposition of digital advertising, building a campaign from scratch, or measuring metrics, this is the course you need.
costs: Free!
YouTube certified
It's surprising how infrequently this certification occurs – YouTube is a big deal in the marketing world.
When marketers talk about certifications, they usually focus on courses that cover the basics of navigating the digital marketing ecosystem.
But sometimes that's not really what you need.
Sometimes you need a course to help you understand what is under the hood of a particular tool.
I can't think of a course more undervalued than the YouTube certification.
What makes video marketing so powerful is how compelling it can be. Learning the tips and tricks for creating engaging visual content is definitely worth the time.
YouTube certification is about applying the building blocks of digital marketing to the YouTube platform.
With courses like Channel Growth, Content Owning, and Asset Monetization, they focus on teaching you how to create compelling content that will turn visitors into buyers.
Costs: Free!
HubSpot Content Marketing Certification
If you are serious about developing your content marketing skills, completing this program should be high on your to-do list.
The HubSpot Content Marketing Certification includes 12 courses that will help you build a solid foundation in content marketing before learning how to create an exceptional content catalog.
What makes HubSpot unique is that it helps you understand the value of storytelling and how to properly build a content creation framework.
They cover everything from creating a guest blogging strategy to promoting your content.
I can only recommend this to anyone who has just started a new blog or wants to expand an existing blog.
Costs: Free!
Facebook BluePrint Marketing Certification
The enormous reach of Facebook makes it irresistible for digital marketers. However, the truth is that most don't understand how a Facebook ad campaign works.
Typically, digital marketers use the same tactic they used with Google Ads and call it a day.
However, Facebook is a world of its own, and understanding the location of the country is essential if you are to generate traffic and conversions.
Facebook offers two unique certifications: the Facebook Certified Planning Professional and the Facebook Certified Buying Professional.
Before you can become a Facebook Certified Planning Professional, you must demonstrate that you understand how to plan successful campaigns, target the right audiences for maximum impact, and maximize your reach.
If you want to be a Facebook Certified Buying Professional, you need to learn how to manage Pages, understand Facebook Pixel, and generate compelling Facebook Ads.
costs: $ 150 per certification
SEMrush SEO Toolkit Course
If search engines can't see your business, it might not be there. If SEO makes search engines like Google happy, why don't you want to spend time doing SEO?
I suspect there are a lot of marketers out there who are intimidated by SEO. SEO is often much more difficult to deal with than content marketing or social media marketing.
Fortunately, SEMrush is here to help.
Your SEO Toolkit course is a deep dive into the world of SEO and only lasts about three hours.
Once you pass the exam, you can do keyword research, metric measurements, and campaign creation.
Costs: Free!
Conclusion
Digital marketing changes every day. The platforms and tactics that worked just a few years ago don't work as well today.
As a digital marketer, it's your job to stay up to date. In an industry that moves so fast, that can be pretty daunting.
This is why such courses can be so useful. They're short and inexpensive enough that you don't have to quit your job and take out a loan. But they are also thorough enough that you should gain valuable insight.
Have you had any success with any of these certifications? Are there any others you would recommend? Let me know in the comments!