Digital communication is critical for businesses as they seek to engage with customers and employees. Firms in for-profit industries from manufacturing to entertainment employ communication professionals, as do nonprofit organizations and government agencies on the local, state, and national level. Accordingly, professional roles in digital communication, social media and content management have become more important — and more plentiful — than ever. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects a 14% job growth rate for all media and communication occupations from 2020-2030.
Becoming a successful digital communication professional requires building skills and knowledge to meet needs in any industry or role you pursue. With a communication certificate online program, you can get ahead in this growing field.
Become equipped to succeed
Whether you're already working in the field or considering a career change, pursuing a graduate certificate in digital audience strategy or technical communication can equip you to succeed in a variety of occupations, including content strategist, digital content developer, public relations manager, SEO specialist, and social media specialist.
One advantage of taking a communication certificate online program is it can dovetail with a full-time position, so you can learn while you work and apply what you're learning in real time. Another advantage is it can help keep you up to date with the latest tools and trends, enabling you to think strategically and build a big-picture plan to help your company or clients stay competitive.
Prepare for diverse career opportunities
Earning a graduate communication certificate online prepares you for many different positions in the digital communication field. including the following:
- Content strategist: Most marketing professionals recognize the importance of creating valuable content, and specialized skills are needed to develop an all-encompassing strategy that includes websites, search engine optimization (SEO), blog posts, social media, videos and delivery outlets. In a graduate certificate program, you'll learn how to identify target audiences, develop personas and create content plans to help your organization or your clients stay competitive and reach its goals.
- Digital content developer: If you're more interested in writing copy or producing audio and video, the role of digital content developer might be a good fit for you. Content developers turn strategists' plans into reality, creating high-quality content that appeals to the business's target audience. In a technical communication certificate program, you can learn the principles of visual communication, web authoring and technical editing, and you can choose from electives exploring content strategy, copyright and grant writing.
- Public relations manager: PR managers are tasked with creating and maintaining the public image of a company or individual. Their duties typically include writing press releases and speeches, managing media contacts and weighing in on digital communication strategies. In a communication certificate online program, you can learn more about how to develop public relations strategies and content that will contribute to your company's or clients' goals.
- SEO specialist: Search engines play a powerful role in digital communication today, influencing what people find when they're looking for a product or service. That's why search engine optimization (SEO) has become an essential component of digital communication strategy for businesses of all sizes and types. Getting your company's or client's website and content to show up on page one of search results requires keeping up with Google's ever-changing algorithms and priorities. In a graduate certificate program, you can learn how to optimize online content to garner the best rankings and most traffic from your target audience through strategic use of search engine marketing.
- Social media specialist: Social media has become a pivotal part of human communication and a key way for businesses to reach customers. When you study digital audience strategy, you'll learn how to leverage these powerful platforms to create social media campaigns that attract, engage and grow audiences, as well as how to analyze the results to assess engagement and gauge success.
Digital communication skills can be applied in many other roles as well, including journalism and market research. ASU Online’s digital audience strategy graduate certificate and technical communication graduate certificate can each help you take that next step in your digital communication career. A graduate communication certificate can enhance your credibility in the digital communication field and help you achieve your goals, whether you want to work for a nonprofit organization, a Fortune 500 company, a government agency or yourself.