A one-page OMCP reference: exam facts plus the digital-marketing disciplines you must know. Use it for final review. Confirm all current details on the OMCP site.
Exam facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Exams | 3 total: 1 base exam (64-68 questions) + 2 specialty exams (17-28 questions each) |
| Time | ~75 min base + ~30 min per specialty (~2h15m total) |
| Window | All three must be passed within 90 days |
| Pass mark | Not published; reported as pass / did-not-pass, no pass rates |
| Cost | ~US$395 (covers all three exams + experience/training review) |
| Retake | ~US$225 base / ~US$150 per specialty |
| Eligibility | Pass the exams + documented experience + OMCP-approved training (e.g. ~1,000 hours + 64 didactic hours) |
| Validity | 2 years (100 PDUs/year to renew, or retake) |
| Delivery | Online, remote-proctored |
| Vendor | Vendor-neutral (not tied to one platform) |
OMCA vs OMCP in one line
- OMCA - associate level for generalists in a supervised role; lighter eligibility path.
- OMCP - professional level for experienced specialists who can work with minimal supervision; two specialty exams and more documented experience.
The core disciplines (base exam)
- SEO - technical/on-page/off-page, keyword research, organic measurement.
- Paid search / digital advertising (PPC) - campaign structure, bidding, Quality Score, conversion tracking.
- Content marketing - funnel strategy, editorial planning, distribution, measurement.
- Social media - organic and paid social, channel selection, engagement metrics.
- Email and marketing automation - segmentation, lifecycle flows, deliverability.
- Conversion rate optimisation (CRO) - A/B testing, landing-page and funnel optimisation, significance.
- Digital analytics - metrics, KPIs, attribution, tagging, reporting.
- Mobile and strategy - mobile/app channels, cross-channel alignment to goals.
Specialty exams in one line
You elect two of the disciplines above and sit a specialty exam in each, so the credential reflects breadth (base) plus depth in two areas.
Common traps
- Assuming OMCP is free - it is paid and gated by experience plus approved training.
- Sitting OMCP as a generalist or beginner - the OMCA is the right starting point.
- Studying only your two specialties and neglecting the broad base exam.
- Leaving experience documentation to the last minute.
- Chasing a target percentage - there is no published passing line.