Is it worth getting HootSuite Certified?

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July 2, 2013 by bradsoon

Working within an advertising agency, social media is always a hot topic of discussion.  Many of the discussions that I have had with peers, co-workers, and marketers has been around the role of social media in business and how this tool can generate actual sales.  Over the last few years we have all really seen the proliferation of social media.  Whether it is being used on everyone’s mobile device or mentioned on the news (or even reporting the news), Social Media is everywhere.

While social media can be extremely fun and entertaining media for the masses, it can also extremely taxing and time-consuming for any business to keep up with.  There are so many different factors that can make social media intimidating and difficult to manage on your own or even among a team.  But as I’ve been taught and have heard by many successful business people, “the hardest step is getting started” (with social media).  So let’s get started.

3 Common excuses for not doing social media for your business:

1. I don’t have enough time to generate content on a daily basis
2. I don’t have someone constantly in-house that can look after my social media account and respond immediately to requests and messages directed to my company
3. I have no way of measuring my success or influence from my social media efforts

No excuses. Be motivated to achieve better.

While I understand every business has its struggles, there are always great solutions in the market that won’t always cost you an arm and a leg for your business.  I see a lot of potential for all businesses to leverage social media as a marketing tool that can be grown into something much larger and more profitable down the line.  Another great thing is that overall, social media can be a much cheaper start-up option that can evolve into a long-term sales generator.  Social media is about engagement, building brand presence, and most importantly, fostering relationships.

One solution to the headaches of social media is the social media management tool  HootSuite.  The great thing about HootSuite is that this social media management tool will streamline performance and addresses many of the issues that businesses and individuals are facing with social media currently.  I will be discussing why HootSuite acts as a solution in the next paragraph.

But first! back to the question.  Is it worth getting HootSuite Certified?
Answer: Yes.  Definitely Yes.  

And here is why…

I have read mixed feedback on HootSuite Professional Certification and if it is worth it or not for individuals to invest in.  From my observations, most of the negative feedback comes from people not wanting to pay the monthly fee for being listed on the HootSuite Certified Professionals Directory.  If your sole purpose of signing up for HootSuite University is to be listed as a Certified Professional on the HootSuite website, I believe you have come to the wrong place.  Getting HootSuite certified goes beyond just learning the basics of this social media management tool.  It is about getting immersed in the software and resources available to you and then applying that knowledge to your social media managing.  The educational videos, exams, and worksheets that are available through HootSuite University justify the monthly cost (assuming that you are proactively learning and going through the content).  

I have personally gone through the certification process and was very pleased at how easy it was to start learning the software (through the use of instructional videos and easy to fill out workbooks).  Having previously used HootSuite before, the certification reassured me that I was using the software properly, but the training process also encouraged me to get more innovative and creative with the ways I was finding, interacting, and sharing with my followers.

Anyone going through this certification and resources will gain the knowledge to effectively use social media to streamline their messaging and interactions.  Being a part of HootSuite University I can also get my co-workers involved and teach them what I have been learning.  The best part about this whole process is that we can share our knowledge with our clients so that they can streamline their social media process and get on the fast track to improving relationships and sales among their customers/followers.

Summary: Is it worth getting HootSuite Professional Certified? Yes.  Going through this program you will gain access to tons of resources that allow you to become more social media savvy and improve your ability to create/adapt with the fast paced social media environment.