If you’re interested in digital marketing training, you may have heard the terms “digital badge”, and “micro-credential”. While they may seem completely different or even interchangeable, there are some key differences between the two. Both terms actually work together to help qualify and verify digital marketers in the industry. This article will break down the differences of each term, as well as dive into how they work together to provide recognized certifications.
What is a micro-credential?
Micro-credentials are proof of competency in a particular skill set and are often achieved through quick and focused courses. For example, at Jelly Academy we offer 11 micro-credentials for our students in the various skills and tools they gain within the course. These include Google, Meta (Facebook), Hootsuite, and more. Micro-credentials are a great way to upskill or re-skill in a particular career – for digital marketing specifically, they are key for staying qualified and up to date with industry changes.
What is a digital badge?
A digital badge isn’t the micro-credential, but it is how to verify the micro-credential. Digital badges are unique numbers or codes attributed to a student in order to confirm if their skill or completion of a given course is verifiable. Courses such as Brainstation, and the Digital Marketing Institute provide digital badges upon graduation of a course. These badges can be included via a LinkedIn profile or used on a resume.
Additional badges that are delivered straight from the program distributor include Hootsuite and Google Analytics. Meta Blueprint and Jelly Academy use Accredible in order to best distribute their digital badges.
Why are digital badges important for micro-credentialing?
In the past, digital marketing certifications were provided in the form of a piece of paper or confirmation that typically takes a longer time period to verify. This would be similar to traditional post-secondary institutions that provide their certifications without a specific code to swiftly verify the competency of the recipient.
Digital badges are increasingly useful for digital marketers and HR professionals, as they are able to efficiently verify a given skill or credential of an applicant. These badges and micro-credentials are digital marketers’ equivalent to legal professionals needing to pass the Bar, accountants who have a CPA designation, and electricians who require a ticket. Because there was a lack of accreditation previously, a lot of digital marketers are going back to get their credits to prove the skills they have are valid. This has been an overall positive for the industry. Gone are the days digital marketers were unable to be recognized for their skills, and the industry now has a way to professionally accredit skills and make the hiring process verifiable.
The conflict in this process has previously been that larger educational institutes want to give out their long-established branding with their certificates and degrees but are now noticing this isn’t enough to meet the hiring standards in digital marketing. More schools are becoming comfortable with the idea of micro-credentials and digital badges to compliment their course material. This has led to multiple schools partnering with micro-credentialing courses to combine both levels of experience. Schools that are partnering with micro-credential courses can be read about here.
Digital badges are a great next step in the world of digital training and micro-credentialing. They provide value for both digital marketers and hiring professionals looking to verify particular skills and create a much more streamlined industry.
Darian Kovacs is the Indigenous founder of Vancouver-based SEO company Jelly Digital Marketing & PR and digital marketing school, Jelly Academy. He is the host of the podcast Marketing News Canada and on the board of NPower Canada. Darian lives in Fort Langley, BC with his wife and four children and likes to mountain bike, watercolour and read in his free time.
