If you’re looking to dip your toe into the exciting world of online marketing, but don’t want to commit to a full-time course, then you can take the plunge with one of the many marketing certifications available online. These certifications don’t require you to complete a lengthy course. Instead, you can study at your leisure and at any time that suits you. Additionally, many of these certificate programs provide you with the opportunity to gain experience by completing real-life assignments that help you grow as a marketer.

Why Should I Become A Certified Marketing Specialist?

Being a certified marketer means you have demonstrated your proficiency in marketing through a formal qualification. Earning a certification also serves as a great advantage in a highly competitive job market. In fact, in 2020, more than 70,000 online marketing graduates will be looking for work. If you want to make sure you stand out from the competition, then taking the time to study and gain a certification is a good idea.

However, it is not always the case that gaining certifications guarantees you a high-paying job. In fact, most employers look at your portfolio rather than your certificate. When searching for jobs, it is advisable to focus on relevant skills rather than just keywords. For example, if you are looking for a marketing role, then you should include both marketing and digital marketing in your search criteria.

Which Of These Marketing Certifications Should I Pursue?

To succeed in the ever-changing world of marketing, you need to constantly be learning and revaluating your knowledge. One of the best things about pursuing a marketing certification is that it automatically updates you with the latest trends, technologies, and methodologies. Additionally, taking a course or completing a certification does not dictate your career path. You can use your newfound knowledge in a variety of ways.

Affiliate Marketing

One of the oldest and still one of the most popular marketing certifications is the affiliate marketing certificate. This certification does not require you to learn any specific software or devices, as you will learn the fundamentals of affiliate marketing. For those looking to break into the affiliate marketing world, then this is a great option.

What is affiliate marketing? Put simply, affiliate marketing is when a business rewards you for bringing in customers who make a purchase after your marketing campaign. In other words, you get paid when someone clicks a link or buys a product that you promoted. The great thing about this certification is that you can get started with almost no investment. You will simply need a domain and hosting for your website. From there, you can take advantage of free tools like Google Analytics to track your performance and grow your business.

Search Marketing

A major change that affects every marketer’s life is Google’s algorithmic updates. Simply put, over the years, Google has updated its algorithms to favor websites that provide value to its users. As a result, if you want to succeed in SEO, you need to learn to provide value to your users and make their lives easier. This is where the search marketing certificate comes in. You will learn the basics of SEO, including how to plan keyword strategies, analyze keyword performance, and use tools like Google Analytics to improve your SEO efforts.

The great thing about this certification is that you can start learning for free. All you need are a smartphone and a laptop/desktop computer. From there, you can gain access to a wealth of information and tools that will grow with your business. Additionally, the complete SEO course is offered online and even has a live chat function where you can get help from experienced professionals. With a little bit of effort, anyone can gain the knowledge needed to succeed in search marketing.

Digital Marketing

While SEO focuses on using keywords to improve your ranking in search results, digital marketing encompasses a variety of tactics, from SEO to email marketing to social media. If you’re looking to succeed in digital marketing, then this is a great option. Some of the greatest minds in technology and marketing have created comprehensive courses that will help you succeed in this field.

The great thing about the digital marketing certificate is that it allows you to specialize in areas of interest. For example, if you’re more of a social media marketer, you can take advantage of the social media certificate and build a skill set consistent with that field.

Online Marketing

Last but not least, we have the Online Marketing certificate. As the name would suggest, this certification focuses on teaching you all there is to know about online marketing. When it comes to digital marketing, SEO and search marketing are two main specializations under this certificate. However, you will also learn about email marketing, video marketing, and paid social media marketing. If you’re looking for a comprehensive course that will put you in the right direction, then this is the option for you.

Like all of the other marketing certificates, this one also does not require you to learn any specific software or devices. Instead, you will simply learn the theory and then put it into practice. Additionally, you will enhance your career prospects by obtaining this certification. More and more companies are looking for employees who have a comprehensive knowledge of online marketing. This will put you ahead of the competition.

To summarize, these are just some of the most popular online marketing certifications. As you can see, not all of them require you to learn a specific software or device. Instead, you can take advantage of your own personal computer or smartphone to gain access to a wealth of information and tools that will help you succeed as a marketer.