Everything To Know About The Facebook Blueprint Certification Exams
Even with over 1 million people enrolling in the Facebook Blueprint e-learning courses, there is still a shroud of mystery around the Facebook Blueprint Certification.
The e-learning courses, which debuted in March 2015, consist of various “classes” that you can digitally enroll in to learn all about how to advertise on Facebook at no cost to the student. Once you complete all of the modules within a given topic, you’ll be awarded a “certificate of completion” that you can print and hang up all around the office to show off that you took the course.
While these courses are important to take and can provide enough printable certificates to cover your cubicle, they don’t prove that you actually KNOW how to professionally use Facebook. This is where the Facebook Blueprint Certification comes in to play.
What Is The Facebook Blueprint Exam?
The Facebook Blueprint Certification actually consists of two separate and distinct certifications that you can earn: the Facebook Certified Buying Professional and the Facebook Certified Planning Professional. As if these tests weren’t daunting enough, marketers must first pass the required Facebook Advertising Core Competencies Exam to show fundamental understanding of Facebook advertising basics.
After passing the Core Exam (which wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be), I decided to test my skill on the Buying Exam. Although I was able to get a score above the passing score of 700, I’ll be honest in that the test was DIFFICULT. Just getting prepared to take the proctored exams through Pearson VUE was enough to make me sweat. I thought the 75 minutes that were given to take the exams was plenty of time to answer all of the questions, but it’s important that you be mindful of pacing to ensure that you’re able to complete all of the questions.
What Makes It Special?
You may be wondering, “OK, so what makes this so special compared to other certifications that you can recieve?” That’s a great question!
First, the fact that it’s proctored is probably the most obvious differentiator between other digital certifications that are available, like the Google AdWords Certification or Bing Ads Accredited Professional. While some of these other certifications may have had their roots in proctored / monitored exams, they have since allowed for unregulated taking of the exams. The Google and Bing certifications are still useful and important to have, but the unregulated exams can allow inept advertisers to undeservedly earn these certifications.
Remember how it was mentioned that the Blueprint e-learning courses are free to take? Well, if you want to become FB certified, you’re going to have to pay $150 PER TEST for a minimum of $300 assuming you pass the Core and Professional Exams on the first try. If you fail the exam, you must wait 30 days and pay another $150 if you want to test your skills by taking the exam again. What’s more is that the certification only lasts one year so the fees will be assessed again if the marketer decides to recertify their credentials after the one year is over.
Also, to keep the Blueprint Certification held to a higher standard, there are strict policies about sharing content of the exams, meaning you can’t take the exams and then turn around and tell your friend and co-workers what questions you were asked. Additionally, personal items cannot be brought in the testing area (don’t expect to be able to write anything down), and you definitely can’t leave the room for any reason once the exams begin. Talk about intense!
If you’re able to pass the Core and one of the Professional Exams, you’ll be granted an online badge that can be verified instantly. This badge sets an individual and agency apart from others, showing that there’s a level of expertise and proficiency.
Why Would Anybody Subject Themselves To This Tortuous Certification?
There are many reasons why you would want to take the exam, but we at J Miller want to make sure that we’re doing everything we can to stay ahead of the curve so we can provide the very best for our clients. Can a Facebook campaign be properly executed by a professional without the Blueprint Certification? Of course! We wanted to take it a step further, though, by showing that our team has the proven credentials to maximize our clients’ Facebook advertising. This is the same approach we take in all of the services we offer because it’s who we are as an agency.
I would personally recommend that any marketer who has been working in Facebook and digital advertising for at least a year or two take the Facebook Blueprint Exam, even if it’s just to see what the test is like. I would especially recommend taking the exam if you have completed a majority of the free e-learning courses offered by Facebook. There’s a difference between saying you know about the material versus being able to prove that you actually know the material.
Want to know more about us? Have questions about Facebook Blueprint? Just want to say hello and have a conversation? Drop us a line!
Sources:
https://www.adweek.com/digital/facebook-blueprint-certification/
https://adespresso.com/blog/facebook-blueprint-certification/
https://www.facebookblueprint.com/student/catalog
https://www.facebook.com/blueprint
http://www.pearsonvue.com/facebook/
