Her Campus Media Leans Into the Next Generation of Talent, Launching Industry-First Certification Program for Creators and Influencers

The 'Certified Influence' Program Will Elevate and Professionalize Creator Skills, While Providing a Strategic Tool for Brands Seeking Precision and Efficiency in their Influencer Marketing Programs

BOSTON, March 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Being a content creator is the new dream job for many Gen Zers. In fact, Her Campus Media, the #1 Gen Z media and marketing ecosystem, found in a recent survey to their community of aspiring influencers that 82% want to be full-time content creators and 87% have a goal of securing brand deals for their social platforms. While more and more young people aspire to break into the creator economy, and brands look to harness these creators' followings, budding influencers often find themselves without any real training or guidance and brands can struggle to engage with them effectively to generate the most successful campaigns. To solve these industry-wide challenges, Her Campus Media is launching Certified Influence - the first-ever free virtual training and certification program designed to educate content creators and influencers, giving them the knowledge they'll need to secure and succeed at increasingly selective brand campaigns.

By offering an independently-verified evaluation of each creator's skill set, Certified Influence will allow brands to confidently navigate the landscape of influencer collaboration, fostering impactful, authentic connections with their audience. It's a paradigm shift—an elevation of influence that benefits both creators and brands on their journey to thrive together.

"Breaking into an ever-evolving industry like content creation can be extremely difficult, and Her Campus Media has always endeavored to support the next generation of creators and set them up for success," says Stephanie Kaplan Lewis, Co-founder & CEO of Her Campus Media. "Certified Influence is the first and only program of its kind that enables the next wave of creators and influencers to professionalize their craft in line with the expectations of the brands they want to work with. Not only will they leave the course with an authoritative certification they'll be able to leverage throughout the industry, but also, by being a part of our community, Her Campus Media will continue to support their journey by actually bringing them opportunities with top-tier brands to get them started. There is no better way to kickstart your influencer career."

Certified Influence is a three-tiered program, completely cost-free for creators that is administered via a combination of written and video modules with quizzes at the end of each tier. Initially, the program will be exclusively available to members of the Her Campus Media community, which includes the InfluenceHer Collective, College Fashionista, and Campus Trendsetters, beginning in late March. Created by Her Campus Media's influencer marketing experts and later tested and informed by a diverse group of its community members, the lessons will cover everything from basic background on how brand partnerships work to how to brainstorm and elevate content. Primary topics include:

• Understanding key terms and industry guidelines;
• Enhancing your creator profile and pitch to brands;
• Understanding and analyzing your metrics;
• Setting your rates;
• Communicating professionally with and incorporating feedback from brands;
• Executing a brand collaboration successfully once you've landed one, and more. 

As participants complete each tier, they'll earn priority consideration for certain types of brand campaigns through Her Campus Media. After completing all tiers, each participant will officially be recognized as a Certified Content Creator. This certification will then be able to be added to participants' social media pages, LinkedIn, and resume and media kits, signaling to brands that they are qualified to successfully and professionally represent them in a campaign. Certified Influence will create an industry standard so that both creators and brands have tangible credibility and a clearer path to success.

"Gen Z is highly sought after across industries, especially beauty. Authentically reaching and connecting with this audience is incredibly important, and the work that we’ve done with Her Campus Media through our Clinique on Campus college ambassador program has been an integral part of how we’ve been able to cultivate lasting relationships with Gen Z and yield lifts in brand favorability, consideration, and trial,” says Maiah Martin, Clinique’s Executive Director of Consumer Engagement. “Gen Z has grown up with social media and has an innate understanding of how to navigate the platforms while curating exceptionally compelling content. The Certified Influence program will be mutually beneficial for creators looking to further develop their skills and credibility while also building trust in the creators we, as brand stewards, work with for future campaigns.” 

"Influencers are often self-taught without any real training or guidance to set us up for success in engaging our audiences, improving our content, and building our brands and businesses," says lifestyle content creator Daniella Giovanetti, who is a member of Her Campus Media's College Fashionista community. "A Certified Influence designation will serve as a seal of approval that validates you and sets you apart as a professional for the brands you're courting."

To learn more about Certified Influence, please visit certifiedinfluence.co.

About Her Campus Media:
Her Campus Media is the #1 Gen Z media and marketing ecosystem, reaching this generation better than anyone else across its family of media brands and communities, including Her Campus, College Fashionista, InfluenceHer Collective, Spoon University, and Generation Hired, with a highly curated community of 50,000+ creators, influencers, ambassadors, and student journalists across 2,000+ colleges. Her Campus Media provides award-winning integrated marketing programs that drive consumer engagement and loyalty for the world's leading brands. Her Campus has been named to Fast Company's World's Most Innovative Companies, Adweek's Campaign of the Year, and Entrepreneur magazine's Best Entrepreneurial Companies in America among other accolades.

SOURCE Her Campus Media