SEO Certification: Necessity, Myth, or Scam? - Checking on the Academy
(Page 2 of 5 )
“According to research, business owners want and need SEO services, but would rather have the expertise in-house than to outsource it. With local SEO training, you offer a solution to a growing problem and since your company has received Search Engine Optimization certification by the Academy, you build trust.”
So, I checked out this Academy to see if I could assess which University this was from. After scouring the website, I still couldn’t come up with a name. Finally, after digging around on one of their sister sites, I found the answer: The University of Southern Mississippi. It took me a while to find USM’s Continuing Education Units program, but I finally did. Yes, indeed, there it was: Search Marketing under the category of Internet and Web Programming. There are two courses: the basics, and then the advanced. You cannot attend USM, however, for these courses. They must be taken through the original site that offers the certification.
The way this course transpires is interesting. Basically, you have a 2-day training course, which is mostly emailed newsletters, or an occasional conference call. They claim that you will learn as much in 2 days as you would in a full week-long course. The CEU program at USM is self paced over 16 weeks, with eight lessons.
Another very interesting thing is what the Academy site is actually selling. “You will be given your own exclusive territory to offer Search Engine Optimization training services.” So they are really selling the ability to sell SEO training and certification to others. In other words, you’d be certified to certify others? It could just mean that you’d just be a sales representative; territory to me means the area in which you are designated to sell a product.
Ok, there’s nothing wrong with setting up a promotional website so that you can sell your product, and get others to help you do it. I guess what I find disturbing is that certification is something that is desired to be achieved on an individual level, and not “sold” to the consumer. Maybe I’m wrong.
After doing even more research, I found there are a lot of companies out there that offer “SEO certification”. The one above, however, is the only one I could find that is backed by an accredited educational institution.
I viewed another popular optimization website that offers SEO certification. However, they do state that this certification is not an industry standard, but rather “…it does indicate that as an SEO specialist, you have set a personal standard for yourself.” After checking out this certification training program, I have found that it is very expensive, plus, you have to travel to California . There are no online options for this certification.
What are the “tuition” costs are involved? Course studies range from $189 to $895, and certification can cost you from $995 to several thousand dollars. Most usually require an annual membership fee as well.
Next: Cerification >>
More Search Optimization Articles
More By Jennifer Sullivan Cassidy
|
| · | | | · | | | · | | | · | | | · | | | · | | | · | | | · | | | · | | | · | | | · | | | · | | | · | | | · | | | | |
|
