Have you ever bought a course from someone online because of their credentials? If so, do you think you would have bought that course if you didn't see them as an established professional in their field?
It is no different in internet marketing. Not only do you need the traffic numbers to get plenty of sales, but you also need to look credible if you are selling any kind of online products or services of your own.
One of the greatest online marketers I know of, Frank Kern, wrote an entire book called “Convert” about the importance of establishing yourself as an expert in your niche.
I bought the book from him a long time ago, because I saw him as a credible expert who knew what I wanted to know.
And the book basically explained exactly how he creates that “celebrity status”, as he calls it, that gets him so many sales. Once you are seen by others as an expert, you don't need to be a good sales person.
People will come flocking to you to try and buy anything you put out on your website, just because it is done by you. This is why celebrity endorsements are so effective for TV commercials.
It's the same concept except for online marketing. But, how do you establish yourself as an authority in your viewers' eyes? One great way to do it is through online certifications.
14 Internet Marketing Certifications (Free – $495)
1. Bing Ads Accredited Professionals
Cost: Free
Get trained in Bing advertising and take the exam. If you pass, you will get a certificate like the one above, be given the official Bing Ads Accredited Professional title and be listed in the Bing Ads Pro directory.
You can learn more about this certification here.
2. Google Analytics Certification
Cost: Free
Google Analytics is used by pretty much every decent content marketer on the planet, so it might look good one your resume if you are a Google Analytics Certified Professional.
It costs nothing to go through this program and if you pass the exam, you get a certificate like the one above that is valid for 18 months of credibility.
You can start working towards Google Analytics certification here.
3 – 5. Digital Marketer Specialist Certifications
Cost: $495 each
Digital Marketer has been known for their internet marketing info products for a while and now they've decided to go in a different direction by now offering certifications.
You have to go through 6 modules of information with a quiz for each one and a final exam to pass.
Once you pass, you get a certificate of completion like the one above (some of the coolest looking certificates you can get in my opinion) with your name on it, a matching badge and the title of:
- “Certified Content Marketing Specialist” (covers content marketing)
- “Customer Value Optimization Specialist” (covers conversion funnel optimization)
- “Customer Acquisition Specialist” (covers paid traffic)
You can get the “Content Marketing Specialist” certification here.
You can get the “Customer Value Optimization Specialist” certification here.
And, you can get the “Customer Acquisition Specialist” certification here.
You can also check Digital Marketer in the future for more internet marketing certifications that aren't out yet.
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6. Google Adwords Certification
Cost: Free
To become certified in Google Adwords (Google's advertising platform), you must pass the Google Adwords Fundamentals exam and the Search Advertising Advanced Exam that deals with the different types of advertising (shopping, display, video, search, etc.).
Once you pass, you get a certificate similar to the one above and are officially a Google Adwords Certified Professional.
You can start your certification for Google Adwords here.
7. Hootsuite University Certification
Cost: $21 per month
If you want to increase your knowledge of social media and position yourself as a social media manager or strategist, this is a great program for you.
Hootsuite is one of the biggest social media marketing tools on the internet and having certification from them looks good on you. Just sign up for Hootsuite University, go through the course and take the exam.
When you pass, you will get certification that will never expire as a Hootsuite Certified Professional, a badge like the one above to display on profiles or websites and your name listed in the directory of Hootsuite Social Media Consultants
Learn more about getting Hootsuite certified here.
8. Hubspot Inbound Marketing Certification
Cost: Free
If you're an online marketer, you'll love this program. You will learn how to get traffic, convert visitors to leads, close them and delight them. HubSpot is also a very credible marketing company.
Just go through the material and pass the exam. Then, you will officially be a Hubspot Inbound Marketing Certified Professional and will receive a certificate like the one above.
Learn more about the HubSpot Academy Inbound Marketing Certification here.
9 – 14. W3Schools Coding Certifications
Cost: $95 each
If you want to be known as a certified professional in coding (website design), W3Schools has the perfect certifications for you. They have programs for PHP, XML, Javascript, HTML5, CSS, and jQuery.
Each of these is a separate certification. Once you pass each exam, you are then able to call yourself a W3Schools Certified HTML5, PHP, XML, CSS, Javascript, or jQuery Developer depending on the course and will get a certificate much like the one above.
Use these links for getting certified in the given coding languages:
How To Ensure That You Pass These Program Exams
Most of these certifications are completely internet-based, which means you can complete everything and take the exam from your home computer.
If you have a year or two of experience in online marketing, these exams should be mostly basic knowledge and common sense for you.
However, to ensure you get everything done the first time around, so you can start showing off your certifications as credentials, here are a few tips for passing:
- Actually go through the content like you would for any other test. Don't just assume that you know ever answer already.
- Record your screen using Easy Video Suite or another video recording tool, so you can look at the material as many times as you want.
- Take advantage of any practice exams or quizzes that are available, so you get an idea of what to expect on the final exam.
- Open material, notes, etc. in another browser, computer or device to use as a cheat sheet on the test. This isn't school. The entire goal is to understand the information and get the certificate.
- If you fail and can go back to see which ones you got wrong, do it. Make notes of it before retaking the final exam. Don't make the same mistakes twice.
Related: How To Brand Yourself As An Expert In Your Field In 10 Steps
What To Do With Certifications Or Badges
Once you pass, you will get your certificates and badges that prove you are a certified professional in the courses you took. But, these are useless if no one sees them but you.
As an internet marketer, most of you business is conducted online, so printing and hanging your certifications on your wall is pretty useless they're for your own peace of mind or as a background for shooting videos.
Here's some ideas for what you should do to leverage your certifications online:
- Display them on your “About Me” page on your website or blog.
- Display them on your Linkedin profile in the “Certifications” section.
- Make a social media background that displays all your certifications.
- Link to your certifications in your Twitter bio.
- Link to them in all your author, forum, community, etc. profiles.
- Display them in the widget or sidebar area of your website.
- Put them in your resume for when you want to apply for jobs.
- Put them in your freelance profiles for sites like Elance, UpWork or Fiverr.
Conclusion
Certifications in your industry can be the difference between you being taken seriously as an expert or not.
You see people like Frank Kern talking about pre-framing the minds of your leads to see you as an expert, so you don't even have to be a salesman to get lots of internet sales.
You even see entrepreneurs like Tim Ferriss do small university speaking sessions for free before he was famous, just to use for “expert” credibility to sell more products, even if no one showed up to listen to him.
It is all about how the customers see you in their perspective. Certifications are little pieces of proof that make you look like a certified professional in your niche, whether you know that much or not.
They're a lot cheaper than a degree, easy to pass, and get you instant authority online where you can start to be seen as a “celebrity-figure” in your industry.
This can make a HUGE difference in your business with little downside, so why not do it?
What are your experiences with using certifications to boost your credibility?
FREE VIDEO COURSE:
"How To Make $10,000 Per Month Online"
We'll go over exactly how you can copy our simple, online business model that has made $10,000+ per month for countless people.