How to Create Custom Certificates for Online Courses

“Learning is tough, but the outcomes are rewarding,” that’s what Aristotle rightly said. Certificates are a powerful way to reward your learners for all their efforts. So, if you have just created a course, don’t miss out on certificates!

From brand authority to course enrollments, they are a winning edge for course creation!

In this blog, you’ll find out the tips and tricks to create a custom course certificate. So, whether you are looking for an LMS with built-in custom certificate support or suitable add-ons to polish your course experience, here’s everything you need! 

Why Offer Certificates for Your Online Courses?

Taking a closer look at its benefits could answer this:

• Incentivizes Students to Complete the Course

Completing courses requires effort and commitment. And if your course is lengthy, completing it could be a chore! Certificates motivate learners to enrol in and complete the course. 

• Reward your Student’s efforts

Achieving a certificate is like hitting a milestone! The rewarding element makes the course all the more pursuing.

• Builds Trust & Credibility

Compare a basic and certification course. Which one looks more credible? Of course, the one with certifications! It increases the perceived value of your course.

• Improves Learner Satisfaction

Certificates are instant gratification. Further, it tests what you have learnt so far and improves retention.

• Increases Chances of Securing Job

Certification lands you better job prospects. Whether starting a career or having a career transition, certification lays the groundwork. Additionally, it shows that you are committed to developing the skills and knowledge essential for your career.

How to Offer Certification on Your Online Course Platform: 5-Step Process

So, you must be wondering where to start and how to integrate it into your existing course platform. 

Here’s how to add certifications to your course platform:

1. Decide the Criteria for Offering Certificates

First off, decide the eligibility criteria for earning certification. This helps learners to understand what it takes to be certified. 

Do you want them to complete all the lessons or video modules? Or want them to pass the final assessment with a specific percentage? 

Some courses have even more explicit criteria, like completing a live project. Likewise, even a section-wise quiz or a final assessment towards the end works.

Certification demonstrates your proficiency or ability in the specific field. So, choose the right path that reflects the learner’s growth. 

2. Choose the Right Tool for Certificate Generation

Want to design a professional-looking certificate? Well, your design tool matters. Each certification tool has a dynamic feature-set. Basic. Sophisticated. Choose what works for you!  

If you are not a designer, you’ll obviously look for a beginner-friendly tool.

Given that, these are few popular creator tools to design certificates:

• Canva

Canva needs no introduction; it’s everyone’s much-adored designing tool! Moreover, it has hundreds of design templates and customization features. The drag-and-drop functionality, color adjustments, and editing make it a go-to tool!

• Adobe Express

If you want to create unique certificates in minutes, Adobe Express is a great free tool.  With thousands of eye-catching Adobe stock graphics, fonts, and icons, it’s an arsenal for certificate creation. 

• CertifyMe

CertifyMe is a great tool for seamless LMS integration. Also, badge creation, integration, analytics, and verification code are its key features. 

• Google Docs

For the simpler folks, Google Docs is enough!  But you need to customize and add everything manually. This works fine for a few certificates. However, it could be tedious for bulk certification.

3. Design Your Certification

A certificate stands apart for its branding! Therefore, ensure it appears legitimate and professional.

Here are the essential design aspects for certifications:

• Logo 

How can you determine a certificate’s value? Perhaps, with a recognizable brand logo. Integrate your school logo, badges or stamps to make the certificate genuine.

• Colors

Ensure your color aligns with your brand palette. Further, aim a visual balance with the 60-30-20 rule. Here’s how it works: the dominant colour takes 60% of the surface, the secondary colour adds to 30%, and the accent colour to 10%.

• Fonts 

Specific fonts, such as Serif and Sans Serif, are popular choices for certificates. But, if you’re planning for a creative or handwritten style. Go with Lucida or Calligraphy!

• Sizes and Layout 

Consider an A4 document size for a clean and clutter-free appearance.

• Content 

The certificate’s content makes it easily recognizable. Add an appropriate title, award statement, student name, course details and completion date.

4. Certificate Generation

So, let’s answer the next question. How can you automate certificate generation? Choose a tool based on where you host your course,

There are several LMS platforms offering it as a built-in feature. On the other hand, few other tools work as add-ons.

Some popular options for certificate generation are:

• LMS

Kajabi, Moodle, and Thinkific, have certificate generation as a built-in feature. 

So, the certification generation is straightforward. Get a few configurations done and you’re ready to roll out those certificates.

• WordPress LMS Plugins

If your course platform is built on WordPress, you can add a course management section with LearnPress. It makes creating, monetizing, and managing courses seamless. 

One of its crucial features is the LearnPress Certificates Add-On. From customization to verifying authenticity and seamless course integration it’s a complete package.

• Standalone Certification Tools

If none of the above options work, use a standalone certification tool like Certify ’em.

First, you need to connect your course platform with the tool. Use an API or Zapier automation for integration.  Within a few clicks, your platform integrates, and all your workflows get streamlined.

Next, set triggers for certificate generation. For example, create a certificate when the learner completes all the modules or achieves a qualifying score. 

Certify ’em, AutoCrat, and Form Publisher are some popular certification add-ons.

• Using Google Sheets + Certification Add-on

Finally, the last option is using Google Docs and Sheets along with the certification add-on.

First, you need to create a certificate template in Google Docs. Add tag formats for areas where you intend auto-completion.

Next, create a Google Sheet with the student data like name, course, date, email address, etc. 

The final and most important is to use the certificate add-on to get the data from “Form” to “Docs.”

5. Decide How to Deliver Course Certification

Now, your certificate is all ready! It’s time to send it to your learners and reward them!

You can deliver it to your learners in three ways:

• Email 

Most course platforms prefer delivering certificates to the learner’s inbox. This ensures speed and privacy. Many tools like Certifyme and LMS have integrated features. They store the recipient data in a spreadsheet and send the certificates in bulk.

• Course Dashboard

You can also provide the certificate directly on the course dashboard. So, when the learner completes the course and assessments, it appears on their profile.

• Physical Mail

Alternatively, you can always offer a physical mail option. Some learners might prefer an actual copy of the certificate for formality.

You can even choose more than one delivery method for flexibility.

Include a social sharing option while sending certificates through the mail. This way, it’s convenient to share the learner’s achievements online.

6. Test Your Certification

The last step is to test the entire certificate generation process.

Enroll as a student in the course, complete all the modules, and check if the certificate is generated.

Ensure a prompt and accurate certification process. If you’re not receiving a certificate, ensure you fix the problem promptly.

Further, add a digital signature, QR code or watermark to prove your authenticity. Alternatively, you can create a verification link for every certificate. Clicking on this takes you to a verification page, where you can confirm the validity of your certificate.

Do Certificates Need to be Accredited?

While accreditation is not mandatory for courses, it makes your course more credible. It shows your course meets excellent standards. This might be helpful for professionals or those who are starting a new career!

With an accredited course certification, learners can get an edge over their competitors. It shows that learners have the necessary skills and knowledge. Employers, especially, look for candidates with professional certifications.

So, here’s how you can get your course accredited:

• Find a relevant accrediting body like ANSI or I.C.E
• Ensure your course meets with curriculum and assessment requirements
• Apply for accreditation along with course outline, content, etc
• Await the approval process, which might take a few months
• Promote and deliver your course

Furthermore, the concerned authority reviews your course carefully. If you meet the quality assurance requirements, your course gets the approval. Sometimes, you need to provide additional information to get through the approval process.

Best Practices for Creating Custom Certificates 

So, need quick tips for a hassle-free certification process?

Consider these points for a seamless certificate process: 

1. Choose a certificate design related to your niche(professional or casual look)
2. Use Adobe Color Wheel to create theme colours and a stunning palette.
3. Keep your fonts simple and use one or two custom fonts like Serif and Sans-Serif.
4. To add digital signatures, scan actual signatures or use fonts that look like signatures.
5. Offer the certificate in multiple formats like PNG, PDF, etc., that’s easily printable and downloadable.
6. Mention the expiration date of your certificate if renewal is necessary.
7. Double-check certificates for grammar and spelling errors.
8. Ensure the graphics, fonts, and images you use in your certificates are not copyrighted.

Wrapping Up

Certificates are a powerful tool to increase your course’s market value. For course creators, certification boosts enrollments and brand credibility. Alternatively, students are motivated to complete the course and land better job prospects.

Tools or platforms with a built-in custom certification feature speed up the entire process. Are you ready to enrich learning experience with certificates?

FAQ-Related to How to Offer Certification on Your Online Course Platform

1. Can I create my own certification program online?

Yes, you create your own certification program. 

Given that, here are the steps to create your certification program:

• Define your program and target audience
• Create quality content with a mix of different learning formats
• Choose the right LMS or tool for course delivery
• Create a professional certificate template
• Promote your online course
• Assess your course progress

2. What are the tools to design course certificates?

Canva, CertifyMe, Adobe Express, and Google Docs are popular tools for designing course certificates. Also, popular LMS like TalentLMS, Docebo, and Absorb LMS streamline the certification process.

3. How can someone verify the course certificates?

Check the brand logo, accreditation, or security features like digital signatures. Especially, some institutes provide validation tools for verifying authenticity.