Digital Marketing Certifications: Which Ones Matter for Your Next Hire

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  At the start of 2024, 28% of all business was conducted online, according to research from Forbes. This makes a strong digital marketing strategy absolutely essential for connecting with customers, increasing revenue, and establishing or growing your presence as a business in any niche. 

  To do that means first hiring digital marketing talent for your team, and that can be its own challenge. The vast landscape of digital marketing includes a wide variety of skill sets, tools, and techniques. Some professionals are generalists with knowledge in an array of different areas, while others have a more focused expertise in a specific domain. Assessing which candidates have the right combination of skills for your needs can be tricky.

  Certifications are one way for digital marketing professionals to both grow their expertise and prove their capability to employers. Just like with the profession of digital marketing, though, there are a variety of different certification options, and not all of them will be equally valuable for every role. Understanding the most sought-after digital marketing certifications can help you decide which ones to look for when you're conducting your next search, helping you to hire the right marketers to make an impact on your marketing team. 

• What are digital marketing certifications?

• In essence, a digital marketing certification demonstrates the holder's proficiency and ability in some aspect of a typical marketing job. A digital marketing expert needs to somehow prove their competency to obtain this credential, often by passing tests or completing certification courses. 

  A marketing certification program is an optional, separate learning avenue from a marketing degree program, though some students in degree programs are also encouraged to obtain marketing certificates before they graduate. For degree program graduates, a certification can supplement the learning from universities, giving a marketing specialist another way to expand their knowledge or demonstrate their capability in specific marketing strategies, techniques, or trends. 

  Other learners pursue certification as an alternative to a traditional degree. Some certificates are offered by the same institutions that grant four-year degrees, providing a more focused and condensed way to gain the qualifications they need to succeed in the digital marketing job market.

• Types of certification for digital marketing

• There are two broad categories of credentials that marketers can obtain: certifications and certificates. These terms are sometimes used interchangeably but there are some slight differences between them that both candidates and employers should be aware of. 

  A certification program is typically offered by an organization focused on professionals from a specific industry, in this case the online advertising and marketing sector. To earn certification, professionals typically need to pass an exam that covers a variety of topics, skills, or knowledge related to a specific aspect of the work. While these organizations often also offer a training course to prepare candidates to take certification exams, they're usually not required to complete the course if they can pass the test using knowledge they've gained some other way. 

  A certificate program, on the other hand, is normally offered by a university or similar education institution. Students often do need to complete a series of courses or workshops as part of the process. This learning often covers a broader range of topics, designed to give students an overview of the field and the skills they'll need to grow a career in it. In the case of digital marketing, this will likely cover a range of best practices related to marketing strategy, social media platforms, search engine optimization, and everything else someone will need to know to design and execute an effective digital marketing plan. 

  From an employer's standpoint, you can look at certificates as similar to a college degree. A candidate who holds a certificate likely has a broad understanding of the various tools and strategies an effective marketer needs. Certification programs, on the other hand, show the candidate's expertise in a specific strategy, tool, or subject area. 

• 15 in-demand digital marketing certifications

• American Marketing Association (AMA) Certified Digital Marketing Professional

• Offered by: American Marketing Association
  Primary focus: Content marketing, SEO, and digital marketing strategy

  This certification is offered in collaboration with the Digital Marketing Institute and has two tiers of certification that can be earned: PCM Digital Marketing and Certified Digital Marketing Professional. To obtain them, professionals first need to complete 30 hours of online self-paced coursework, followed by a cumulative exam.

  Around 88% of marketing professionals who hold this qualification work as a marketing manager, many of them at the senior level, so this is a good certification to look for when you're hiring into leadership and management roles. It covers a range of key topics for marketers, including email marketing, paid search (PPC), website optimization, Google analytics, content creation, social media marketing, and more. This breadth of learning makes it one of the most comprehensive marketing certification programs available, one reason applicants who earn it tend to be in high demand.

• Columbia Business School Digital Marketing Certificate Program

• Offered by: Columbia Business School
  Primary focus: Comprehensive overview of digital marketing tools and strategies

  This 6-month intensive online digital marketing program covers all the fundamentals and core principles that a digital marketing professional needs on their resume. It's a flexible program designed for anyone who is interested in the field, from complete newcomers to the marketing industry who want to gain the marketing skills that businesses look for in applicants, to current professionals who want to expand their knowledge of industry trends and ways to improve their marketing efforts. 

  Students in the Columbia Business School online program get in-depth learning on a number of key topics. These include knowledge of display advertising, mobile advertising, search advertising, and social media marketing, along with concepts related to finding and attracting the right customers, such as conducting market research and consumer profiling to identify target audiences. It also includes lessons related to emerging technologies, like the effective use of AI and automation and the basics of big data analysis and statistical techniques for implementing, testing, and measuring results of marketing campaigns. 

• Duke University Digital Media and Marketing Certificate

• Offered by: Duke University
  Primary focus: Comprehensive overview of core marketing skills

  This is another self-paced online program that is designed for both marketing beginners and established professionals that want to expand their knowledge. The course content includes live, interactive sessions and real-world case study analysis, as well as hands-on engagement with over 35 marketing tools. Students also work on over 16 projects over the course of the six-month program, so everyone who graduates from the program has some real-world experience under their belt upon its completion. 

  Some of the key areas covered in the Duke certificate curriculum include SEO, SEM, email marketing, behavioral marketing, content strategy, data analytics, and AI and automation. This learning is also aligned with brand-specific certifications offered by Google and Microsoft, putting this among the most comprehensive marketing certification courses available. 

• Google Ads Certification

• Offered by: Skillshop
  Primary focus: Google advertising, including search, display, shopping, and video advertising

  Google Ads offers a variety of free certifications that can demonstrate an applicant's proficiency with digital advertising on the popular platform. There are several certifications to choose from:

  • Measurement Certification - Measuring and optimizing Google Ads campaign performance
  • AI-Powered Performance Ads Certification - Mastery of Google's AI tools and their potential uses in optimizing ad campaigns
  • Creative Certification - Development of video, display, app, and search campaigns and ads
  • Offline Sales Certification - Connecting products and services with consumers throughout their purchase journey
  • Search Certification - Building and optimizing Google Search campaigns
  • Display Certification - Delivering effective display advertising aligned with the company's marketing objectives
  • AI-Powered Shopping Ads Certification - Expertise in shopping advertising strategies and the ideal use of AI and automation in them
  • Video Certification - Expertise in video advertising through YouTube, Google, and other platforms
  • App Certification - Creating and optimizing campaigns within apps

  The nature of your opportunity will determine which of these will be most valuable to look for in applicants. Free online classes are available in all topics to prepare students for the assessments, while those who already have knowledge in that area can skip straight to the exam. 

• Google Analytics Certification

• Offered by: Skillshop
  Primary focus: Data collection and analysis

  Similar to the Google Ads certifications above, the Google Analytics Certification is free and self-guided, with an optional training program that culminates in a skill assessment. There are two courses available, one that's suitable for beginners and a second in advanced analytics that will turn students into Google analytics experts.

  The first course gives people an introduction to concepts including data collection, custom reports, segmentation, and exporting data. Students also get tutorials in areas like planning and implementation of data collection, configuration and administration of the Google Analytics platform, and how to correctly analyze key metrics and use that knowledge to set and meet business goals.  

• Hootsuite Social Media Marketing Certification

• Offered by: Hootsuite Academy
  Primary focus: Social media marketing

  Hootsuite is a popular tool for digital marketing, giving marketers a single platform where they can manage multiple social media accounts. This social marketing certification is designed to teach beginners everything they need to know about using social media as a marketing tool. This includes topics like effective content sharing, developing and implementing a social media strategy, and tips to improve the ROI on social media ad spend across channels. 

  The instruction component of this certification consists of 15 video lessons, each of which aims to teach students a different practical skill related to social marketing. These culminate in an exam, whose 60 questions are drawn from across the educational videos. 

• HubSpot Content Marketing Certification

• Offered by: HubSpot Academy
  Primary focus: Content creation, content strategy, and SEO

  Most people know HubSpot as one of the leading CRM software options for small businesses. In addition to this, the company offers a plethora of free learning resources through their HubSpot Academy. If you're hiring a content marketer, this certification is among the top ones to look for, providing a wealth of learning for creators of ads across media formats and platforms. 

  This course includes 54 videos, 12 lessons, and 11 quizzes, and certification is free and automatic once the student completes all the content. The included lectures share insights from industry experts on topics such as the power of storytelling, planning a long-term content strategy, generating ideas for content, writing effective blog posts and articles, creating a video marketing strategy, promoting content, and the best methodology to measure and analyze content performance. 

• HubSpot Email Marketing Certification

• Offered by: HubSpot Academy
  Primary focus: Email marketing strategy, design, and automation

  Another of HubSpot's free certifications that is ideal for marketing employees, this is one of the few certifications available that specifically focused on the steps to achieve success with an email marketing campaign. Its 9 lessons and 31 videos cover topics including creating compelling email content, personalizing and targeting email campaigns for your audience, conducting A/B testing, and analyzing campaign performance to make better data-driven decisions. 

• HubSpot Inbound Marketing Certification

• Offered by: HubSpot Academy
  Primary focus: Attracting customers and leads, content creation, and lead conversion

  The final HubSpot course we'll highlight on this list, their Inbound Marketing Certification, is another unique offering in the land of online courses. The focus of this 11-lesson course is "pull marketing", or using tailored content to attract more traffic to landing pages, nurture those leads, and convert them into paying customers. It gives students a guide to shaping user and customer journeys, from developing a content distribution strategy through behavioral marketing, customer segmentation, marketing automation, and maximizing ROI.

  In addition to this introductory inbound marketing course, HubSpot Academy also offers an Inbound Marketing Optimization Certification for marketers who want to expand their knowledge further. 

• Kellogg Professional Certificate in Digital Marketing

• Offered by: Northwestern University
  Primary focus: Broad overview of digital marketing landscape

  Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management is one of the most prestigious educational institutions across business fields, and the same instructors who are on the university faculty teach their online certificate courses. Their Professional Certificate in Digital Marketing is aimed at supporting the career advancement of marketing professionals, including those who want to start a career in this industry. 

  The 6-month program covers all aspects of digital marketing step by step. This includes hands-on experience with SEO, SEM, email marketing, social media marketing, A/B testing, and marketing automation. It also helps students shape their approach to planning and implementing campaigns through search, social media, display ads, and other channels. 

  For those who want to take their learning further, the Kellogg School also offers a 9-week certificate course in Digital Marketing Strategies: Data Automation, AI, & Analytics. This is a smart certification for hiring managers to look for if they need to hire a person who can use the latest technology to optimize their marketing strategy across digital channels. 

• Meta Certified Digital Marketing Associate

• Offered by: Meta Blueprint
  Primary focus: Facebook ads, Instagram ads, and proficiency with Meta products

  Companies that are hiring a social media marketing specialist especially will want to look out for candidates who hold one of Meta's certifications. The base level Meta Certified Digital Marketing Associate is aimed at entry-level marketing professionals, training and verifying their foundational knowledge of how to build, analyze, and refine advertising campaigns through Facebook and Instagram. 

  The associate-level training course and exam cover topics including advertising fundamentals, how to create and manage ads, establishing a business presence on Meta products, and Meta ads reporting. There are also more advanced certification options available in topics including Marketing Science, Creative Strategy, Media Planning, and Media Buying.

• Moz SEO Certification

• Offered by: Moz Academy
  Primary focus: Search engine optimization (SEO)

  Many digital marketers know Moz as a software platform, with tools and data analysis solutions that help marketers and business owners improve how they connect with customers. The Moz Academy is the educational side of their operation, and they have a variety of certifications that help job seekers demonstrate their knowledge of SEO at multiple levels and in various specialization areas.

  The certification options from Moz include:

  • SEO Essentials - Fundamental knowledge of SEO concepts, including keyword research, page optimization, and link building
  • Local SEO - Comprehensive methodologies and knowledge in implementing SEO for a local brand
  • Technical SEO - Intermediate SEO knowledge, including technical concepts like site performance, accessibility, crawlability, site architecture, and canonicalization
  • SEO Competitive Analysis - Advanced concepts in conducting competitive analysis, including SERP analysis, technical and backlink audits, and best practices for conducting competitor research

• Online Marketing Certified Professional (OMCP)

• Offered by: Online Marketing Certified Professionals
  Primary focus: Comprehensive overview of digital marketing 

  This industry recognized credential is a top choice among advanced and experienced digital marketing professionals. To be eligible for the exam, professionals first need to accrue at least 5,000 hours of professional experience, or 2,000 hours plus a degree and verified training in the realm of online marketing. 

  Obtaining OMCP certification requires passing an exam that covers a range of key topics, including content marketing, conversion rate optimization, email marketing, mobile marketing, paid search (PPC), SEO, social media marketing, and digital analytics. In short, when you see a candidate with OMCP certification, you can trust they have a wealth of experience, a strong background in digital marketing, and a thorough, up-to-date set of digital marketing skills. 

• Semrush Academy Certificates

• Offered by: Semrush Academy
  Primary focus: Various topics related to SEO and digital marketing

  The popular SEO tool Semrush offers free learning for digital marketing professionals through their Semrush Academy. Each of their courses culminates in a certification exam to verify the individual's expertise in that area. 

  Similar to other options on this list, there are a variety of specializations and knowledge areas students can focus on, including: 

  • Digital Advertising 101 - The fundamentals of developing an online advertising strategy, including audience profiling, competitor analysis, and content creation
  • SEO Strategy - Designed for in-house marketers, this course covers crafting strategies, creating roadmaps, and identifying and leveraging competitive advantages
  • On-Page and Technical SEO - This course is a comprehensive deep dive into using SEO to boost rankings and visibility, as well as how to resolve technical issues and enhance the user experience
  • Lead Generation Accelerator - Tactics to increase lead generation and reach customers with a high conversion potential 
  • Engage & Convert - The essentials of email marketing, including campaign setup and execution and how to craft email content that drives conversions

  There are many more options for certification through Semrush, too. All are taught by industry leaders, with a focus on actionable strategies and hands-on learning.

• Which certifications should you look for in a new hire?

• Digital marketing is a broad, complex, and ever-evolving field. The skills that you need on your team will vary greatly depending on your business' industry and goals, as well as factors like the size of your team and the specific roles where you have current vacancies. 

  Consider what key skill sets are most critical to success in the role. That can serve as a good guide for which certifications you want to look out for on applicants' resumes to show that they have the right expertise in those areas.

  The truth is, all of the certificates mentioned on this list demonstrate a potentially high-quality hire--and there are other options that can be equally advantageous. Simply seeing a certification on someone's resume is a good sign that they are actively invested in growing their skills and staying current with the latest digital marketing trends and tools. Hopefully this article has given you a good introduction to the variety of digital marketing certifications available and which ones you'll look for when you're starting your next search.