The traditional marketing concepts of 4P’s, 7S, and the various Marketing mixes have become passé! The newest method to promote businesses and to keep the flow of customers coming through is digital marketing. Often referred to as ‘online marketing’, ‘internet marketing’ or ‘web marketing’, digital marketing has gained popularity over the last decade. With the advent of e-commerce websites, the scope for a digital marketer has increased multifold.

Though there’s no substitute for practical experience, knowing the basics of marketing along with the functionalities of the various channels is the minimum requirement for anyone to be successful in this field.

But, the key to succeed in the industry is to learn the art of engagement in any channel that is used, and the skills needed for this are developed through extensive training sessions.

Unlike other popular courses like PMP, PRINCE2, CSM etc., there is no governing body for digital marketing courses. Thus, the onus of selecting the right institute for taking up the training is on the aspirant.
Google, OMCP, Online Marketing Institute, MarketingProfs etc. are few well-known names in the online marketing training arena.

How to Select a Training Provider

Any training provider must be evaluated on the following points:

- Aspirants/Professionals must go through the course content thoroughly before enrolling for any training session.

- Structure of course (must include key areas like SEO, Web Analytics, Online Advertising, Landing Page and Conversion Rate Optimization, Social Media Marketing, Email Marketing)

- Gather information on who has created the course content and who will be delivering the training.

- Hands-on exposure

- Case studies included in the course

OMCP Certification

The highly-recognized industry standard for a certification in online marketing is OMCP (Online Marketing Certified Professional). An OMCP certification verifies member’s dedication to professional development by considering member’s active participation in industry groups and events.

OMCP conducts certification exams for entry-level as well as experienced professionals, thus there’s a course for everyone.

The exam standard committee consists of the who’s-who of the industry, Avinash Kaushik, John Marshall, Todd Malicoat, Jeff Hasen, Michael Stebbins, Ruth Burr, Stephan Spencer, to name a few.

Though OMCP doesn’t conduct any training by itself, it recognizes trainings conducted by industry’s best known educational institutions. OMCP is supported by leading universities, marketing associations, companies, and marketing professionals worldwide.

Digital Marketing Certification Path

Levels of Certification

OMCP conducts training in two levels namely – OMCA and OMCP.

OMCA is the entry-level certification for online marketing practitioners. This certification is especially designed for professionals who have no or very little online marketing experience. This certification demonstrates foundation knowledge of online marketing concepts and best practices.

OMCP certification, on the other hand, is designed for experienced professionals in the field and who have undergone training from authorized providers. This certification demonstrates a thorough knowledge of online marketing concepts and best practices across one or more digital marketing disciplines.

Eligibility Criteria for Earning a CertificationOMCA Certification:

- Passing score of 70% or greater on the OMCA exam

- Secondary degree or equivalent (e.g., High School diploma or Associates degree)

- 600 hours experience online marketing OR proof of completion of an OMCP-Approved course within the six months prior to your application

OMCP Certification:

A] For aspirants enrolling between February 28, 2015 to July 1, 2015:
 
- Passing an OMCP
 
And either
 
- Completion of an OMCP-approved course within past 12 months.

- Or 2000 hours of experience
 
B] For aspirants enrolling after July 1, 2015:
 
- Passing score on the OMCP exam

- Four-year degree (bachelor’s degree or the global equivalent)
 
And either
 
- 2000 hours of experience

- Or 1000 hours of experience and completion of an approved practitioner-level course
 
* Application to the OMCP certification must be submitted within 90 days after completing the OMCP exam and/or relevant coursework.

Disciplines included in OMCP Examination

The OMCP examination covers all the skills to increase the online presence and reputation of a business, product, or service. The certification aims at benefitting business in the long run, by following practices based on accepted methodologies. It doesn’t include the current track record of online businesses, agencies, consultants, and individuals.

The examination includes:
 
- SEO (including Mobile and Local)
- Web Analytics
- Online Advertising (PPC, Social, Display, Video & SEM)
- Landing Page and Conversion Rate Optimization
- Social Media Marketing and Online PR
- Email Marketing

Register for the Exam

Once candidates have checked their eligibility for the examination, they need to register on OMCA/OMCP website to schedule the examination. After registration, candidates need to purchase an examination on https://omcp.org/register-for-the-omcp-exam/. The cost for the OMCA exam series is $225 and OMCP exam series is $395 (fundamental exam + two electives).

For OMCP examination, the Base (Fundamentals) exam is mandatory, however candidates can also choose certification exams from content marketing, conversion optimization, mobile marketing, PPC, SEO, Social media, and Web Analytics.

Candidates, who have enrolled for training at authorized training provider like Simplilearn, can avail the vouchers that they receive after the completion of course, for purchasing the exam. However, the exam registration process remains the same.

About the Examination

The OMCA and OMCP certification exams are proctored by remote proctors giving candidates the freedom to choose a day and time that suits them for taking the examination.

OMCA examination requires a minimum 75 minutes to complete. The examination covers fundamental principles of Content Marketing, Conversion, Email Marketing, Mobile Marketing, PPC, SEO, Social Media, and Web Analytics.

OMCP examination consists of a base exam of the aforementioned eight principles of online marketing and two electives of the candidate’s choice. OMCP examination takes approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes to complete in total.
 

- 75 minutes for the base exam
- 30 minutes for electives
 

Once the Base (Fundamental) examination is cleared, the candidate will be prompted to move to the elective exams.

Application Process for Certification Status

To earn the OMCA/OMCP certification status, post the examination, candidates need to apply for the certification status on the website.

For OMCA candidates, the following eligibility criteria need to be met:


- Proof of a passing score of 70% or greater on the OMCA exam

- A secondary degree or equivalent (e.g., High School diploma or Associates degree)

- 600 hours experience online marketing OR proof of completion of an OMCP-Approved course within the six months prior to your application
 

For OMCP candidates, once the aforementioned criteria are met, they can follow the further process of certification.

Candidates, who are registering for recognition, need to upload proof of required exams or courses. Once the application is submitted, OMCP has reserves rights to audit the claims made.

Once the registration on the website is completed, this request is sent to the administrator for approval. Candidates will receive an email with further instructions.

Certification Renewal

The OMCP certification lasts only for one year, post which professional members need to re-certify themselves to maintain the OMCP status. OMCP rewards candidates with Professional Development Units (PDUs) for their participation in trainings, events, and communities.

Verification of achievements for PDUs must show a completion date within 90-days of certification expiration in order to count towards an extension.

As of today, 100 PDUs are needed to be earned in one year to complete their renewal. To submit the PDUs earned, the necessary verification details are to be provided for review through the member dashboard.


- OMCP approved Certification course contributes to 100 PDUs

- Participation in OMCP qualified websites (SEOBook and Moz community) contributes to 20 PDUs

- Attend an OMCP PDU-Qualified Conference (ClickZ Conferences, SMX, PubCon, MozCon) contributes to 10 PDUs

- Speak at an OMCP PDU-Qualified Conference (ClickZ Conferences, SMX, PubCon, MozCon) contributes to 30 PDUs

- Complete an OMCP PDU-Qualified Training Program (Search Engine College, SEMPO, Bruce Clay Training) contributes to 50 PDUs
 

If there are certain events/programs/activities in candidate’s organization that can be included in the existing PDUs activity list, they can submit the program details on OMCP website for review.

Conclusion

Hope this article was able to give you a clear understanding about the Digital Marketing certification process. If you are looking to enhance your digital marketing sills further, we would highly recommend you to check Simplilearn's Post Graduate Program in Digital Marketing in collaboration with Purdue University. This program can help you gain the required skills and expertise to become digital marketing certified in no time.

If you have any questions or queries, feel free to post them in the comments section below. Our team will get back to you at the earliest.

Our Digital Marketing Courses Duration And Fees

Digital Marketing Courses typically range from a few weeks to several months, with fees varying based on program and institution.

Program NameDurationFees
Post Graduate Program in Digital Marketing

Cohort Starts: 2 May, 2024

8 Months$ 3,000
Digital Marketing Specialist

Cohort Starts: 24 Apr, 2024

8 Months$ 1,649

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