Facebook's Community Management Certification

Facebook Community Management Certification - Is it right for me?

We asked 3 community professionals who completed the FB Community Management course what they got out of it and whether it was worth it. The answer; a resounding yes. Read on for the low-down

Jo Capel Cassius Digital and VanLife Community

Kate VanderVoort, Founder & CEO, Social Mediology

Samantha Harradine, TribeGeeks Community

Why did you take the course?

JC: I’d been working in social media for 8 years and had been growing my own Facebook Group community since 2017. I loved working on the community growth aspect more than anything else and knew I wanted to take it further and make this my core expertise. When I opened my own agency, Cassius Digital, I wanted to obtain more recognised certifications to back up my experience and become a specialist in community management.

KV: I’ve been a community building strategist and consultant for 12 years, so already have an established reputation but wanted to become certified for the credentials and to become a part of the new community forming around the certification. I love connecting with other CMs and this community is filled with people managing Facebook communities - every context and experience is different. It’s wonderful to exchange ideas and give/receive support.

SH: I was part of the founding program last year, chosen from 70 million admins in the world, so it was a real honour to get involved. We run TribeGeeks, a FB group dedicated to teaching people how to build, grow and monetise their own groups, so it was a no-brainer to learn the materials which would help us support our clients creating FB groups.

How much study time was needed?

KV: I’m probably unusual – I stumbled across the Certification, registered for the exam and did it 48 hours later!

JC: I really wanted to score highly so studied for 10 weeks using the FB Blueprint learning materials to make sure I understood exactly where I needed to expand my knowledge. All the learning materials are self-paced which was perfect for me

SH: There were just 245 of us on the program, only half of which passed, so it definitely isn’t a walk in the park. Study time will vary depending on experience, there are 8 modules so many students do these over 8 weeks.

Did you join the FB Study Group and was that helpful?

JC: Yes, it was a brilliant resource and an opportunity to connect with other students. I’d highly recommend it to anyone working towards the certification.

KV: I didn’t - but I’d recommend doing so, I just happened to dive straight in. The practice tests are invaluable in helping you determine whether you’re ready.

SH: Our founding program group was a learning cohort in itself and offered a tremendous opportunity to connect with other group leaders and learn from each other. The community is so supportive which is incredibly powerful – whether you need help with learning materials or simply accountability.

Was it “worth” it – would you recommend it?

JC: Definitely. It’s been one of the most valuable certifications I’ve undertaken in my career in social media marketing. I was already growing my own community which had scaled to over 40,000 members organically within a couple of years. My main objective is to help other community leaders grow robust and engaged communities that create positive impact in the world. The certification has been instrumental in achieving that and I’d recommend to anyone who has ambitions to increase their current skill set or start on the path to becoming a CM.

KV: Yes. The certification is useful for anyone focusing on bringing people together on Facebook. I’d also recommend to social media profs specialising in organic content. The previous FB certifications have been very advertising focused, but this is much more about building an organic audience.

SH: Without hesitation yes. A brilliant accolade for professional community managers and an invaluable, indepth understanding of building, growing and managing a FB group, for anyone trying to do so.

JC: Definitely. It’s been one of the most valuable certifications I’ve undertaken in my career in social media marketing. I was already growing my own community which had scaled to over 40,000 members organically within a couple of years. My main objective is to help other community leaders grow robust and engaged communities that create positive impact in the world. The certification has been instrumental in achieving that and I’d recommend to anyone who has ambitions to increase their current skill set or start on the path to becoming a CM.