Don’t fall for bullshit social media certifications

Written on June 18, 2012 by Jeff Esposito in PR, social media

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How hard can this social media stuff be? I’m a ninja

In the social media space everyone is trying to skim some green off the cash cow. Whether it is a $47 webinar, a company running a Twitter exclusive sale or someone charging local businesses to set up a fan page on Facebook, everyone seems to be getting in on the action.

For the most part, I have no problem with it and make my share of money working within the social media space. So while I am all for commerce, I do take offense when people are selling a useless bill of goods.

The latest in this line of offenders is PR News. Last week, PR News announced that they are offering a “Certificate in Social Media”. According to their press release, “you’ll become a PR News Digital Master!” after attending just four of their conferences.

Anyone see anything wrong with that?

I do. Not only is the PR industry one that lacks regulation, but PR News holds no industry credibility outside the PR space for anyone looking to practice social media. At least some of the past cash-grab social media training courses are with college or universities.

At the end of the day, stunts like this (Read: cash grab) are only going to hurt the PR industry moving forward. Businesses are looking for individuals who can manage their social presence and tie it back to

core business areas, not someone who attended four PR News Conferences.

I would completely ignore this certification if I saw it on a resume. Perhaps the courses themselves are worthwhile, but the certification is worthless unless/until it’s endorsed by the industry at large.

So taking a page from the 80’s anti-drug ads:

Friends don’t let friends take fake certification classes

So please don’t. If you are serious about getting into the space get out there and learn as you go while tying your work back to a business value.

And to the PR News if you want to start some kind of certification, start in the PR space instead of going social. Otherwise you’re just adding another bad pitch to the pool.

74 Comments - Your take

67 comments

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jeffespo

@ModWorkingWoman thanks!

jeffespo

@allenmireles Thanks!

jeffespo

@kdzima @JenKaneCo Thanks!

RababKhan

And here I was going to start offering these certificates...way to ruin an entrepreneur's almost-earning business, Jeff. :p Good post. :)

jeffespo moderator

@RababKhan I try my best.

whenpigsflyblog

@danperezfilms Oh, Dan. No one needs a cheesy certificate to be an expert. Make a website and start selling some snake oil.

vanhoosear

@carreening Helllooo, Doctor!

jeffespo

@Ldillonschalk thanks for sharing and glad you liked it :-)

Ldillonschalk

@jeffespo @dannybrown I like it when people call out industry stupidity... btw let's do a post on the "here is your digital strategy' next

seelbachmgqrv7

@Ldillonschalk http://t.co/6t1ljMoH

DannyBrown

@Ldillonschalk @jeffespo You should guest on the @PunkViews blog!

DannyBrown

@Ldillonschalk @jeffespo I always thought Jeff was such a nice young man too...

jeffespo

@DannyBrown @Ldillonschalk aww shucks how sweet of you Daniel :-)

DannyBrown

@jeffespo @Ldillonschalk Less talking, more check mailing

hoittnzujpp3

@jeffespo http://t.co/IAHPgCG4

DannyBrown

@jeffespo Yes. Yes you do.

jeffespo

@DannyBrown very true I do owe you an email...

jeffespo

@dangerdubs tahnks

jeffespo

@PRCog TY sir.

PRCog

@jeffespo de nada

jeffespo

@PRCog hows the city treating you?

PRCog

@jeffespo :)

jeffespo

@PRCog atta boy

PRCog

@jeffespo win some, lose some, drink some...

jeffespo

@PRCog disappointing Norm quote... because I like beer much better than dogs at your junk

PRCog

@jeffespo to quote norm - it's a dog eat dog world and I'm wearing milkbone underwear

jeffespo

@John_Trader1 TY sir

jeffespo

@DenVan wait does that mean I have to pay YOU again?

jeffespo

@lizscherer TY

jeffespo

@somcbride so you'd pay 5K for a class/conferences instead of learning while doing and picking relevant case studies?

somcbride

@jeffespo i learn everything on my own, but go to a class/conference allows you to hear from experts their case studies and best practices.

jeffespo

@somcbride See I agree with that but having a veiled certification program to milk you for $ is well ....

jeffespo

@somcbride Will try to

somcbride

@jeffespo yep, i think that is the lesson from all of this. nice chat with you too. keep the articles coming.

jeffespo

@somcbride thanks for the nice spirited chat sir and for peeping article. at the end of the day everyone grabs at the $

somcbride

@jeffespo true. no argument. i agree don't claim you will be certified after attending non-regulated classes. goes for any industry.

jeffespo

@somcbride both @SXSW and @blogworld have more info for social media than a PR-heavy event and don't claim certifications

jeffespo

@somcbride call a spade a spade, but a clip art certification is bullshit. Market the conferences like everyone else does

somcbride

@jeffespo maybe. but i will say that their overall intent is more to market their classes than them truly believing in a real certification.

jeffespo

@somcbride but see it also keeps the bullshit argument of who should own social going, thus blocking progress overall

somcbride

@jeffespo yes, should establish a legit certification in PR before pushing fake certifications in PR sub-specialties.

jeffespo

@somcbride especially from a PR publication, which is an industry that probably needs some certification

somcbride

@jeffespo agreed. no such thing as certification in the social media field and it shouldn't be pushed. but learning in general can be useful

somcbride

@jeffespo no, not saying that at all. saying classes can be worthwhile. to get your real "certification" is putting it into practice.

nathandim

@DannyBrown @jeffespo I couldn't believe it until I've read it. People will try to monetize everything...

DannyBrown

@nathandim @jeffespo I recall seeing SM Certification courses last year for *cough* $12,000....

jeffespo

@DannyBrown @nathandim this one is like $5K and in PR sense. I have seen ones at colleges close to 7-10K but its from a respected college

jeffespo

@nathandim @dannybrown and imagine we all thought $47 was a lot of money for a webinar on G+

jeffespo

@DannyBrown TY sir... I won't hold it against you that you attended the classes ;)

DannyBrown

@jeffespo Bite me. :)

amvandenhurk

@DannyBrown @jeffespo maaaa

jeffespo

@DannyBrown that's what she said :)

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Social Media Certification Programs Are Worthless says:

June 19, 2012 at 1:29 pm

[...] Social Media Certification Programs Are Worthless June 19, 2012 By Erik Deckers Leave a Comment Don't spend your money on social media certification programsJeff Espo wrote a great post on why you shouldn’t fall for bullshit social media certifications. [...]