A certificate is a token of achievement. It is a recognition of your efforts that you’ve mastered a skill or obtained depth in knowledge. If you are in the process of building a successful membership-based business for your online courses, then you need to consider creating a certification program for your members or students.
Creating a certification program empowers learners that register for your program or course. By taking a certification program, learners that complete your course are given a certification as a token of their accomplishment. These learners can join your course from all over the world and be able to complete the certification.
In this article, we’ll explain how to create a certification program and why you should.
Accreditation vs Certification
The process for being able to award academic certifications which provide accreditation is a long one and a bit beyond the scope of this article. For now, though, it is important to keep in mind that a certificate is not the same thing as academic accreditation.
In simple words, a certificate alone will not replace university credits. This isn’t a bad thing; in fact, there are plenty of examples where you will find courses that are not university accredited but offered as a complementary add-on to them.
Udemy and Coursera courses are an example of this. Courses offer certifications that are not backed by accreditation but it doesn’t affect the perceived value of the certificates negatively. On the contrary, lots of people enroll for these certification programs, including professionals that hold academic degrees and accreditation in their field and are looking to expand their pool of knowledge or skills.
One of the main reasons for this is that course certificates make it easy for learners to showcase their professional knowledge after they complete the course. They can do this by mentioning it in their LinkedIn profile or add it to their portfolio website.
Official Certifications vs. Certificates
Another rather important distinction to make is the difference between an official certification and a certificate. An official certificate of dentistry or other university or government-issued certificates usually have a larger mechanism at work than a single business.
This is especially true if the certificate contributes towards some sort of licensing, like operating machinery or treating people. This is not to say, however, that official certification can only be university or institute-issued.
Private companies also offer certifications that can be used by individuals to further their business and career options. An example of this is the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) certification offered by Microsoft.
Why You Should Add Certificates to Your Courses
Now that we know the difference between official accreditations, academic credits, and certificates, let’s go over some of the main reasons why you might want to add a certification to your courses.
For the purposes of this article, we’re mainly going to cover general certification and not specialized or academic accreditation since we’re looking at it in the context of membership or course websites.
Authenticity
Certification allows individuals and professionals to showcase their skills and knowledge to their audience, customers, or even potential recruiters. Having a certification attached to your course gives it an air of visual authenticity that conveys at a glance what the subscribers of your course have achieved. In addition to this, you’re able to give learners something they can publish on their social media profile or portfolio site.
Having that authenticity also helps increase the authority of your courses and also of yourself or your business. This can go a long way in cementing and growing your influence in your field. As a result, you’ll be able to increase registrations and sell more certification programs.
Dedication
Certification is also a great way to demonstrate that the individual who enrolled and completed the course was driven to complete the course and to achieve mastery of the skill or information. It also shows that you, as a course creator, are passionate about the topic and dedicated to teaching people and your knowledge.
Not only do you enable learners in mastering the skills acquired through the course but also provide an acknowledgement of their achievement upon completion in the form of certification. The best part is that they can use the certification to let others know about the knowledge or skills they’ve acquired.
Driving sales
Offering certificates with your course can be a potential driver of sales, as well. Online course registrations are higher now than ever before and will only go up from here. With the increasing enrolment rates, there is a higher than ever emphasis on certifications. This is an excellent time for online course creators to create and offer a certification program.
Certificates can be a powerful tool for both the subscriber or student of your course and for you as a course creator. Certification increases the perceived value of your offering. It can also be a tool for selling related courses that you’ve created that offer certification in the same line.
How to Create a Certification Program
We now have a grasp on the differences between academic accreditation and certifications of different types, and we also know why it is important to have a certification program attached to your online course. But how do you go about creating one?
Let’s now walk you through the process of creating a certification program. The process can easily be summed up in two simple steps.
Step 1: Focus on certification goals
Before you actually start creating the certification program, you need to take a step back and ask yourself some crucial questions.
- What is the intention of the particular certification your course is offering? It can be completing the entire course or a certain part of it or performing above a certain threshold.
- What tools will you need to set up the certification program? It is also important to consider what you’ll require to gauge the metrics of progress toward the certification. Quizzes, tests, or interviews are some ways of measuring progress, but that will be up to your course and content type.
- How will you structure the certification program? Will you create an online course or a membership site? Will you release content all at once or drip-feed it to learners as they progress through the course?
- What do students need to do to earn a certification? Do students need to pass a certain exam? Do they need to earn a specific score?
Once you have certification goals clearly defined then we can move to the next step.
Step 2: Use the right tools
If you’re using WordPress, you can see which learning management systems (LMS) allow for the functionality you’re looking for. The process of acquiring certification will have to account also for the tools required to provide the evaluation method you use to award the certificate, whether it is on completion of the course or for a certain score.
Key considerations:
- The LMS tool should let you set up quizzes and assignments, drip feed content, course tracks, discussion areas, and any other features you need to create and implement your course and certificate.
- It should be easy to start and use, especially if the technical side of course creation and membership websites is not your forte. Custom code and developer hours can get expensive pretty fast.
- It should also make it easy for your subscribers, learners, or students to track their progress through the course.
- In case you run into technical issues, it’s also important that the plugin or platform you go with offers timely support.
A relatively simple method of setting up a certification program is by using WordPress. WordPress is the most popular open-source CMS in the world. You can use it to build a membership-based or online course website using an LMS plugin. Several LMS plugins and platforms are compatible with WordPress, such as LearnDash or LifterLMS.
Check out our 14 Best Online Course Platforms for Creators round-up for even more tools.
As a bonus, you can integrate your certification program site with email marketing tools such as Mailchimp to get the word out about your course to your entire email list. This makes it easy to keep track of learners and encourages more registrations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How can I create a certification program?
A: To create a certification program, you need first to identify the purpose and target audience for the program. Next, you should determine the knowledge and skills you want to certify. Then, you can design and develop the program, create a certification exam, and establish the criteria for successfully obtaining the certification.
Q: What is a successful certification program?
A: A successful certification program is well-designed, recognizes the knowledge and skills of individuals, and is valued by the target audience. It is also a program that is regularly updated and evaluated to ensure its effectiveness.
Q: How can a certification program help me create a professional association?
A: A certification program can help you create a professional association by providing a credential that signifies expertise in a specific field. This credential can attract professionals to join your association and participate in your programs, leading to increased membership and professional development opportunities.
Q: Where can I find certificate templates for my certification program?
A: Various online platforms and software offer certificate templates you can download and customize for your certification program. Some popular options include Canva, Adobe Spark, and Microsoft Office.
Q: How can I design certificates for my certification program?
A: To design certificates for your certification program, you can use software such as Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator. Alternatively, you can utilize online platforms that provide customizable certificate templates, allowing you to personalize them according to your program’s branding and style.
Q: How can I distribute certificates to successful certification program participants?
A: There are several ways to distribute certificates to successful certification program participants. You can send them electronically via email as PDF attachments, provide a download link on your program’s website, or physically mail printed certificates to the recipients.
Q: What key components must I consider when starting a certification program?
A: When starting a certification program, consider several key components. These include identifying the target audience, defining the certification criteria, designing the program structure, developing the certification exam, establishing credibility and recognition, and implementing a system for evaluating and maintaining the certification.
Q: How can a certification program help retain knowledge and skills?
A: A certification program can help retain knowledge and skills by providing individuals with ongoing professional development and growth opportunities. It encourages them to continually update their skills, stay engaged in the field, and maintain the standards required for certification renewal.
Q: How can a certification program boost attendance and participation in training programs?
A: A certification program can boost attendance and participation in training programs by offering participants an additional incentive to engage in professional development. The opportunity to earn a recognized credential can motivate individuals to attend training sessions, acquire new skills, and enhance their professional status within the industry.
Q: What is the role of sponsors in a certification program?
A: Sponsors play a significant role in a certification program. They provide financial support, resources, and expertise to help ensure the program’s success. Sponsors can help fund the program’s development and maintenance, promote it to the target audience, and provide industry knowledge and guidance.
Conclusion
Even without academic accreditation, a certification program is a feature that more and more online course takers are looking for. It adds authenticity to your course, shows your dedication to your product, and is a positive factor in driving sales. In simple words, a certification program adds value to your offering.
Before you start creating your certification course, make sure to have your certification goals well-defined. You also want to make sure you’re using the right tools that allow you to set up your content and online certification course. Go for an LMS plugin or tool that offers all the features you need to create a high-value certification program.
Do you have any questions about how to create a certification program? Let us know in the comments section below.
