3 Steps to Your SMS Certification

by Amy Berger | May 29, 2018 | EduSocial Blog, Uncategorized | 0 comments

I remember when I first started thinking about going back to school and getting my MBA. I was working in government back then and found myself wanting to transition into a career in the private sector. The timing was never quite right until I realized that there was no “perfect” time to go back to school. I just needed to take that step forward for myself and my career. Although getting my MBA was certainly challenging, I loved it. I know that I made the right decision.

The thing about education and learning is that once you start, you find yourself wanting more. Maybe you’re looking to learn more about social media, so you can help your organization market goods and services more effectively. Perhaps you’re like me and you always wanted to study a new discipline and challenge yourself. The Social Media Strategist (SMS) certification could be a good fit for you.

Aren’t sure if SMS certification is right for you? SMS certification can help elevate your credibility by helping you differentiate yourself from the crowd. You’ll learn how to plan, execute and measure social media campaigns. You’ll also learn how to use the right tools for the right audiences.

If this sounds interesting to you, there are a few requirements you will need to meet before applying. Click here for more details.

I also encourage you to take our free Readiness Assessment to help you determine what support you may need as a candidate for SMS certification.

After taking the readiness assessment, you are ready to begin the SMS certification process. Here are three steps to become SMS certified through NISM:

Candidate Handbook

Start this journey by downloading the Candidate Handbook. This handbook contains a detailed description of the content addressed by the NISM Social Media Strategist exam. It also provides helpful information about what to expect on exam day and how the exam is scored.

Choosing a Study Option

Individuals preparing for the certification exam all come to us with various backgrounds and levels of experience. Therefore, we have put together a variety of learning options for you to prepare for the exam.

A la carte: Here you can pick and choose the books, practice exams, and tutoring hours that you feel you need to prepare. You can also register for the exam if no preparation is necessary.
Self-Study Bundles: We offer students three different packages to help you reach your goal of certification. These options are a good fit for individuals who are self-motivated and have a strong knowledge base. Each bundle offers increasingly more support from the instructors here at NISM to keep you on track.
Preparation courses: Typically offered online over 6 weeks, these instructor-led courses give you the opportunity to walk you through each content domain with online lectures, discussion boards and online assignments. A great option for those professionals who are newer to the industry, study best with the support of an instructor, or value networking with other social media professionals from across the globe.

Schedule the Exam:

The Social Media Strategist (SMS) certification exam is a 3-hour, 165 multiple-choice question exam intended to assess a candidate’s knowledge & skill across six content domains. The content domains include the following: Strategic Planning, Compliance and Governance, Project and Campaign Management, Social Media Marketing, Community Management and Research and Analysis. Once you have successfully passed your SMS certification exam, you will join an elite group of professionals who put strategy first and support one another through unique networking and collaboration opportunities. You also get to add this badge to your portfolio and proudly share your accomplishment.

Interested in learning more? Check out our “Meet and Greet” blog posts that highlight some of our SMS professionals and how this certification has helped them in their careers. Take the candidate readiness assessment and connect with our CEO Jen Radke, SMS and/or our CLO Dr. Amy Jaumann, SMS. They’d love to connect with you. And we’d love to have you as a part of our community here at NISM. Join us today!

Author: Amy Berger

Amy Berger is a corporate communications writer based in Minnesota. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Gustavus Adophus College and a Master’s in Business Administration from the College of Saint Scholastica. She is currently interning at the National Institute for Social Media.