The Top Social Media Marketing Certifications to Advance Your Career

Creating and maintaining a clear, impactful, and authentic social media presence is key to discovering and connecting with potential customers. This begins with understanding when, where, how, and to whom social marketing content should be targeted and continues with brand-driven content that builds customer connection, community, and advocacy.

This certificate program will help you develop a strategic approach to executing today’s most relevant digital marketing tactics using social media platforms. Throughout the program, you will examine social media platform best practices to design a robust social marketing strategy and create brand-centered social content that aligns with your marketing objectives. You will also identify user-generated content opportunities and structure an influencer campaign to motivate and build the brand community. Additionally, you will create a proactive cross-platform social listening and community management system that is consistent with the brand and devise metrics to measure the success of your marketing efforts. By the time you complete this program, you will have developed a fully integrated social campaign that is ready to launch in the market.

For the best experience in this program it is recommended to take these courses in the order that they appear.

This program includes a year of free access to Symposium! These events feature several days of live, highly participatory virtual Zoom sessions with Cornell faculty and experts to explore the marketing industry’s most pressing topics. Symposium events are held several times throughout the year. Once enrolled in your program, you will receive information about upcoming events.

Throughout the year, you may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending Symposium sessions is not required to successfully complete the certificate program.

In order to be successful with your social media marketing, you must first understand how and why to structure a social media strategy to guide campaign execution.

In this course, you will explore social media marketing platforms, publishers, tools, agencies, and the foundational elements of running a successful social media campaign. You will also examine what social media marketing is and how it is part of a brand-driven integrated marketing communications strategy. As the course progresses, you will evaluate the main social platforms used for digital marketing and practice aligning these platforms with your marketing goals and campaign strategy. You will also examine how marketers incorporate effective social media content generated by the brand, influencers, or users. Lastly, you will assess the role of social media agencies to help you decide if and when to outsource your campaigns.

Effective marketing communications inform and inspire consumers. Its messaging that creates product awareness and knowledge, and encourages positive brand attitudes and action. Traditional marketing, especially advertising, uses a “tell and sell” promotional approach thats unidirectional in presentation – from brand to buyer – and designed to persuade; its hard marketing. Effective social media marketing is different. Its bidirectional conversation – from brand to buyer and buyer to brand – about the brand experience and designed to engage. This is soft marketing, the kind that target audiences seek as opposed to avoid. The key to social media marketing is connecting the customer with the brand through content thats informative, interesting, or entertaining; ideally, a combination of all three.

In this course, you will conduct a brand audit to identify the brands pillars, tone, ry, and personality. You will use these to create a clear brand voice for social media. You will then develop a content marketing social media strategy centered around a big idea and produce creative content that meets the business objectives of the organization as well as the needs and wants of the customer. Lastly, you will identify opportunities for user-generated content (UGC) that motivates the brand community and create a detailed content-posting cadence designed to meet the specific marketing goals.

Influencers are social medias celebrity spokespersons. Their followers provide a core audience of avid social media users, while the influencers themselves, through the endorsement of and engagement with brands, provide authenticity and trustworthiness. Teaming up and collaborating with the right influencers can help a company reach and expand target audiences, improve brand engagement, and inspire conversions. However, not all influencers are right for all brands; knowing when and how to use social influencers is an important element of social media strategy.

In this course, you will analyze the types and roles of social media influencers and identify specific influencers that will help drive your marketing efforts. You will apply the consumer purchasing funnel to devise strategies aimed at connecting the right influencer at the right time with the right customers. Additionally, you will evaluate the ethical and regulatory aspects of working with influencers, and examine how to measure influencer campaign success across the funnel. Lastly, you will craft an influencer program to achieve social media campaign objectives by integrating influencers into the content marketing strategy.

Understanding what past, present, and potential customers are saying, hearing, and seeing about your brand is an important part of brand management and social media presence. Monitoring brand mentions and conversations on social platforms can seem like a daunting, even impossible task. Fortunately, there are tools and solutions providers who can facilitate social listening and reputation management. Whats important, then, is your understanding of why and how to manage social discourse about the brand to maintain and enhance your brands credibility and overall reputation.

In this course, you will build a strategic, proactive social listening system that amplifies the efforts of social media marketing and creates close relationships between the brand and members of the brand community. You will also develop a systematic organizational approach to community management that is consistent with the brand and leverages best practices for different social media platforms.

What makes a social media marketing campaign successful? Is it growth in followers? More engagement on social channels? Greater positive sentiment about the brand? What about increases in sales leads or in sales revenue? Social media success might be reflected in all, some, or just one of these outcomes. Ultimately, however, success is a function of how well the campaign performed in meeting its marketing objectives. Measuring this performance used to be elusive for social media, but as the practice has evolved, so has the means to determine what worked and what did not.

In this course, you will identify the right metrics for measuring and benchmarking social media success across the marketing funnel. From measures of impressions to engagement, to conversion, and to advocacy, youll examine how brands and agencies link campaign objectives — activity — and outcomes to assess, test, and optimize campaign results. Additionally, youll explore how existing and emerging performance-reporting tools and dashboards help social media managers control dynamic campaigns to best ensure social media success.

Symposium sessions feature two days of live, highly interactive virtual Zoom sessions that will explore today’s most pressing topics. The Marketing Symposium offers you a unique opportunity to engage in real-time conversations with peers and experts from the Cornell community and beyond. Using the context of your own experiences, you will take part in reflections and small-group discussions to build on the skills and knowledge you have gained from your courses.

Join us for the next Symposium, in which we’ll share experiences from across the industry, inspiring real-time conversations about best practices, innovation, and the future of marketing work. You will support your coursework by applying your knowledge and experiences to some of the most pressing topics and trends in the marketing field. By participating in relevant and engaging discussions, you will discover a variety of perspectives and build connections with your fellow participants from across the industry.

Future dates are subject to change. You may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending Symposium sessions is not required to successfully complete any certificate program. Once enrolled in your courses, you will receive information about upcoming events. Accessibility accommodations will be available upon request.

Social media has become an indispensable part of marketing for businesses and organizations of all sizes. With billions of active users across platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and more, social media offers unparalleled opportunities for brands to engage with target audiences and promote their products and services.

As a result, there is a growing demand for social media marketing skills in roles like social media managers, coordinators, strategists, and consultants While hands-on experience is invaluable, getting certified in social media marketing is a great way to build expertise in this evolving field, expand your skillset, and advance your career

In this comprehensive guide we explore the best certifications for social media marketing along with the key benefits, course details and how to get started.

Why Get Certified in Social Media Marketing?

Here are some of the top reasons to invest in certification

Learn in-demand skills – Certifications allow you to master the latest social media marketing skills like creating engaging content, running ads, analytics, and more.
Expand your knowledge – Comprehensive courses let you learn social media marketing strategies across different platforms.
Get hands-on practice – Apply concepts through real-world projects and case studies.
Earn credentials – Certifications allow you to gain credentials from leading industry providers.
Enhance employability – Certifications can make your resume stand out and help qualify for social media roles.
Higher earning potential – Those with certifications can command a higher salary.
Flexible learning – Many certifications offer self-paced online learning models.

Overview of Top Certifications

Here is an overview of some of the best social media marketing certifications based on reputation, content, and value:

Certification	Provider	Cost	Duration
Social Media Marketing Specialist	HubSpot Academy	Free	Self-paced
Social Media Marketing Associate	Digital Marketing Institute	$297	Self-paced
Social Media Marketing Professional Certificate	Meta and Coursera	$49/month	5-10 hours/week for 6-8 months
Social Marketing Certification	Hootsuite Academy	$199	6 hours
Social Media Marketing Certification	OMCP®	$995	Self-paced
Social Media Marketing	Cornell	$2,625	12 weeks

Detailed Overview of Top Certifications

Let’s look at some of the best social media marketing certifications in more detail:

HubSpot Social Media Marketing Certification

The Social Media Marketing Certification course from HubSpot Academy offers comprehensive training in social media strategy, platforms, content creation, paid social advertising, analytics, and more.

Key Details:

100% free course with certification
Self-paced online learning
Covers Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Pinterest
Real-world projects and templates
Certification exam and downloadable certificate

This certification from the inbound marketing leaders at HubSpot is ideal for beginners looking to learn core social media marketing skills.

Digital Marketing Institute Social Media Marketing Associate Certification

This certification from Digital Marketing Institute provides in-depth training on social media marketing concepts, best practices, and hands-on tools across core platforms.

Key Details:

$297 certification cost
Self-paced eLearning
Covers content creation, community management, paid social, analytics
Hands-on tools like Hootsuite, Sprout Social
Certification exam and digital credential

This associate-level certification is great for early career professionals looking to boost their social media marketing skills.

Meta and Coursera Social Media Marketing Professional Certificate

This extensive program offered in partnership between Meta and Coursera helps you gain professional-level social media marketing skills.

Key Details:

$49/month with Coursera subscription
5-10 hours per week for 6-8 months
Covers strategy, content creation, analytics, advertising
Real-world projects on Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp
Professional certificate upon completion

This in-depth certificate can help take your social media marketing career to the next level.

Hootsuite Social Marketing Certification

The Hootsuite Academy Social Marketing Certification focuses on social media marketing best practices and using the Hootsuite platform for social media management.

Key Details:

$199 certification cost
6 hours of video content
Covers social advertising, content creation, analytics
Hands-on Hootsuite dashboard training
Certification exam and credential

This certification is ideal for social media marketers looking to master Hootsuite, the leading social media management system.

OMCP Social Media Marketing Certification

Offered by the Online Marketing Certified Professional (OMCP®) program, this certification provides comprehensive training across major social platforms and strategies.

Key Details:

$995 certification cost
Self-paced online course
Covers content, community management, analytics, advertising
Real-world case studies and strategies
Certification exam and credential

This credential from the OMCP validates extensive social media marketing skills and knowledge.

Cornell Social Media Marketing Certificate

This Ivy League certification from Cornell offers an intensive 12-week program focused on strategy, content, analytics, and monitoring for social media marketing.

Key Details:

$2,625 program fee
12 weeks of lectures and assignments
Covers strategic planning, content creation, analytics
Live classes and discussions
Certificate from Cornell upon completion

Earning a certificate from the prestigious Cornell University helps boost your credentials as a social media marketer.

Key Benefits of Social Media Marketing Certifications

Beyond helping you learn in-demand skills, social media marketing certifications offer many benefits:

Increase employability – Certifications can make you stand out compared to other applicants for social media roles.
Higher salary potential – Those with certifications can expect increased earning potential.
Expanded skillset – Comprehensive courses allow you to expand your overall social media marketing skills.
Learn latest tactics – Certifications teach you the most up-to-date strategies and tools.
Career advancement – Certifications can help qualify you for more senior social media marketing positions.
Resume booster – Credentials from leading providers like HubSpot, Meta, Hootsuite are impressive additions to your resume.
Flexibility – Self-paced online certifications allow you to learn on your schedule.
Hands-on practice – Applying concepts to real-world projects and case studies helps reinforce learning.

How Long Does It Take to Get Certified?

The time it takes to earn a social media marketing certification depends on a few factors:

Type of program – Self-paced courses allow you to move at your own pace, while cohort-based programs follow a set schedule.
Number of hours required – Certifications can range from 6 hours to over 100+ hours of coursework.
Learning model – Online self-study enables you to learn faster compared to live classes.
Experience level – Beginners may take longer to complete certifications than experienced professionals.

On average, it takes 40-60 hours spread over 4-6 weeks for most professionals to complete a social media marketing certification. Programs offering 3-6 months of comprehensive coursework help take your skills to an advanced level.

How Much Does Certification Cost?

There are certifications across a wide range of budgets:

Free certifications – Some providers like HubSpot offer free social media marketing certifications.
$100 – $300 certifications – Many reputable mid-range certifications fall in this price range.
$500 – $1000 certifications – Higher-end certifications from industry leaders can cost up to $1000.
University certifications – Ivy League programs can cost $2000+ but offer prestigious credentials.

When choosing a certification, compare the price with the depth of training, quality of the provider, and potential career impact to ensure you get the best value.

How to Get Started?

Follow these steps to get started on your social media marketing certification:

1. Identify your goals – Consider your specific learning objectives and career goals to help select the right certification.

2. Research top certifications – Use this guide and other resources to shortlist certifications that fit your needs.

3. Compare options – Look at costs, providers, credentials, and course outlines to choose the best program.

4. Enroll in the course – Register for the certification program through the provider’s website.

5. Complete coursework – Dedicate time each week for classes, assignments, projects, and studying.

6. Pass certification exam – Most certifications require passing a final exam to earn the credential.

7. Add certification to your resume and profiles