Marketing certificate programs are designed to help professionals close the widening digital skills gap. As tools like AI, social media platforms, and e-commerce innovations transform the field, even experienced marketers need ongoing digital marketing skills training to stay competitive in today’s fast-paced environment..
Washington State University’s Carson College of Business offers a certificate in marketing that blends core marketing principles with cutting-edge digital tools. This flexible program supports marketing upskilling, team training and gap analysis in marketing. Carson College’s program delivers focused, job-ready training that helps organizations stay competitive in a constantly changing landscape and prepares learners for real-world success.
The Marketing Skills Gap and Why It Matters
A growing number of marketers lack critical skills, according to a 2025 Career and Salary Survey conducted by Marketing Week. Among the results:
- 56.9 percent reported a gap in performance marketing skills
- 46.1 percent cited a gap in social media skills
- 41.3 percent fell short in ecommerce expertise
- 40.6 percent identified deficiencies in content and copywriting skills
These gaps correlate with increasing struggles by companies to keep up with trends such as social media marketing, digital customer experiences, brand positioning, and data-driven decision-making.
“The digital marketing skills gap in 2025 presents both a challenge and an opportunity,” according to rabbito, a social media branding company. “By recognizing the areas of deficiency and implementing targeted strategies, organizations can equip their teams to thrive in the dynamic digital landscape.”
Digital marketing is big business, as the data demonstrates:
- The global digital advertising and marketing market in 2024 was estimated at $667 billion, with the US market accounting for a significant portion of that amount, at $460 billion. The global total is projected to reach $854.9 billion by 2026.
- Digital ad spending was projected to account for more than 75 percent of total ad spending in 2025.
- The World Economic Forum projects 30 percent growth in the worldwide digital marketing job market through 2030.
The demand for digital marketers, combined with the gaps in important skills, lends urgency to the need to bring employees up to speed.
“While the demand is high and the marketing industry is expanding, now is the time for organizations to train and encourage their employees to be social media advocates for their company brand, and for professionals to individually establish their social selling presence so they can pave the way for more robust careers,” according to Forbes.
Upskill Your Team with a WSU Marketing Certificate
Learn Digital Marketing from Industry Experts
Digital Marketing Certificate Benefits
Traditional marketing degrees require a significant time and financial investment, often spanning years and costing thousands of dollars. In contrast, certificate programs—such as those offered by Washington State University’s Carson College of Business—provide a shorter, more targeted path to upskilling. This approach enables learners to quickly apply their knowledge in real-world settings, making certificates especially appealing to working professionals, career changers, or organizations seeking to upskill their teams efficiently in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
“A digital marketing certification can teach students all the skills they need to succeed in the world of internet marketing, in less time and for far less cost,” writes digital marketing influencer Jeff Bullas. “Because a certificate focuses completely on a specific subject, students don’t have to waste time learning about things they don’t care about, or that are irrelevant to their desired career path.”
The advantages of a certificate program make it appealing for professional development and team training. The Carson College’s program teaches digital skills while grounding learners in core marketing principles.
Online Marketing Certificate at WSU: Key Skills Developed
Carson College’s online certificate program gets learners up to speed quickly with an array of key digital marketing skills, including:
- Brand positioning
- Social media strategy
- Marketing analytics
- Customer value creation
The program equips learners with tools to solve real-world challenges by working through five marketing modules:
- Understanding Customer Value explores how companies define customer value and align their mission with strategic planning to turn purpose into profit.
- Creating Customer Value explores how marketers utilize customer insights, branding, and analytics to establish customer value and integrate marketing strategies across various business functions.
- Communicating Customer Value teaches how to convey customer value across key touchpoints, using personalized marketing strategies, emotional engagement, and behavioral models to drive participation and brand advocacy.
- Sustaining Value Through Strategic Marketing examines how businesses maintain customer value over time by adapting their value propositions, aligning strategies, and managing marketing efforts to meet evolving customer needs and changing market conditions.
- Value-Driven Strategy: Turning Purpose into Growth is a capstone module that integrates key concepts to transform a value promise into a company-wide strategy that drives growth through planning, cross-functional execution, and leadership.
Marketing Certificate Programs Elevate Brand Teams
HR and team leaders can leverage certificate programs to build cohesive, forward-thinking marketing teams. The work produced by such teams can provide their organization with:
- Improved campaign performance
- Mission-driven marketing decisions
- Stronger brand identity
- Enhanced customer engagement
- Sustained relevance in the market
By equipping teams with targeted, up-to-date skills, certificate programs help organizations remain agile and aligned in a rapidly changing digital landscape. The result is marketing that performs better and connects more deeply with customers.
Why WSU’s Carson College of Business Stands Out
Carson College’s certificate programs offer multiple advantages, including:
- Asynchronous online format
- Flexibility that accommodates working parents, caregivers, first-gen learners, and more
- Faculty expertise
- Curriculum aligned with employers’ emerging and top-ranked priorities
- Digital badges for LinkedIn and other professional platforms
- Stackable credentials without the cost of a degree
Carson College’s program provides B2B flexibility for corporate partnerships. The college can collaborate on branded cohorts or priority sequencing, ensuring alignment with an organization’s internal frameworks while preserving quality at scale.
“Partnering with the WSU Carson College of Business has been an exceptional experience,” said Meegan Prince, talent development manager at PACCAR Parts. “The faculty and staff are outstanding at developing strong relationships with businesses to ensure their curriculum aligns with industry needs.”
Marketing Certificate: Choosing the Right Path
Selecting the right marketing certificate requires more than checking boxes; HR professionals must evaluate programs for strategic fit, long-term value, and real-world impact. Key factors include:
- A relevant, up-to-date curriculum
- Time commitment that aligns with employee schedules
- Practical, job-ready application
- Preparing learners for career advancement opportunities
- Alignment with employer needs and industry standards
Carson College’s certificate programs are designed with these priorities in mind. Developed with input from more than 260 companies nationwide, they deliver targeted, employer-aligned skills in flexible, manageable modules, making them a strategic investment for both individuals and organizations.
Upskilling Marketing Teams with Carson College’s Online Certificate
Today’s digital marketing tools are only as effective as the professionals using them. Carson College’s online certificate programs help close the skills gap, equipping brand teams with the expertise needed to compete and grow.
HR professionals and team leads seeking scalable, targeted training can partner with the Carson College to develop marketing capabilities across their organization. Connect with our corporate partnerships team to explore how our programs can strengthen your team and drive results.