Top 11 Digital Media Specialist Certifications

Certifications are important for digital media specialists in the job market because they demonstrate a level of expertise and proficiency with certain technologies and skill sets. Certification programs provide essential knowledge and skills, enabling digital media specialists to keep up with the ever-evolving world of digital media. Certifications also give employers confidence that their employees have the necessary qualifications to do their job effectively and efficiently. Additionally, certifications can help digital media specialists stand out from other applicants in a competitive job market, as employers may be more likely to hire someone with specialized knowledge or certifications.

The purpose of this article is to review some of the top certifications for Digital Media Specialists and explain how they can help advance a digital media specialist's career.

What are Digital Media Specialist Certifications?

Digital media specialist certification is a credential that demonstrates an individual's knowledge and skills in the field of digital media. It provides a comprehensive understanding of the full range of digital media platforms, including web design, content management systems, search engine optimization (SEO), analytics, and social media marketing. This certification can help individuals stand out from their peers by demonstrating their mastery of digital media tools and techniques. It can also help them advance their career by giving them a greater understanding of how to create effective online campaigns and reach target audiences. Additionally, having this certification can give employers confidence in an individual’s ability to manage digital projects and lead successful marketing initiatives. Ultimately, earning digital media specialist certification is an excellent way to stay ahead of the competition while advancing one’s career in the ever-evolving field of digital media.

Pro Tip: When researching digital media specialist certifications, make sure to verify that the program is accredited by a reputable third-party organization. This will ensure that you receive the highest quality training and credentials that employers recognize and respect.

Related: What does a Digital Media Specialist do?

Top 11 Digital Media Specialist Certifications

Here’s our list of the best certifications available to Digital Media Specialists today.

1. Google Ads Certified Professional

Google Ads Certified Professional is a certification program designed to help individuals demonstrate their expertise in Google Ads. It is a globally recognized qualification that proves the individual has the skills and knowledge to effectively manage, optimize, and measure campaigns using Google Ads.

The certification process typically takes between 4-6 weeks, depending on how quickly you can complete the required training modules and pass the assessment tests. To become certified, you must first complete an online training course that covers all aspects of Google Ads. Once you have completed this training course, you will be able to take two assessments: one for search ads and another for display ads. You must pass both assessments with a score of 80% or higher in order to become certified.

The cost of the Google Ads Certified Professional program varies depending on the country in which you are located. Generally speaking, it costs around $50 USD for each assessment test.

Overall, becoming a Google Ads Certified Professional is an excellent way to demonstrate your knowledge and expertise in digital marketing and advertising on Google’s platforms.

2. Adobe Certified Expert

Adobe Certified Expert (ACE) is an industry-recognized certification that validates a user’s expertise in Adobe products. It is designed to help users demonstrate their proficiency in using Adobe software and maximize their career potential.

To become an ACE, you must pass one or more exams that test your knowledge of the specific Adobe product(s). The exams typically take about 90 minutes to complete and are available online or at authorized testing centers. You can find the list of available exams on the Adobe website.

The cost of each exam varies depending on the product, but generally ranges from $100-$200 USD per exam. Once you have passed the required exam(s), you will receive a digital certificate and be listed as an Adobe Certified Expert on the official ACE registry.

3. HubSpot Inbound Marketing Certification

HubSpot Inbound Marketing Certification is an online course designed to teach users the fundamentals of inbound marketing. It covers topics such as content creation, SEO, lead generation, and analytics. The certification is offered by HubSpot Academy and takes approximately four hours to complete.

To get the certification, you must first create a free HubSpot account and then enroll in the course. Once enrolled, you will be given access to a series of video lessons, quizzes, and other resources that will help you learn the material. After completing all of the required components, you can take the final exam to earn your certification.

The cost for this certification is $199 USD. This fee includes access to all of the course materials and resources as well as a certificate of completion upon passing the exam. Additionally, HubSpot offers discounts for organizations or individuals with multiple certifications who wish to purchase them at once.

4. Hootsuite Social Media Certification

Hootsuite Social Media Certification is a professional certification program that validates an individual’s knowledge, skills, and abilities in the use of Hootsuite's social media management platform. The certification is designed to demonstrate proficiency in the use of the platform for managing, monitoring, and engaging with social media accounts.

The certification consists of a series of online courses that take approximately 8-10 hours to complete. The courses cover topics such as creating and managing social media campaigns, understanding analytics and insights, using Hootsuite to manage multiple accounts, and more. After completing the coursework, individuals must pass an exam that tests their knowledge of the material covered in the courses.

To get certified by Hootsuite, individuals must first sign up for a free account on the Hootsuite Academy website. From there they can purchase access to the certification program which costs $199 USD. Once purchased, individuals have access to all of the course materials and can begin working towards their certification at any time.

Once all coursework has been completed and passed with a score of 80% or higher on the final exam, individuals will receive their official Hootsuite Social Media Certification badge which they can display on their website or other online profiles.

5. Facebook Blueprint Certification

Facebook Blueprint Certification is a professional certification program that helps marketers demonstrate their expertise in using Facebook products and services to achieve business objectives. It is designed to help marketers develop the skills needed to create, manage, measure and optimize campaigns on Facebook, Instagram and other platforms.

The certification consists of two levels: Core and Advanced. The Core level covers the basics of setting up campaigns and understanding the fundamentals of advertising on Facebook; while the Advanced level focuses on more complex concepts such as advanced targeting, optimization techniques, creative best practices, and measurement strategies.

It typically takes between 6-8 weeks to complete the certification process depending on your experience with Facebook Ads Manager. To get certified you must pass an exam at each level which includes multiple choice questions as well as case studies.

The cost for the certification varies depending on where you take it from but generally it costs around $150-$200 for each level (Core & Advanced).

6. Twitter Flight School Certification

Twitter Flight School Certification is a certification program offered by Twitter that provides training and guidance on how to best use the platform for marketing purposes. The program consists of four courses, each taking around two hours to complete. The courses cover topics such as Twitter Ads, Twitter Analytics, Creative Strategy and Media Planning.

To get certified, you must pass all four courses with a score of 80% or higher. Once you have completed the courses and passed the tests, you will receive your certification.

The cost of the certification varies depending on which package you choose. There is an individual package for $99 per month or an enterprise package for $499 per month. Both packages include access to all four courses plus additional resources such as webinars and case studies.

Overall, the Twitter Flight School Certification program is designed to help marketers understand how to effectively use Twitter for their business goals and objectives. It takes around eight hours to complete all four courses and earn your certification, but the cost can vary depending on which package you choose.

7. YouTube Creator Academy Certification

YouTube Creator Academy Certification is a free certification program that helps YouTube creators learn the basics of creating and growing their channels. It takes an average of two to four hours to complete the certification, depending on how much time you spend exploring the various topics covered. To get the certification, you must first create a YouTube account and then watch all the videos in the Creator Academy course. Once you have completed all of the lessons, you will be given a quiz at the end that tests your knowledge of what you have learned. After passing this quiz, you will receive your official YouTube Creator Academy Certification. The cost for this certification is free.

8. Bing Ads Accredited Professional

Bing Ads Accredited Professional is a certification program designed to recognize individuals who have demonstrated expertise in using the Bing Ads platform. The program is administered by Microsoft, and requires applicants to pass an online assessment that tests their knowledge of the Bing Ads platform, as well as their understanding of search engine marketing principles.

To become a Bing Ads Accredited Professional, you must first register with Microsoft and complete the online assessment. The assessment consists of multiple-choice questions about various aspects of the Bing Ads platform and search engine marketing principles. You must answer at least 75% of the questions correctly in order to pass the assessment. Once you have passed the assessment, you will receive your certification from Microsoft.

The process typically takes about one hour to complete, depending on your familiarity with the material. There is no cost associated with becoming a Bing Ads Accredited Professional; however, you may need to pay for any additional training or resources needed to prepare for the exam.

9. Content Marketing Institute's Digital Marketing Master Course

Content Marketing Institute’s Digital Marketing Master Course is an online training program designed to help marketing professionals and business owners master the fundamentals of digital marketing. The course covers topics such as search engine optimization (SEO), content marketing, social media, email marketing, and more. It includes over 30 hours of video lessons, interactive quizzes, and downloadable resources.

The course takes approximately 8 weeks to complete. Each week consists of three or four hours of video instruction followed by a quiz to test your understanding of the material. You can also access additional resources such as case studies and downloadable templates.

You can purchase the Digital Marketing Master Course directly from Content Marketing Institute's website for $499 USD. The course includes lifetime access to all materials, so you can go back and review any topic at any time.

10. SEMrush Online Visibility Management Certification

SEMrush Online Visibility Management Certification is a professional certification program offered by SEMrush, an online marketing and SEO tool. This certification is designed to help digital marketers, SEOs, and webmasters understand how to use the SEMrush platform to increase their online visibility. The certification includes topics such as keyword research, content optimization, link building, and more.

The certification takes around 4-5 hours to complete and consists of 8 modules. Each module contains video lessons, quizzes, and a final exam. To get certified, you must pass all 8 modules with at least 80% accuracy.

The cost of the certification is $199 USD. You can purchase the course directly from SEMrush or through their partner sites such as Udemy or Coursera.

11. Google Analytics Individual Qualification (IQ)

Google Analytics Individual Qualification (IQ) is a certification program that tests an individual's knowledge of Google Analytics. It is designed to help individuals demonstrate their proficiency in using the platform and gain recognition for their expertise.

The exam consists of 70 multiple-choice questions and takes 90 minutes to complete. The questions cover topics such as data collection, configuration, analysis, and reporting within Google Analytics.

To get certified, you must pass the exam with at least 80% accuracy. You can take the exam online and it costs $50 USD per attempt. If you fail the exam, you can retake it after 7 days.

Once you have passed the exam, your certification will be valid for 12 months before needing to be renewed. To renew your certification, you must retake the exam or complete one of Google's advanced courses on analytics topics such as remarketing or mobile app tracking.

Do You Really Need a Digital Media Specialist Certificate?

Whether or not you need a digital media specialist certificate depends on your specific goals. If you are looking to become a professional in the field of digital media, then having a certificate can be beneficial in order to demonstrate that you have the necessary knowledge and skills for the job. A certificate may also open doors to more advanced roles within the industry.

On the other hand, if you already have experience working with digital media, then it may not be necessary for you to obtain a certificate. You can still build up your portfolio and gain more experience through projects that you complete independently or as part of an organization. Additionally, there are numerous online courses available that can supplement your knowledge and help you stay up-to-date with the latest trends in digital media.

At the end of the day, it is important to assess whether obtaining a digital media specialist certification is right for you based on your individual goals and needs. It could be an excellent way to further your career while also giving potential employers assurance that you are qualified for the job.

Related: Digital Media Specialist Resume Examples

FAQs About Digital Media Specialist Certifications

1. What are the benefits of becoming a Digital Media Specialist?

Answer: Becoming a Digital Media Specialist can open up numerous career opportunities in the digital media industry. These professionals are in high demand and can earn competitive salaries. Digital Media Specialists also have the opportunity to work with cutting-edge technology, develop creative solutions for clients and be at the forefront of emerging trends in digital media.

2. What qualifications do I need to become a Digital Media Specialist?

Answer: To become a Digital Media Specialist, you will need to have an understanding of digital media tools and technologies, strong communication skills, an eye for detail and an aptitude for problem-solving. Depending on the type of role you are applying for, it may also be beneficial to have experience working with Adobe Creative Suite or other design software programs.

3. What type of certifications are available for Digital Media Specialists?

Answer: There are several certification options available for Digital Media Specialists, including Certified Internet Marketer (CIM), Google Ads Certification, HubSpot Content Marketing Certification, and Social Media Manager Certification (SMMC). Each certification focuses on different aspects of digital media management and marketing, so you should select the one that best suits your goals.

4. How long does it take to complete a Digital Media Specialist certification?

Answer: The length of time required to complete a Digital Media Specialist certification depends on the specific program you choose. Generally speaking, most certifications require between 6-12 weeks of study time before taking an exam or completing a project-based assessment.

5. Are there any prerequisites for enrolling in a Digital Media Specialist certification program?

Answer: Most programs require applicants to have some knowledge or experience with digital media tools and technologies prior to enrollment. Additionally, some programs may also require applicants to pass certain exams or demonstrate proficiency in certain areas before being eligible for admission into the program.