Hootsuite offers a holistic approach to social media management.
Hootsuite offers tools and integrations to help you run your social media profiles, and it also offers training courses with certifications.
Whether you are a newbie or a social media whiz, you should consider looking at the trainings offered by Hootsuite, which can help further your skills. They are all online-based, and they are not a big time commitment.
Here’s What You Should Know about Hootsuite’s Certification Programs
Hootsuite certification programs, offered by Hootsuite Academy, offer social media professionals training to help them navigate the world of social media in business. You do not need a Hootsuite subscription to enroll, although these trainings are available on some paid Hootsuite plans.
1. Which Certifications Can You Take with Hootsuite?
Hootsuite offers nine certifications focusing on different aspects of social media to help you improve your social media skills. They are listed below.
Hootsuite Platform Certification
This training is a certification that recognizes your ability to use the Hootsuite platform for social media management. The certification is industry-recognized, which gives recipients an edge in their careers.
The training is free, but to receive the certificate, enrollees must pay $99 and pass a 65-question online exam. You need to get at least 75 percent on the exam to earn the certification.
Social Marketing Certification
The Social Marketing Certification is a course designed to help you polish and formally get certified as an expert in marketing using social media tools. The certification is also industry-recognized, so it helps give you an advantage in pushing your career forward.
The program costs $199 and requires enrollees to pass a 60-question exam in one hour. The certification test is administered online, like the Hootsuite Platform Certification test.
Advanced Social Advertising Certification
The Advanced Social Advertising Certification is an in-depth course for those who want to know more than just the fundamentals of social media advertising. The course is composed of seven lessons and culminates with the certification exam.
This program costs $249 to take. If you are unsure about the course, you can take a free demo class before signing up.
Social Media ROI and Value Analysis
The Social Media ROI and Value Analysis program helps you understand the impact of social media. It equips enrollees with the skills to understand the value of social media for a brand and the ability to measure success in your social media campaigns.
The certification costs $249 and culminates in an online test. There are 40 questions in the exam, which you need to complete in an hour.
Social Selling Certification
If you are into eCommerce or harnessing social media to boost your sales, the Social Selling Certification is for you.
This course was developed by industry professionals to help businesses efficiently convert leads to sales. It consists of three parts: creating a professional social media presence, understanding social selling, and engaging with potential customers on social media.
The course is five lessons long and culminates in a one-hour, 40-question exam. The cost of the certification is $299.
Advanced Social Media Strategy
The Advanced Social Media Strategy (ASMS) Certification is an in-depth and academically recognized certification made by Hootsuite and the Syracuse University SI Newhouse School of Public Communications.
This course was designed to harness social media as an important component of your business’s communications workflow. It goes beyond marketing communications and focuses on helping you develop a strategy vis-à-vis your social media operations.
Industry experts serve as lecturers for this online course. The certification costs $999.
Foundations of Social Advocacy Certification
This course was designed to help you gain the needed skills to become a responsible and respected social media user.
Its teachings are based on research, and the course can help you build your brand and engage your community.
The certification costs $299 and consists of five lessons and one exam. The exam is 30 minutes long and consists of 25 questions, with a passing score of 80 percent.
Social Selling for Financial Services
If you’re in the financial sector, this course is meant for you.
Social media helps you find and engage with clients. But there are regulations about financial services on social media that can be tricky to understand.
This course was made for financial advisors and other financial services professionals to help navigate social media and get clients without breaking any regulations.
Enrollees will learn how to get leads and convert them to sales by using social media, taking into consideration the financial services regulations.
The cost of the certification is $299 and is composed of seven lessons and an exam. The exam is 45 minutes long, with 25 questions, and needs a passing score of 80 percent.
Social for Healthcare Certification from Mayo
Social media can be a great tool for those in the healthcare industry.
The Social for Healthcare Certification is a course designed by Hootsuite with the Mayo Clinic. Besides learning the fundamentals of social media management, you will learn how to manage healthcare concerns while using social media, including privacy and self-disclosure, as aligned with HIPAA guidelines.
At the end of the course, enrollees will be competent social media professionals who can navigate the healthcare world while taking into consideration all related policies.
The course costs $400.
2. Do Companies Care about the Hootsuite Certification Exam?
Companies or organizations that would give weight to the Hootsuite certification exam are those in advertising, marketing, or public relations.
The skills you get certified for are assets to these kinds of businesses, whose main forte is in helping other businesses get exposure.
While the Hootsuite certification makes you look more impressive, earning the certification should not be seen as a requirement of being called a social media expert.
But it gives you an edge, especially when applying for a job, and some companies may even explicitly put it as a preference in hiring.
3. Does It Improve Your Resume to Have the Hootsuite Certification?
Certifications, in general, help boost a resume when finding a job. Certifications, such as those from Hootsuite, show potential employers and clients that you are adept in your profession.
More importantly, earning a certification is usually voluntary. By listing certifications on your resume, you also get to show that you are willing to learn and put value in skill improvement.
4. Is the Hootsuite Certification Worth It?
The Hootsuite certification is considered worth it to some professionals, especially when you are looking to strengthen your skills in advertising, marketing, or public relations.
It also boosts your resume when you’re looking for a job that will involve social media.
However, Hootsuite’s certification programs are not cheap.
You should definitely take into account your finances before committing to a program. Consider why exactly you are doing the program and what you hope to gain from it.
5. How Hard is it to Complete the Hootsuite Certification Exam?
The difficulty of the Hootsuite certification depends on the course you take.
The most basic course exam, the Hootsuite Platform certification, is rated easy and can take an hour to complete. You will need a passing score of 75 percent to earn the certification.
There are more difficult certification exams for the more advanced certifications, and some exams have time limits for completion.
6. How Long Does it Take to Get the Hootsuite Certification?
The time needed to earn a certification depends on the course.
The platform certification for Hootsuite can be completed in less than three hours.
Some courses take longer due to the depth of the topics tackled. These include the Social for Healthcare and ASMS.
The ASMS certification also comes with academic units, which is one of the reasons it costs more and takes more time to complete.
7. Does the Hootsuite Certification Expire?
Hootsuite certifications are one-time tests. There is no need to renew your certification, and it does not expire.
Also, if you do not pass the certification, you can retake the test without having to pay again.
8. How Much Does it Cost to Get the Hootsuite Certification?
The cost of the Hootsuite certification depends on the course.
- The cheapest is the Hootsuite Platform certification, which costs $99. The training is free, but you will need to pay to take the exam.
- The most expensive is the Advanced Social Media Strategy course, which costs $999.
However, depending on your Hootsuite plan, you may be qualified for courses already.
- You can get the Hootsuite Platform certification for free if you sign up for a Team subscription. The Team subscription gives you three free slots in the certification program. The Team subscription costs $99 annually, so it’s an excellent deal if you’re looking to train multiple team members in social media management.
- For Business and Enterprise subscribers, Hootsuite gives up to five free training certifications. That is in addition to the one-on-one training for Business and live training for Enterprise users.
- If your organization is a nonprofit, Hootsuite offers free training to go with the discounted subscription offered. Nonprofit organizations get free access to the Hootsuite Platform Training and the Social Marketing Training, which are excellent tools for jumpstarting your social media approach.
9. Can You Find the Hootsuite Exam Answers Online?
Hootsuite courses are done online, and most, if not all, answers are available online.
You can go back to the course or look up answers while taking the exam, but that is cheating. Also, due to the limited time given, it would be impractical to keep looking up answers, as it might affect the number of questions you can answer.
Final Thoughts
The trainings offered by Hootsuite can be a great boost to anyone’s social media career. It looks impressive on a resume, and the training helps you deliver results for your organization or business.
Before you spend the money on these programs, understand that Hootsuite certifications are not a requirement to be called a digital marketer. Clients or your employer will look at the results you deliver more than the certificates you’ve earned.
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