Facebook Blueprint gets you certified, training takes you pro!

Looking to upskill your social media marketing talents? You’ve come to the right place.

In a big step towards upskilling marketers around the globe, Jellyfish Training has been selected as a Facebook Certified Training partner to deliver workshops for its Digital Marketing Associate Certification Exam.

We talk to Senior Training Director, Kineta Kelsall, about Facebook Blueprint, and how to elevate your social media marketing status to pro. 

So Kineta, What is Facebook Blueprint?

Facebook Blueprint is a global education programme that offers online learning courses, training programs and certifications that can help you get the most out of Facebook marketing platforms. So you can go online in your own time and learn about all the different features and products across Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and WhatsApp.

Simply put, these are built to give you the confidence to execute and manage campaigns on the platform. You’ll find online learning material on everything from building target audiences to creative strategies. It’s a really good starting point before training to familiarise yourself with the different products. It’s also a good place to revisit after training to ensure you’re up to date.

Who should use Facebook Blueprint?

Anyone can use it! General certifications are available for all, but there are specialisms too. Within a professional capacity, your approach will vary according to your role, company, and industry.

For example, SMEs through to blue chips all have different budgets and different objectives. Facebook Blueprint has already thought of that with different programmes to suit those separate objectives - from job seekers and students starting out in their careers to agencies like Jellyfish, developers who are optimizing campaigns, and educators who teach social marketing at a higher education level.

It’s really valuable to have access to this tailored information via Blueprint, for SMEs in particular who will come in and learn at a pace that works for them. Test and learn is a great way to understand what actually works on Facebook marketing tools.

How do I get certified on Facebook Blueprint?

You have the option to get certified after completing online courses and other learning materials, such as study guides. Our new training workshops are a great way to prepare, too. You have the option to go through various modules and complete the course material within, then take practice tests before the certification exam. Facebook certifications are valid between 12-24 months, depending on the type.

As for the actual exam, it is in the form of multiple-choice questions around the topics covered in your chosen module. The exams I’ve taken so far have all been online - media buying and media planning -they are not designed to be easy, it definitely helps to be analytical and have a good grasp on numbers. You have to come prepared; it’s not just pressing a certain button - it’s heavily scenario-based, so you can’t cheat!

How much does Blueprint cost?

Facebook Certification exams cost up to the equivalent of $150 USD for professional exams and up to the equivalent of $99 USD for associate exams. The actual cost may differ by country. You'll see the cost displayed during the checkout process.

Which certification should I choose?

Start with Associate (beginner) if you’re new to the platform (or any of the Facebook apps and services). If you’re well practiced but want to level up and get certified, opt for Professional (advanced) courses that cover different aspects of Facebook Business Tools - everything from creating ads and creative strategies to media planning and API development.

Where does training fit in with Facebook certification?

I’d always recommend people use it during or before training to help with their learning. As it stands, it's often an option used instead of training. That’s a missed opportunity. With any online learning, you have to be willing to commit your time and all too often it comes bottom of the pile.

With training, you’re sat in a classroom environment with your team. You’re working collaboratively to the same objective, with a clear brief. It’s a different kind of learning, but Blueprint should be used simultaneously with training to really elevate your understanding, learning, and ultimately your results. It helps to advance your career, too.

Jellyfish has built our training to align with Facebook Certifications. For example, our Introduction to Facebook Advertising course complements the Digital Marketing Associate Certification content.

For those looking to become more specialised, we’ve developed our Advanced Media Planning and Advanced Media Buying courses in line with the Facebook Media Planning and Media Buying Professional Certifications.

How do you use Facebook Blueprint as a social marketing trainer?

It’s great to dip in and out of. If I’m evolving my course material, I’ll go into Facebook Blueprint and take a look at what’s new - for example, ad auction and delivery - what are the changes? What do I need to include? This helps give my course structure, informing and updating according to the latest guidance so everything is accurate and relevant. The studying material is brilliant. They have quizzes at the end of each course with video resources too, which is a great way to test your learning. I personally find the Facebook Blueprint experience really valuable.

Looking to elevate your social knowledge further? Check out our full range of social media marketing courses; a perfect pairing with Facebook Certification to take your career to the next level. And don’t forget to sign up for our new training workshops to prepare for the Facebook Digital Marketing Associate Certification exam!