The chances are you already have a college degree, although a lot of people don’t. But now you have to decide whether it’s worth the time and effort to acquire an advanced degree in your chosen field. Digital marketing is well-known for being a field where there are no degrees targeted specifically at it.
The company DigitalMarketer has unveiled a digital certification aimed at training new digital marketers for the real world of work. This could very well spell a major change in the way people are educated and how they prepare for the world of business.
Why the Need for Certifications?
This isn’t the first time that digital certifications have been unveiled for use. The fact is there are a lot of social media certifications, along with some content marketing certifications. A lot of them have completely failed because they have been unveiled as flops.
DigitalMarketer is determined to overcome many of the barriers to online certifications, including:
- The Teachers – It’s well-known that a certification is only ever as good as the people teaching the classes. It’s no use employing anyone to read a textbook or a blog post they downloaded from an expert. DigitalMarketer uses real experts with real world experience.
- Practical Knowledge – Another of the main problems experienced by certifications is the same issue as those experienced by college degrees. The knowledge available isn’t practical enough to be worthwhile. Many businesses are left frustrated by how much their new hires actually know about their industry.
- Acceptance – Finally, a qualification is only worth as much as employers want to see it. You can say your qualification is the most valuable in the world, but unless others subscribe to that view it isn’t worth anything. To put it brutally, a certification itself is just a piece of paper. Its value is in what other people think about it.
DigitalMarketer seeks to overcome all these barriers by teaching real, practical knowledge alongside experts. This reputation will eventually make it more accepted among employers, including those who prefer more traditional education options.
Digital Marketing is One of the Top Jobs
A certification is only relevant if it’s in an industry that matters. Becoming a digital marketer is one of the best options available today because it is the industry that’s one of the fastest growing. According to a recent study, digital marketing is one of the top six jobs you can get without the need for an advanced degree. Its earning potential is listed as over $200,000.
The truth is, though, digital marketing has no real glass ceiling. The best in the industry can command as much money as they like because a company lives or dies on its marketing. Many companies are increasing their digital marketing budgets annually. Without marketers, even the top brands would gradually fade away, and that’s why they are willing to pay incredible amounts of money.
DigitalMarketer has steadily tracked the process of this niche over the years and they have come to the conclusion that digital marketing requires its own path to success. In other words, in the absence of a college degree, there’s no direct entry route and only a little amount of training courses, which aren’t always recognized by a wide range of employers.
How Are Certifications Changing the Playing Field
Entrepreneurs and business owners have wanted professionals to create coursework that helps them to learn new skills. The results have been tremendous, and it created a need for a certification that everyone and anyone can access.
This is all part of a trend. For example, the CEO Ryan Deiss is already working top business schools to create a digital marketing course for marketing students. This is the first of its kind and indicates that traditional educational institutions are finally waking up to the online age.
But DigitalMarketer goes further than simply offering a brief overview of the industry. Their courses are geared towards digital marketing as a whole, along with examining some of the most specific areas of the trade.
Last Word
Digital marketing certifications are becoming a real alternative to college as companies realize that they need people who truly understand the industry. They go further than generalized marketing courses and can bring real benefits to organizations in a range of industries.
What are your views on the demand for digital marketers and the evolution of digital marketing certifications?
