Professional Certificate in Digital Marketing

Understand how core marketing concepts have evolved with digital technology and how buyer personas and their journey shape an organization’s content, promotion and targeting strategies.

• How customer behavior aligns with marketing funnels and how to build customer acquisition strategies

• Techniques for creating buyer personas, setting SMART* goals and developing strong value propositions for campaigns

*A framework for setting clear, achievable goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound (SMART).

Explore how digital tools, data and optimization strategies have transformed modern marketing and customer engagement, and learn how brands adapt to changing customer expectations.

• Examples of customer engagement through social media and how to apply them in different product launch stages

• The concept of agile marketing and how it drives innovation and responsiveness across industries

Learn advanced research methods and technologies including data mining and artificial intelligence (AI) to uncover customer insights and align them with product, content and communication strategies.

• Techniques for using inductive, deductive and ethnographic research to address marketing challenges

• Social listening tools and tech-driven insights that help tailor content for different market segments

• Ways to prioritize and apply customer insights to shape a strong digital marketing plan

Discover data-driven methods for understanding customer groups, building detailed personas and using behavioral marketing strategies to map content to customer intent.

• How market segmentation and demographic data help businesses target and reach the right audiences

• Techniques for creating segmentation, targeting and positioning (STP) strategies tailored to specific customer groups

Learn how to create and promote compelling content — including blogs, videos and ads — that engages customers, builds your brand and drives leads and sales.

• Ways to research and evaluate the effectiveness of content strategies across digital channels

• Techniques to align content with brand voice and address customer pain points through tailored messaging

• Strategies for planning and promoting content through social media and other digital platforms

Understand the basics of SEO to improve website rankings, drive organic traffic and measure performance using tools such as Google Analytics.

• Steps to analyze keyword data, optimize web pages and improve site visibility on search engines

• Techniques for interpreting analytics reports to track SEO success and identify growth opportunities

• Hands-on skills with Google Analytics, from setting up tracking to creating goals and campaign reports

Understand how paid search campaigns drive website traffic and conversions, and learn a six-step approach to creating and optimizing ads.

• Steps to create effective ad campaigns and use search ads strategically as part of a broader marketing strategy

• Tools and techniques for analyzing online visibility using Semrush and developing a Google Search strategy

Learn how to create and manage content that meets customer needs at every stage of their journey, using data to innovate and improve customer experience.

• Strategies for mapping the customer journey and creating targeted content for each stage of the marketing funnel

• Tools such as the eliminate-reduce-raise-create (ERRC) grid to identify new opportunities and stand out from competitors

• Techniques for building and improving content hubs to better manage and distribute valuable content

Explore how to craft compelling brand stories that align with your brand value proposition and engage digital audiences. Learn strategies for developing and distributing brand narratives, analyze transmedia storytelling examples and evaluate the effectiveness of storytelling in driving conversion and connection.

• Learn to evaluate effective brand storytelling, develop a compelling brand story and create a strategy for its digital distribution

• Explore transmedia storytelling and assess how well an organization’s narrative aligns with its brand value proposition

Analyze the essentials of email marketing, one of the most powerful tools for building customer relationships and generating leads. Learn to design impactful email campaigns, ensure compliance with global spam regulations and track key performance metrics for campaign effectiveness.

• Learn best practices for designing effective email marketing campaigns and aligning them with organizational goals

• Analyze international email regulations, evaluate key campaign metrics and use insights to drive lead generation

Discover how to identify and justify the social channels that best align with a chosen organization or industry. Analyze social media posts and reports to uncover insights and identify opportunities for improvement. Learn to develop an effective social media strategy for an organization and contribute to a professional portfolio.

• Apply the "Four Ps" to an organization's unique social media strategy

• Create sample content to promote the brand for your chosen capstone scenario

Dive into paid social media advertising and its role in brand awareness and lead generation. Learn to leverage behavioral data for audience targeting, develop platform-specific ad strategies and assess campaign performance through key metrics.

• Develop paid social media advertising strategies for platforms like Facebook Ads and justify their use over paid search for specific brands

• Use behavioral data to target audiences and measure campaign success through key performance indicators

Expand your digital marketing toolkit with strategies like influencer marketing, retargeting and referral programs. Explore how channels like display ads, reviews and online reputation management enhance brand visibility and engagement.

• Explore digital channel strategies, including referral, influencer and display advertising, to strengthen online visibility

• Identify and align influencers with target audiences, and create an optimal channel mix for a brand’s digital strategy

Combine customer insights, content strategy and automation tools to build end-to-end digital marketing campaigns. Learn how to manage and measure campaigns while developing a customer acquisition strategy.

• Learn the components of a successful digital marketing campaign and how to manage them through marketing automation software

• Develop a customer acquisition strategy, coordinating digital efforts for greater reach and conversion

Optimize digital touchpoints to drive conversions and maximize revenue per visitor. Explore techniques like A/B testing, page speed analysis and data visualization to identify and implement opportunities for improvement.

• Identify factors that impact conversion rate optimization, and experiment with data visualization tools for insight-driven improvements

• Use performance tests like page speed analysis to find and implement optimization opportunities

Apply data-driven strategies to measure marketing effectiveness and drive continuous improvement. Explore marketing mix modeling, agile marketing approaches and the role of machine learning in campaign optimization.

• Evaluate digital campaign results, identify areas for improvement and develop a data-driven optimization plan

• Design a framework for measuring success and aligning experimentation with marketing goals

Leverage next-generation technologies to automate and optimize marketing workflows. Explore AI-driven applications that enhance customer targeting, engagement and conversion.

• Understand how AI and automation enhance marketing processes, from audience targeting to customer engagement

• Reflect on key program takeaways and how they will shape your digital marketing career

Apply everything you have learned to a real-world marketing scenario by developing a comprehensive digital marketing strategy. Choose one of four business cases, complete deliverables aligned with program modules and refine your work based on feedback.

• Develop a complete digital marketing strategy for a new product or service

• Take program learnings and apply them to real-world scenarios and build a professional portfolio

What is Climb Credit?

Climb Credit is a new kind of student lender.

Climb believes education is an investment and should be treated that way — we partner with schools offering career-focused education, and then provide accessible and affordable loans to attend these schools.

What is the process to apply for a loan?

Simply type your school's name into the search bar after clicking "Apply now" to find a link to the application page. From there, you'll be able to complete our short online application.

You may also have received a link to apply for a Climb loan from your school’s admissions team, or you can find the link on your school’s website or Climb's website. Apply using your laptop, tablet, or phone.

You'll want to make sure you fill out an application for the specific school and program you'll be attending. We link our loans to each course, so your school will know you've been approved for a loan with us and that we'll be sending your tuition to them.

How long will it take until I get a decision?

On average, 4:01 minutes — and just applying will not impact your credit score. We know that your time is valuable, so we’ve kept our application as short as possible.

Do I need a cosigner?

No. Climb only fund loans for students who are attending the program. The program attendee should always be the primary borrower on the application.

During your application, you will have the option to add a co-borrower. If you have a co-borrower with a better credit score that you, adding them to your loan application can potentially help you get approved and/or receive a lower interest rate offer.

If my application is accepted, am I committed to using the financing?

No. Applying for Climb financing is free and comes and carries no commitment until you accept and finalize the loan. The initial application will not affect your credit score, and you are free to decline your loan offer if you change your mind about financing.

What are the terms of the loan?

To view the equation used to calculate your interest and monthly payments, check out this article HERE!

When does loan payback begin?

Depending on your program, we may offer loans with either an initial interest-only period while in class and for a few months after, a full deferral period while in class and for a few months after, or immediate full repayment.

For loans with an interest-only period or immediate full repayment, your first payment is due one month after your loan is funded.

How long will I be making payments?

Climb's standard loan tenor is 36 months, but you can pay any time before that, as there is no pre-payment penalty. You can repay your 3-year loan in 3 years or in 1 day.

Climb's goal is to make sure that your monthly payments stay low and affordable, which is why we give you the option to choose your term length when you apply.

Master’s students can choose between a 2-year or a 3-year repayment term.

Doctoral students can choose between a 4-year or a 5-year repayment term.

How do I find out how much my monthly payment is?

This amount is mentioned in your loan agreement.

Are there any circumstances that would allow me to put my loan payments on hold?

In order not to fall behind on your Climb loan payments, you can request a deferral of payments on your loan. A deferment will allow you to temporarily reduce your monthly loan payment amount.

Can I pay off my loan early?

Absolutely! You can pre-pay your loan, in whole or in part, at any time with no penalties.

How much time will I be expected to devote to this program?

Each program includes an estimated learner effort per week. This is referenced at the top of the program landing page under the “Duration” section and in the program brochure, which you can obtain by submitting the short form at the top of this web page.

How will I spend my time in this program?

You will divide your learning time between viewing recorded coding demos and video lectures, contributing to class discussions, completing assignments, projects and knowledge checks and attending optional live sessions with industry experts and program leaders.

How is the program administered? Can the program be accessed any time?

The program is accessed through the custom learning portal. This portal will give you access to all program-related content such as video lectures, assignments and discussions. Live office hours will be conducted using a webinar tool. The video lectures and assignments are accessible weekly throughout the program. In the event you miss a live session, a recording will be made available.

Do I need to attend live sessions every week?

Faculty video lectures are recorded, allowing you to watch these on your own schedule. However, participation in optional live sessions and discussion boards is highly encouraged. Live sessions will give you the opportunity to draw on the coding experience of our industry-experienced program leaders to answer your questions and help reach your learning goals. The discussion boards are also an integral part of the learning experience, giving you and your peers the opportunity to learn together and receive guidance from the moderators.

Can I download the program videos?

You can download video transcripts, assignment templates, readings etc. However, the video lectures are only available for streaming and require an internet connection.

How do I interact with other program participants?

You can communicate with other participants through our learning platform. You will be able to form groups based on your interests and location. A direct messaging feature is also available through the platform.

What is it like to learn online with the learning collaborator, Emeritus?

More than 300,000 learners across 200 countries have chosen to advance their skills with Emeritus and its educational learning partners. In fact, 90% of the respondents of a recent survey across all our programs said that their learning outcomes were met or exceeded. All the contents of the course would be made available to students at the commencement of the course. However, to ensure the program delivers the desired learning outcomes, the students may appoint Emeritus to manage the delivery of the program in a cohort-based manner, the cost of which is already included in the overall course fee. A dedicated program support team is available 24/5 (Monday to Friday) to answer questions about the learning platform, technical issues or anything else that may affect your learning experience.

What are the requirements to earn the certificate?

Each program includes an estimated learner effort per week, so you can gauge what is required before you enroll. This is referenced at the top of the program landing page under the “Duration” section and in the program brochure, which you can obtain by submitting the short form at the top of this web page. All programs are designed to fit into your working life.

This program is scored as a pass or no-pass; participants must complete the required activities to pass and obtain the certificate of completion. Some programs include a final project submission or other assignments to obtain passing status. This information will be noted in the program brochure. Please contact us at learner.success@emeritus.org if you need further clarification of any specific program requirements.

What type of certificate will I receive?

Upon successful completion of the program, you will receive a smart digital certificate. The smart digital certificate can be shared with friends, family, schools, or potential employers. You can use it on your cover letter, résumé, and/or display it on your LinkedIn profile. The digital certificate will be sent approximately two weeks after the program, once grading is complete.

Can I get the hard copy of the certificate?

No, only verified digital certificates will be issued upon successful completion. This allows you to share your credentials on social platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.

Do I receive alumni status after completing this program?

No, there is no alumni status granted for this program. In some cases, there are credits that count toward a higher level of certification. This information will be clearly noted in the program brochure.

How long will I have access to the learning materials?

You will have access to the online learning platform and all the videos and program materials for 24 months following the program end date. Access to the learning platform is restricted to registered participants per the terms of agreement.

What equipment is needed or the technical requirements for this program?

To successfully complete this course/program(me) online, you must have access to a device meeting the minimum requirements, found here. In addition, Microsoft Office or similar product and a PDF viewer are required to access documents, spreadsheets, presentations, PDF files and transcripts in all programs. Technical programs might have additional tech requirements. Please check the learning platform on the first day of class.

Do I need to be online to access the program content?

Yes, the learning platform is accessed via the internet, and video content is not available for download. You can download files of video transcripts, assignment templates, readings etc. Video lectures must be streamed via the internet, and webinars and small group sessions will require an internet connection.

What is the program refund and deferral policy?

For the program refund and deferral policy, please click the link here.