PCM Certifications to Help You Achieve Success in Marketing

PCM certification can help you succeed in marketing by enhancing your credibility, validating your skills, and showing initiative. While these credentials can give new marketers a competitive advantage over other candidates during the application process, they can also help experienced marketers improve their skill sets and possibly increase their earning potential.

In the current professional landscape, improving skills is mission-critical for many organizations. Research shows employers face a number of skill deficiencies within their workforce, particularly in the marketing sector. To help close the gaps, 50 percent of companies are willing to pay for professional certifications [1], like the PCM certification offered by the American Marketing Association.

What is PCM certification?

Professional certified marketer (PCM) certification refers to a title earned by completing a certification program offered by the American Marketing Association (AMA), one of the country’s prominent professional marketing organizations. 

The program covers marketing skills used in the field and aims to improve your skill set, help you learn up-to-date marketing tactics, and build your confidence within four specific marketing sectors: digital marketing, advanced digital marketing, marketing management, and content marketing. 

Each certification is valid for three years, and you must complete continuing education courses to renew it after that period. 

Take a closer look at the specific tracks the AMA offers to help you choose the path that aligns with your goals. 

Content Marketing

Total online time investment: 15 hours (self-paced)

Cost: $1,295 (AMA members), $1,395 (non-members) [2]

Requirements: AMA has no set prerequisites but recommends having a combination of education and experience in the field

When you choose this track, you'll learn how to modernize your content marketing strategies, build your audience, leverage storytelling, and track success through industry-standard KPIs. The AMA partners with the Content Marketing Institute (CMI) to help provide in-depth knowledge into topics like building a team, product development, standards, and story mapping.

Digital Marketing Pro

Total online time investment: 30 hours (self-paced)

Cost: $2,060, occasional discounts available [3]

Requirements: Neither AMA nor DMI identify prerequisites

As you prepare for this PCM certification, you'll learn the newest digital marketing techniques and best practices. The program covers relevant skills like leveraging pay-per-click (PPC) ads and social media marketing while adding a dose of timely instruction that covers GA4, Google's most up-to-date analytics dashboard, and the use of AI. The AMA partners with the Digital Marketing Institute (DMI) to offer this dual certification. Upon completion, you’ll earn both PCM Digital Marketing and Certified Digital Marketing Professional credentials.

Digital Marketing Expert

Total online time investment: 120 hours (self-paced)

Cost: $5,310, occasional discounts available [4]

Requirements: Neither AMA nor DMI identify prerequisites

In this extensive program, you become dually certified with the AMA and Digital Marketing Institute with two credentials: PCM Advanced Digital Marketing and Certified Digital Marketing Expert. You'll explore tactics that help you lead, like building digital strategies, optimizing conversions, improving the customer experience, and project management.

Marketing Management

Total online time investment: 15 hours (self-paced)

Cost: $749 (AMA members), $849 (non-members) [5]

Requirements: AMA has no set prerequisites but recommends having a combination of education and experience in the field

The PCM certification in marketing management can help you build leadership skills. Whether you're part of a small team or work for a large company with a robust marketing department, the certification covers topics like marketing strategy, marketing research and data, pricing strategy, customer behavior and segmentation, and positioning products and services.

The benefits of PCM certification

Certifications can help you stand out in the job market and show potential employers that you're willing to improve and validate your skills. In addition to a competitive advantage, PCM certification can:

Aid in career advancement

Marketers willing to upskill their abilities may qualify for promotions faster than other coworkers. Having verifiable proof of your skill set can help further your career journey.

Help you advocate for a bump in pay.

Additional skills are valuable to companies, and many are willing to show their appreciation to employees through bonuses or salary increases. 

Network with other professionals

Once you earn a PCM Certification, you become part of an industry-focused group. Your peers and mentors can help guide you in your career.

Expose more job opportunities.

Certifications increase employability. Recruiters and hiring managers use certifications to validate skills and identify employees willing to grow in their careers.

How to apply for PCM Certification

Before applying, choosing the credential that aligns with your goals and experience is essential. Additionally, it’s helpful to grasp the investment in terms of both time and money that you’ll be making. To apply for a PCM Certification, follow these steps: 

1. Understand the cost and time investment

Each certification course has a cost. You will likely be eligible for a discount if you belong to the AMA. Renewing your certification also poses added costs, so be aware of an ongoing fee to maintain this certification. 

Certification courses are online and self-paced, but the description of each track tells you how many hours you'll invest. Be sure to explore each before committing to any program. 

2. Sign up for the certification

If you're ready to move forward, you'll sign up for the certification on the American Marketing Association website. In some cases, the AMA partners with other industry leaders to bolster your skills. For example, AMA partners with the Content Marketing Institute in the content marketing certification, and registration is completed with them. 

3. Work through online modules

All PCM certifications, no matter the track, are offered online and provide self-paced modules for you to complete. Each course description explains the number of hours you can expect to invest. The PCP certification in content marketing, for example, is a 15-hour time investment. 

4. Take an exam

You'll take an exam or complete a final assessment to prove your proficiency. The assessment is a bit different depending on the track you choose. For example, consider the following outline of the final assessment that you'll take and must pass to earn each certification:

• Digital Marketing Expert: Two 5000-word assignments

• Digital Marketing Pro: Schedule an exam at an approved testing facility

• Marketing Management: Online exam on AMA's website

• Content Marketing: Online exam

5. Display your credential

After earning your credential, make sure you show it off. Add the details to your portfolio, professional profile, resume, and email signature. 

6. Maintain your certification

The AMA requires you to renew your PCM certification every three years. After that, you must complete training, which has the added benefit of supporting your marketing skills and keeping you updated on all the latest in the industry. The AMA will remind you when your certification is about to expire, giving you time to complete continuing education units (CEUs). Depending on the certification you want to renew, you'll need 30 to 40 CEUs to maintain your credential. 

PCM certification has value to both veteran marketers and new industry professionals. With so many marketing teams relying on digital marketing efforts, staying updated with new and emerging techniques and strategies is vital.

Build digital marketing skills with Coursera

Pursuing PCM certification is only one of the options you have to build your foundational knowledge and skills. In addition to these credentials, which many industry leaders recommend, you can develop your marketing skills through online courses on Coursera. 

For example, you can learn about digital marketing with a beginner-friendly program like the Google Digital Marketing & E-Commerce Professional Certificate. Or, you can deepen your understanding of evolving skills in marketing, such as using AI with a course like Generative AI for Everyone, a three-module course that covers how generative AI works, what it can and can’t do, and lets you work through hands-on assignments to learn how to apply AI to your everyday schedule.