What's the best digital marketing certificate out there?

You are going to get a lot of people who will tell you that you don't really need a certificate to be a digital marketing specialist. Which is technically true. As far as I know, there is no legal requirement for a certificate or degree to sell Internet marketing services.

And if you are fishing for clients who already understand what you are doing and how to evaluate your expertise, you'll find that your track record is more important than a credential.

But when you venture further afield, dealing with clients who don't have that experience, having something to point to that says someone else vouches for your knowledge can be the difference between "we'll let you know" and "when can you get started."

The two I'm familiar with, and that seem to be fairly well respected, are Digital Marketer and AWAI. Both have training programs, and you can check them out by reviewing an abundance of free content.

Just a little bit of caution is in order, IMO.

I have seen a number of paid training programs that offer a certificate for completion of a marketing course. The certificate might be called a diploma, a credential, a degree, a competency, or any other number of other things.

The problem I see is the fact that I don't know of any organization or body that monitors, certifies or even evaluates the content of the course, the student's level of marketing knowledge when the course is completed, or any other kind of proficiency testing or rating.

IMO, having a certificate may look good on one's resume, but I have not seen an employer or client hiring someone based on them having a "certificate."

I'm certainly not criticizing or "knocking" any training program or individual who wants to learn about marketing. I'm just suggesting here that your ambition to have a certificate in digital marketing may be a self-satisfying desire ... but is there really any practical use for it? Does anyone really care? Not so much.

Good luck in your marketing career,

Steve

I know this might sound cheesy, but the Google ad words analytics certification are usually enough to convince a client that you know your stuff. The exams are online and free to take.

Just use your Internet marketing experience to get results for your clients but use the Google credentials for support

I know but some small business people do ask where you got your training. It's easier to say I took a course with Google. The conversation usually becomes more positive and in my favor because many of them are familiar with Google.

I just took a mini MBA Program at Rutgers University, which is like an associates master/mba and it was cheap, and well worth it as bridge between a traditional way of saying I know what I'm talking about and also learning from mentors in the industry. Your going to forever be self learning but if you need a cred booster that gets people's attention and never goes away this is a great option.

The best certificate? You get it from Experience University.

Cheers,

Tom

I seen a dude run solo ads. Lots of raving reviews. I wanted to learn more about the guy and his list, and to see where i can sign up to it.... then i found his website! And his website was 1 page long. All he had was his resume' on his page, and no other real life marketing stuff. So why would someone decide to buy from him? I dont know, maybe because like John said: companies who are new and have no idea about internet marketing. Long story short, 5 months later the guy stopped selling solos altogether. Website doesn't exist anymore.

So me a vet, i'm assuming the guy just bought a mailing list, sells solos on marketplaces, and puts up a domain of himself just to have people know that he exists in the "marketing field".

You dont need a cert to land clients. Trust me. Test yourself. Try and sell a $7 ebook first to folks in the internet marketing community, and see how that turns out. If you can't do it, how will you sell $1,000+ consulting services to companies that are "hip to the game" and know what to look for?