Exam and Certification Process FAQ

Digital marketing certification by industry standards if different than course completion certificates. OMCP certifications require validation of digital marketing skills, experience, education, and training.  There are various combinations that qualify:  See the OMCP requirements and the OMCA requirements  or use this validation tool to see which certification you qualify for.

Exams

Anyone can register for, schedule, and sit for an OMCP exam, anytime.  The simplest path is: 

• Register for the OMCP or OMCA exam by paying or using a voucher from your company, training provider, or university.
• Schedule your online proctoring session in go.proctoru.com as instructed in your registration confirmation email. 
• Take your exam on the scheduled day and time from within the online proctoring environment. You’ll be notified of results within an hour of completing the exam.  Then upload proof, and get your certificate.

OMCP exams are served online with multiple choice questions.  Read the specific descriptions of the OMCP exam series here and the OMCA Exam here. 

To protect the integrity of the exam and ensure the identity of the candidate, all OMCP exams are proctored live online. To be proctored for your exam, you must have a web camera and a microphone so you and your proctor may communicate. Make sure that you have tested your equipment.

To prepare for your session, make sure you also have your photo ID ready as well as a mirror.  The proctor will further identify who you are by asking identity questions that only you can answer. 

No resources are allowed during the exam. This includes, books, notes, access to online information, texts, chats,  or phone calls, or having another person in the room while the exam is happening.

For an efficient proctoring session, avoid the top five exam session problem scenarios:

1. Not having a working webcam and microphone
2. Not having your exam access username/password provided from your exam registration confirmation email
3. Not having a photo ID ready
4. Using a cell phone during the proctoring session
5. Attempting to access an exam without entitlement. Check your exam registration confirmation email for entitlement and expiration dates

In keeping with industry certification standards, OMCP does not publish pass rates or cut rates.  Certification exams are pass or did-not-pass and do not provide hints or feedback on missed questions.  Candidates may use the practice exams for feedback, or rely on training providers for preparation.

In keeping with industry certification standards, OMCP does not publish pass rates or cut rates.  Certification exams are pass or did-not-pass and do not provide hints or feedback on missed questions.  Candidates may use the practice exams for feedback, or rely on training providers for preparation.

Preparation for the OMCP exams must include a combination of practical experience in online marketing coupled with continuing education in recent accepted practices.  

No course or published book will completely prepare a candidate to pass the OMCP exam.  See the minimum suggested preparation for OMCA here and for OMCP here.

Upon completion of the exam, candidates will receive email confirmation of ‘did-not-pass’ or a passing verification code.  The passing verification code is used to prove that you have met the exam requirements. Upload your exam code into your OMCP profile account. 

Candidates who earn certification status receive an OMCP Badge with verified license ID, a numbered digital certificate, and a verification profile on omcp.org.  

For OMCPs and OMCAs with current certification, OMCP provides email and phone verification of status to employers and universities offering credit for OMCP certification.

Information provided is restricted to: “level of certification, date of certification, date of expiration” confirmation. No other information is shared.

Experience

Valid experience must be documentable hours performing marketing work, whether paid or not. Marketing work is defined as work that requires knowledge, application, or communication of marketing principles. 

This can include any marketing job, traditional marketing, e.g., print, copywriting, advertising, selling marketing services, or providing some subset of marketing services to a marketing team or to paying clients.

Experience hours must be documented or proven using any one the following methods:

1. A signed letter from an employer or client stating approximate hours dedicated to marketing activities
2. A scanned copy of your resume that includes your written signature and date of your claim
3. A screenshot of your public LinkedIn profile or another highly-visible public claim of experience that is open to public scrutiny.

If the marketing work is for the candidate’s own sole venture, then reasonable proof that the marketing work directly applied to results must be uploaded for review. Examples of evidence include Google Ads history, web analytics reports from the time period claimed, documentation of campaign plans and the results of these campaigns. Combine what you can into a single PDF with your signed claim that this was your work in marketing and upload into your portal as evidence of experience.

If the marketing work was volunteer or unpaid, then evidence will require a letter from the entity stating the hours applied to marketing tasks.

OMCP reserves the right to audit claims. If a fraudulent claim is uncovered, certification may be revoked.

Note: Marketing experience does not include non-marketing work — even when working for a marketing-focused company. For example, work as a human resources manager at a marketing agency would not qualify for valid marketing experience.

Note: Hours in a role performing graphic design or video editing, while valuable, are not counted towards OMCP marketing experience unless they also included written messaging, audience targeting, or user experience (UX) planning.

Education

For OMCA

OMCA certification requires a proof of the equivalent of a secondary school diploma, most commonly referred to in the US as a “High School” diploma or equivalent such as a GED (US), GCSE 6th Form, A level (UK), and others as defined in this Education Guide. Proof of the equivalent of a secondary school diploma must be uploaded in the form of any one of the following:

• A scan or legible photograph of the secondary-school diploma, or a diploma of a post-secondary degree such as an associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree or higher OR
• A scan of a transcript for the secondary school (or higher) showing completion of required units OR
• A claim letter from you stating the secondary school name, location and graduation date, signed by you, scanned and uploaded.

For OMCP

A post-secondary diploma, such as a bachelor’s degree (4-year college), master’s degree, or higher meets the education requirement for both OMCA and OMCP certification. When required, proof of a post-secondary diploma must be uploaded in the form of any one of the following:

• A scan or legible photograph of the post-secondary degree OR
• A scan of a transcript for the post-secondary college or university showing the name of the degree conferred and the date of completion

OMCP reserves the right to audit claims. If a fraudulent claim is uncovered, certification may be revoked.

Digital Marketing Training

Some candidates may use proof of completion of an approved training course for a reduction of  experience or formal education requirements.


OMCP recognizes a number of Registered Education Providers whose online digital marketing courses have been reviewed and approved by third party subject matter experts. Reviews help ensure that course materials are current and will assist students who are preparing for OMCP exams. 

Proof of completion must be uploaded in the form of a scan, image, pdf, or legible photograph of a certificate or completion of an approved training program from an OMCP Registered Education Provider, showing the name of the training program and the date of completion

To be eligible, training must have been completed within one year of the date of certification or certification renewal. For new certifications, the date of certification is aligned with your most recent date of a passing score on an OMCP or OMCA exam. For renewals the date of certification is aligned with your one year anniversary date of the prior year’s certification.

OMCP reserves the right to audit claims. If a fraudulent claim is uncovered, certification may be revoked.

Access and password problems

There are three places that require credentials in order to register, take the exam, and then claim your passing score for certification.  

Proctored Session Access: Your online proctoring session requires a ProctorU.com account.  ProctorU is our partner for providing an online proctored environment.  Think of it like registering to use a room in which to take your exam. Your exam purchase confirmation email instructs you to open a free account on ProctorU and set the date and time for your proctoring session.  Many exam takers already have a ProctorU.com account. The process for scheduling is the same. Note that OMCP has no way to know, or store your ProctorU.com access information. Like your other personal passwords, your ProctorU.com access login and password is yours to keep track of.

Exam Access: On your exam day, once you are in your ProctorU online session, you’ll be asked for exam access credentials to access your exam.  These are not the same as your personal ProctorU credentials, but are provided in your registration confirmation email, sent immediately after your exam purchase.  The email is sent from ‘[email protected]’, the subject begins with “Authorized to take the” and your exam access username and password are toward the end of the email. 

OMCP Certification Review & Profile Access: To claim your certification status, you’ll create a free account on omcp.org to upload your exam verification code and any required proof of experience, education, or training. 

There are two likely causes for a lack of access to your exam on your scheduled exam day.

#1. Forgotten exam access credentials:  On your exam day, once you are in your online proctoring session, you will need your exam access credentials to access your exam.  Your exam access credentials are supplied in your registration confirmation email, sent immediately after your exam purchase at omcp.org.  The email is sent from ‘[email protected]’, the subject begins with “Authorized to take the” and your exam access username and password are toward the end of the email. 

On your exam day, once you are in your online proctoring session, you’ll be asked for credentials to access your exam. 

To prove that your session is proctored, pour proctor will then enter his or her ‘monitor’ credentials and your exam will begin.

The exam will only start if you enter your credentials and the proctor enters his or her monitor credentials. When both are entered, the exam begins.

#2. Unauthorized or expired access: This is rare. However, attempts to access exams to which you are not entitled will fail within your proctoring session. Please schedule only the exams to which you have access. Please schedule your session well-before the 90-day expiration date. Your exam access expiration date is noted in your authorization email. NOTE: The proctoring system won’t stop you from reserving a proctoring session for other OMCP exams, or from scheduling dates past your expiration date, but unauthorized exams will not be present when you show up for proctoring.

Staff are notified upon upload and work to complete verification within three business days. 

Requests for expedited reviews are often honored. After staff review, candidates are notified about certification status or of any missing requirements.

Candidates who earn certification status receive an OMCP Badge with verified license ID, a digital certificate, and a verification profile on omcp.org.

Certification Renewal

• Extend the certification for the second year by submitting proof of participating in recognized events, training programs, and communities to earn Professional Development Units (PDUs).
• Renew the certificate for the additional year by passing the OMCP exam.

Currently, accrual of 100 PDUs during the year is required for extension.To submit PDUs for OMCA Re-Certification, simply provide the necessary verification for review through your member dashboard.

Currently, accrual of 100 PDUs during the year is required for extension.To submit PDUs for OMCA Re-Certification, simply provide the necessary verification for review through your member dashboard.