Top 5 Marketing Certifications That Can Land You a Job in 2020

Here are tools to help you get that dream job

You are almost a graduate and the stressful thoughts of the future continue to haunt you. You have to now compete with a pool of talented graduates seeking jobs, in the midst of a global pandemic. And the industry is only growing so fast. So, how can you set yourself apart from the rest?

Finding and securing marketing jobs are not easy. The marketing sector is extremely penetrated, filled with talented marketing professionals seeking roles that will allow them to showcase their expertise. Most businesses now want nothing less than top marketers to join their firms.

That’s why going the the extra mile counts, by constantly equipping yourself to stand out in an otherwise over-saturated market. The best way to do this? Certifications. Take advantage of marketing certifications available online to sharpen your skill set and make you a leading candidate for that job you have always wanted.

There may have some significant changes since the last time you updated your skill set with credible marketing certifications. And with so many courses and certifications to choose from, it can get overwhelming. Whether or not you are looking to end up on a creative team or media-buying team, the certifications listed below will help you get ahead of your peers.

These certifications are worth your time and are extremely credible sources to explore. Listed below are 5 certifications every marketer must have along with their associated costs, while even including from where they can be accessed. The knowledge and skills derived from these courses can be harnessed to set yourself up for leading roles within the industry.

1. HubSpot Content Marketing Certification

Cost: Free Where to find it: HubSpot Academy

Pretty sure we all agree that content still takes the top spot in today’s digital space. We have all heard the phrase, “content is king” enough times to realize its importance. Content is a core pillar of digital marketing and it’s critical for all marketers to possess adept writing and communication skills. This way the product/service are better recognized by their target audience.

The HubSpot Content Marketing Certification encompasses 12 different modules that keep you up-to-date on the latest trends involved in the world of content marketing, which also includes best practices and research tips. This course is a great resource for marketers who want to truly understand the impact of content marketing and help companies boost their marketing ROI. Yes, you heard right, marketing ROI exists, and it’s something many marketers struggle with.

Pro Tip: Great news — they are all free courses so ensure you take advantage of them, as they are highly recommended and great for understanding core marketing principles. HubSpot also offers other kinds of training and certifications through HubSpot Academy including inbound, email, and sales techniques. These courses can help you hone your craft and build your skillset.

2. Hootsuite Social Marketing Certification

Cost: $199 Where to find it: Hootsuite Academy

Hootsuite, possibly one of the most widely-used social media management platforms, offers a wide variety of social media marketing training across all levels. Their courses offer introductory social media management courses to advanced social media strategy certifications. Hootsuite helps marketers develop the fundamentals in social marketing, to eventually drive valuable impact and results.

The Social Marketing Certification allows you to test your knowledge of core concepts of social media marketing. This certification strengthens and showcases your expertise as a social marketing master. Before taking the 60-question online exam to earn the certification, Hootsuite suggests taking their free social media training course. The training course takes you through all the fundamental concepts being tested and preps you well for it.

One cannot deny the impact social media has on a brands digital strategy. Most organizations look for those that make an effort to sharpen up their skills to truly stand out from the crowd.

Pro Tip: Take advantage of these courses that are readily available to you. Hootsuite’s social media training courses is a painless way to set yourself up as a leading candidate. Once you pass the exam, the certification never expires and is yours to keep. Now, who wouldn’t like something like this.

3. Google: Fundamentals of Digital Marketing

Cost: Free Where to find it: Google Digital Garage

Google’s Digital Garage is essentially a one-stop shop for becoming a proficient digital marketer. It offers free tutorials on everything you need to know about digital marketing. From analytics and data insights to display advertising, the entire online course has close to 26 topics and is accredited by the Interactive Advertising Bureau Europe, as well as The Open University.

This program is generally structured for beginners seeking to learn the core concepts of digital marketing. However, any marketer that wants to brush up on their fundamental digital marketing skills can attend this course as well. The course is extremely useful for freshers and beginners as marketing agencies generally value certifications from credible platforms like Google.

Pro Tip: Google’s Digital Garage is pretty extensive and covers digital marketing holistically. Once you complete all 26 modules, you can take part in the final 40-question exam, and if successful, you can proudly add this certification to your arsenal.

4. Google Ads Certification

Cost: Free Where to find it: Google Academy for Ads

The magnitude of Google Ads in the digital space is enormous. Whether you’re a seasoned marketing professional or jumpstarting your career, you are certainly aware with the concept of Google Ads. When used strategically and appropriately, it can be extremely effective to boost your businesses ROI.

The Google Ads certification is a professional credential that is given to those marketers that are able to demonstrate basic and advanced knowledge of Google Ads. It is designed to test your knowledge on online advertising, with important concepts like value proposition of online advertising, campaign setup, which includes management, measurement, and optimization.

In order to be Ads certified in a specific Google Ads product area, you must pass two things — Google Ads Fundamentals assessment and another one of the additional advertising assessments (with passing scores of 80% each). Some of the additional assessments are Search Advertising, Display Advertising, Mobile Advertising, Video Advertising, and Shopping Advertising, and are all available on the same platform.

Pro Tip: Your Google Ads certification remains valid until the product area assessment expires, which are usually one year. You may need to retake and pass the certification assessment in the respective product area to renew your certification.

5. Facebook BluePrint Certification

Cost: $150 (each exam) Where to find it: Facebook BluePrint Certification

Facebook advertising is another incredibly effective way for brands to reach their target audiences and drive brand awareness. Most marketing agencies recognize the value in marketing professionals who are proficient in Facebook advertising. They have a lot to offer, and can create new and exciting opportunities never explored before.

This program offers two types of certifications — Facebook Certified Planning Professional and the Facebook Certified Buying Professional. These certifications are solely meant for marketers who work extensively on Facebook, by managing Facebook Pages along with their advertising campaigns.

The Planning Professional helps you how to plan, strategize, and run successful campaigns on Facebook. It also provides immense insights on your target audience and how to optimize your reach and frequency. The Buying Professional will help you demonstrate proficiency in certain areas like creating and purchasing Facebook ads, managing Facebook Pages, and understanding the Facebook Pixel.

Pro Tip: Each of these certifications have their own exams (with passing scores of 700 each) and is valid for one year. You can take the exams in any order, but Facebook recommends taking them in the order listed on their website. The Blueprint Certification is the only formally recognized certification by Facebook.

Let’s Get Certified

Most marketing agencies and businesses now recognize certifications as a bonus qualification. The rise of cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) is something every marketer should keep an eye on. AI and machine learning (ML) technologies are constantly evolving. It will definitely open up new opportunities for marketers, meaning new skills will be required.

Marketing is as unpredictable as it gets. New techniques and best practices come out every other week, which means marketers must equip themselves with new knowledge consistently to keep up. To truly stand out, it takes more than just hope and aspiration. You must proactively work to develop your skills to become more qualified in this highly competitive field.

There’s an abundance of other marketing courses and certifications that are available online for marketers. However, be sure to not overwhelm yourself or pursue certifications that aren’t relevant to your domain and career objectives.

So, step up and take control of your career growth in order to stay ahead of the curve. Good luck and happy learning!