Earning Your Stripes with Meta (Facebook) Blueprint Certification

Getting certified with Meta (Facebook) Blueprint is earning your stripes – it shows you know your stuff in the middle of all the online hustle and bustle. 

This blog digs into what this certification means, serving you actionable steps for completing the Meta (Facebook) Blueprint courses.

What is a Meta (Facebook) Blueprint certification?

At its core, the Meta Blueprint certification is a validation of expertise in using Meta's advertising platforms effectively. It is a certification program designed to equip professionals with the knowledge and skills required to craft and implement successful digital marketing strategies within the Meta ecosystem. 

From understanding the intricacies of ad creation to mastering the nuances of audience targeting, this Facebook advertising certification stands as a benchmark for proficiency in leveraging the full potential of Meta's advertising tools.

As a platform that transcends borders, Facebook Blueprint eLearning, the educational arm of Meta's advertising platform, supports multiple languages. This ensures that individuals worldwide can access and absorb the knowledge needed to compete in the digital marketing arena. 

At the moment, the supported languages are:

✔️ Chinese (Traditional and Simplified)

✔️ English

✔️ French

✔️ German

✔️ Indonesian

✔️ Japanese

✔️ Korean

✔️ Portuguese

✔️ Spanish

This linguistic inclusivity underscores Meta's commitment to democratizing digital marketing knowledge, making it accessible to professionals from diverse linguistic backgrounds. 

Whether crafting compelling ad copy or analyzing campaign metrics, Facebook Blueprint eLearning ensures that language is not a barrier to mastering Meta's advertising ecosystem.

Is Facebook Blueprint certification worth it?

Staying ahead in the digital landscape is essential, and the Meta Blueprint certification is designed for just that. But is the time and resource investment worthwhile?

Let’s unpack why it holds value before getting into who would find it valuable:

1. Industry recognition: The Meta Blueprint certification is recognized globally, making it a valuable addition to your professional credentials. It signals to employers and clients that you possess a deep understanding of the leading social media platform used by digital marketers worldwide. As you can see, Meta takes up the top two spots 🔥

2. Up-to-date knowledge: The digital marketing landscape is constantly changing, with new features and updates being rolled out regularly. The Blueprint certification ensures that you stay updated with these changes, equipping you with the knowledge to leverage the latest tools and features effectively.

3. Enhanced skills: The certification process involves rigorous training and assessments, which can significantly enhance your skills in digital marketing. From ad creation to audience targeting, you’ll gain a comprehensive understanding of Meta’s advertising ecosystem.

It’s safe to say that Meta Blueprint certification can be a worthwhile investment for those looking to advance their careers in digital marketing. More than just a badge, it stands as a testament to your dedication and knowledge in the field.

Now, let’s look at some groups who might find these courses particularly useful:

1. Individuals seeking credibility: If you want to establish yourself as an authority in Meta advertising, Meta Blueprint courses are a reliable way to showcase your expertise.
2. Business owners: Whether you’re an online entrepreneur looking to establish a strong online presence or a small business looking to increase online sales, the Facebook Blueprint course is your key to foundational knowledge.
3. Agencies: Agencies that want to update the skills of their media buyers, account managers, and social media managers should take this course.

4. Non-profits: Given their typically limited budgets, non-profits can benefit from these courses to boost their online presence and reach their target audience

The Meta Blueprint courses

Facebook offers many blueprint certifications spread across unique roles. These certifications are grouped into 2 categories: Associate and Professional. Some unique roles in which you can get certified are:

100-101 Meta Certified Digital Marketing Associate

The Meta Digital Marketing Associate certification equips you with Facebook basics and the inner workings of Meta Business Manager. It also introduces concepts like setting up your ad account, Facebook products, brand awareness, and responsive designs.

Gain insights into the entire process—managing Facebook ads, understanding pricing structures, creating campaigns and ad sets, selecting ad sizes, scheduling, analyzing performance reports, tracking web actions, and much more.

The course comes complete with all the study materials you need to prepare for the exam. If you are a beginner, this is the perfect certification to kick-start your Meta ads journey.

Perfect for: Entry-level marketers, business owners, job seekers, and people changing careers.

Valid for: 24 months

Available in Traditional Chinese, English, German, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish.

Exam duration: 90 minutes

Pass score: 700 out of 1,000

Questions: 60

200-101 Meta Certified Marketing Science Professional 

For those eager to elevate their data-driven decision-making skills, this course is the top choice. It guides you through defining business goals, leveraging metrics, conducting test campaigns, and transforming customer insights into actionable recommendations.

Learn about experimental design, mastering power analysis, statistics, and the calculation of descriptive metrics like central tendency, standard deviation, variance, and distribution.

Uncover the intricacies of statistical inference, correlations, and the execution of standard tests such as t-tests, F-tests, and ANOVA. You’ll also gain hands-on experience in preparing data for statistical analysis using programming languages like R, Python, and SQL.

Perfect for: Professionals with over 3 years of experience in consulting on measurement strategies and doing research using data manipulation skills.

Valid for: 12 months

Available in English, German, Japanese, Portuguese, and Spanish

Exam duration: 105 minutes

Pass score: 700 out of 1,000

Questions: 60

300-101 Meta Certified Creative Strategy Professional

If you’re looking to grasp the basics of mobile digital marketing, the Creative Strategy Professional Certificate is the course for you.

You can expect to gain insights into mobile fundamentals, hone the skills to apply these insights, create effective briefs, and test ad creatives to assess impact.

Perfect for: Strategists, business owners, and digital marketing agencies.

Valid for: 12 months

Available in: English, French, German, Japanese, Portuguese, and Spanish

Exam duration: 105 minutes

Pass score: 700 out of 1,000

Questions: 60

410-101 Meta Certified Media Buying Professional

This comprehensive course is designed for individuals with prior experience in activating and optimizing Facebook campaigns.

It provides an in-depth understanding of the best practices for optimizing and reporting on various Facebook campaigns. By the end of this course, you will be well-equipped to efficiently use the Facebook tools needed to activate ad campaigns with Meta technologies.

This certification not only boosts your professional credentials but also provides a significant advantage in the ever-evolving world of media buying and digital marketing.

Perfect for: Digital media buyers, business owners, social media managers, brand marketers, and account managers.

Valid for: 12 months

Available in: Simplified and traditional Chinese, English, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish

Exam duration: 105 minutes

Pass score: 700 out of 1,000

Questions: 60

400-101 Meta Certified Media Planning Professional

This course is designed to equip you with effective techniques for achieving business goals outlined in media briefs. You’ll be introduced to unique marketing strategies that include budgeting, ad settings, campaign complaints, and report interpretation.

Expect to learn how to assess business goals within media briefs, plan safe and compliant campaigns, and interpret reports to measure success. 

Perfect for: Media planners, digital marketing consultants, paid social media managers, and supervisors within an agency or company focusing on marketing strategies.

Valid for: 12 months

Available in: Simplified and traditional Chinese, English, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish

Exam duration: 105 minutes

Pass score: 700 out of 1,000

Questions: 60

700-101 Meta Certified Meta Spark Creator

This is a comprehensive program aimed at individuals interested in creating professional Meta Spark experiences for Meta platforms.

The course provides a deep dive into the creation, publishing, and management of these experiences, transforming your ideas into interactive realities. You’ll gain an advanced understanding of Meta Spark Studio’s features and functionalities, including JavaScript or scripting. 

In addition to technical skills, the course ensures you’re well-versed in the relevant processes and policies for publishing effects. It includes self-guided sessions, resources, best practices, study materials, and a practice test to prepare you for the exam.

Perfect for: Professionals with skills in 2D, 3D, animation, and coding.

Valid for: 12 months

Available in: English, Portuguese, and Spanish

Exam duration: 105 minutes

Pass score: 700 out of 1,000

600-101 Meta Certified Community Manager

This course covers a range of vital topics in online community management. 

First, you'll learn how to create an online community and understand how to establish clear goals, mission, values, and measures. 

Next, the focus shifts to building effective community strategies, covering aspects such as platform planning, audience targeting, brand strategy, and leveraging strategic partnerships.

The course also guides you through the art of making strategic content decisions, teaching you how to create and select relevant content for specific audience segments within your community.

You will receive valuable resources, including practice tests, online lessons, and a study guide to prepare you thoroughly for the exam.

Perfect for: Brand owners, online community managers, social managers, and brand managers.

Valid for: 24 months

Available in: Arabic, English, French, German, Indonesian, Portuguese, Spanish, and Thai

Exam duration: 105 minutes

Pass score: 700 out of 1,000

Questions: 60

How much does a Facebook Blueprint certification cost?

Students only pay to take the Facebook Blueprint certification exam, not for the study materials ☝️ 

Meta certification exam fees fall within the USD 99 to USD 150 range. The precise Meta certification cost may vary based on your country of residence. You will be able to see the exact amount during the checkout process.

How to get the Meta Blueprint certification

The Meta Blueprint certification process involves a few simple steps:

#1 Choose an exam specialty 🔍

Now that we’ve unpacked the various specialties at your disposal, decide on the Blueprint certification that best fits your current role, experience level, and skills you are looking to gain. 

#2 Prepare for the exam 📖

Meta will provide you with study guides and practice tests to ensure that you have everything you need to ace the exam.  

In addition to studying for your exam, it’s important to read all communications about your exam appointment, specifically exam policies and relevant procedures.

#3 Register for the exam ✍️

I. Go to the certification website

II. Pick the exam you wish to take

III. Select ‘Register now’

IV. Select your preferred exam delivery method: 

• Online delivery: Any personal location like your home or office. For this method, you will need to run a pre-check to ensure your system is compatible with the exam software OnVUE (more on this coming up).
• ‍Test center delivery: Some exams are offered at physical test centers. You would need to go to the test center at a scheduled time to take the exam.

V. Adjust your communication preferences, and read and agree to the terms

VI. For online delivery, perform a pre-check to confirm system compatibility

VII. Choose your exam language

VIII. Update your time zone

IX. Review and agree to policies, complete the payment, and submit your order. Remember to take note of your order number on the confirmation screen. You'll also receive a confirmation email.

#4 Take the exam 📝

Once you’ve registered, you can take the exam via your chosen delivery method (online or at a testing center).

Exam scores range from 300 to 1,000. To pass, you need a minimum score of 700. 

Scores for questions follow psychometric standards, incorporating weighting and scaling. Results are reported uniformly for all candidates on a consistent scale. Additionally, diagnostic feedback is provided by category.

⚠️ Some more FYIs:

• You're not permitted to use your mobile phone, dictionaries, notes, or any outside materials during the exam. 
• ID must be government-issued and include your photo and signature. You can use a passport, driver's license, military ID, national or local identification card, green card, permanent resident card, visa, or another registration card.
• Check-in for your OnVUE exam is 30 minutes before your appointment time. Watch this short video to get familiar with the process.

#5 Flaunt your credentials! 🎓💫

Within 24 hours of completing your exam, your score report with section-level feedback is available to download from CertMetrics. Simply log in to see your score.

If you have any additional questions, you can contact the Meta Blueprint support team.

Viewing the Facebook Blueprint eLearning award

Upon completing a course or selecting ‘I'm finished with this course,’ the Facebook Blueprint e-learning award will appear instantly. You can access the award by clicking on ‘View award.’ 

There isn't a direct download option for the award, so save it by printing it as a PDF.

To claim your digital badge, look out for an email from Credly with instructions. If you don't receive an email, log in to Credly to view and share your badge.

What happens if you fail?

Don’t stress, you'll be eligible to retake it after five days. Remember, while there's no limit to the number of times you can take the exam, you will have to pay the full fee each time.

What to do after getting Facebook Blueprint certified

After getting Facebook Blueprint certified, you can leverage your Facebook ads certification in many exciting ways. Here are just a few of them:

• Job hunting: Your Facebook marketing certification can help you stand out in the job market. It validates your mastery of Meta marketing and its other properties like Instagram and Messenger. This can make you appear as a more qualified candidate for digital marketing positions.
• Impress potential clients or partners: If you’re a freelancer or run a digital marketing agency, the Meta ads certification can help you demonstrate your credibility and expertise. It can also help your agency stand out to prospective clients and investors.
• Show off your credentials: Once you’re Facebook certified, you can show off your credentials on your social networks. The digital badge contains the issue date, the expiration date, and the specific exam you passed. 

What happens when you need to renew your credentials?

Here’s the breakdown of the recertification process:

100-101 Meta Certified Digital Marketing Associate:

This certification is valid for 2 years from the date of issuance. You can initiate the recertification process 6 months before your certification expires. 

To renew your certification, you are required to retake the 100-101 Meta Certified Digital Marketing Associate exam.

To retake, visit CertMetrics and select ‘Schedule an exam’ next to the exam name. 

700-101 Meta Certified Meta Spark Creator:

Your certification expires 12 months from the date it was issued. You become eligible for recertification 6 months before it expires.

You have two options to recertify during this period:

Option 1: Demonstrate your expertise by publishing three effects

If you choose this option, these are the key requirements:

• Effects must be published using the same Facebook profile linked to your Meta Spark Hub and CertMetrics accounts. To switch to your Facebook profile, from the Meta Spark Hub profile menu, click ‘Switch owner’ and select your Facebook profile.
• Publications must occur within the designated 6-month recertification window before your certification expiration date. For example, if your certification expires on 31 December 2023, recertify between 1 July 2023 and 31 December 2023.
• At least one effect should be a world effect using a plane tracker or target tracker.
• The effects must only be created by you - no collaboration allowed.
• As always, the effects must comply with Meta Spark Policies.

After publishing your three effects, your certification status undergoes automatic updates. Please allow up to 48 hours from the time of effect publication for the status to be refreshed. A confirmation email will be sent to you once the update is complete.

Option 2: Retake the exam.

To retake, visit CertMetrics and select ‘Schedule an exam’ next to the exam name.

For the rest of the courses

Your certification expires 12 months from the date it was issued, and you can recertify 6 months before your expiry date.

You have two options to recertify:

Option 1: Complete online courses and assessment (a refresher)

Should you opt for this choice, take note of the following:

• The refresh option is accessible solely before the certification expiry date.
• The online courses are self-paced and are expected to require about 2 hours for completion.
• Both the courses and the assessment are unsupervised and available exclusively online.
• The assessment results will either be a pass or a fail.
• You can retake the assessment after 24 hours, with unlimited retakes permitted as long as your certification is still valid.

To start your refresh, go to CertMetrics and click ‘Schedule an exam.’ Next to the exam name, click ‘Refresh.’

Option 2: Simply retake the exam.

To retake, visit CertMetrics and select ‘Schedule an exam’ next to the exam name.

Conclusion

Time waits for no one, and where expertise is your most valuable asset, Meta Blueprint certification is your golden ticket to staying relevant and valuable. The certification process's simplicity makes it easier and more accessible for everyone, everywhere, to seize opportunities and shine in the industry. 

The question is, are you ready to earn your stripes? 🏅