Digital Event Strategist
On-Demand
Build the skills to develop digital event strategies that engage audiences, drive measurable results, and support organizational goals. Early access to the refreshed 2026 DES course is now available, with additional modules releasing throughout the launch.
CE Hours
Earn 10 continuing education units
Modules
8 modules of content
Format
On-Demand
Course Overview
Digital is no longer a separate component of an event strategy. It’s an essential part of how organizations reach audiences, create meaningful experiences, and measure success.
The refreshed Digital Event Strategist (DES) certification course helps event professionals move beyond individual platforms and tactics to develop a more strategic approach to digital engagement. Through expert-led instruction, practical scenarios, and real-world applications, learners explore how to align digital initiatives with audience needs and organizational goals.
Across eight modules, you’ll build the skills to make informed decisions about strategy, audience development, measurement, marketing, content and experience, revenue and sponsorship, technology, and production.
Move beyond executing digital events. Learn to lead with digital strategy.
Boost Your Earning Power
Event professionals with a DES certification earn $8,000 more than their peers without the certification, according to Convene Magazine’s 2022 Salary Survey. Those with both a CMP and DES earn $18,000 more compared to their peers.
Leading, Globally-Recognized Education
Master virtual and hybrid event production, sales and marketing
- 8-module online course
- Plus case studies & downloadable resources
Flexible Learning Options
Learn on your schedule
- On-demand content
Expert Interviews
Includes interviews with leading experts
- Interviews with leading experts including Todd Helton, Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Eventcraft Studios, and Joe Colangelo, Co-Founder and CEO of Bear Analytics
Yearlong Learning Opportunities
365-Day access to:
- All content, including course updates
- Community of 3,000+ peers globally
More about the DES Certification
DES Certification includes:
- 8-module online course
- Over 10 hours of content
- On-demand learning to become an expert at producing, selling and marketing virtual and hybrid events
- Full access to webinars with experts in the virtual and hybrid events industry
- Downloadable learning resources
- Access to final exam included
- Globally recognized DES Certificate, shareable online via Sertifier
- Access to DES graduates Community (peers & subject matter experts to network and share resources).
- 10 CMP credit hours
Modules
Module 1: Digital as the Strategy
Explore how digital supports broader organizational goals and why successful digital experiences begin with strategy rather than technology. Learn to distinguish tactics from strategy, apply the DES Digital Strategy Framework, and assess your organization’s current approach.
Module 2: Audience
Develop a deeper understanding of your audience and how digital can help you reach, engage, and retain participants. Explore audience segmentation, engagement pathways, and practical approaches to testing and refining your audience strategy.
Module 3: Measurement
Move beyond attendance numbers to identify what meaningful success looks like. Learn to establish relevant measures, interpret engagement data, and turn insights into decisions that improve future experiences.
Module 4: Marketing
Explore how marketing supports digital event strategy, from reaching the right audiences to building awareness, engagement, and ongoing participation.
Module 5: Content & Experience
Examine how content and experience design work together to create meaningful digital engagement and support audience needs.
Module 6: Revenue & Sponsorship
Explore opportunities to create value through digital revenue models, sponsorship strategies, and partnerships that support organizational objectives.
Module 7: Technology & Platform
Learn how to evaluate digital technologies and platforms based on strategic goals, audience needs, and the experiences you want to deliver.
Module 8: Production & Execution
Explore the planning, coordination, and execution considerations involved in delivering successful digital experiences.
Ready to Level Up?
SELF-PACED Non-Members
SELF-PACED Members
Satisfaction Guarantee
The PCMA Institute stands behind all of its content. If you feel you didn’t learn what you expected to in this course, just let us know within 30 days of your last lesson and we’ll give you a full refund. View our refund policy and full terms & conditions.
Our DES Graduates
“The DES course pointed me to look at the bright side, that is: digital events can increase our membership, which can be a new way of generating revenue.”
“In addition to learning from the course, you’re going to gain a community that’s awesome.”
“Virtual events have enabled us to reach a wider audience. We expect a wave of regionalisation of events when hybrid events become our new norm, and the learnings from DES will be more critical than ever.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I take the DES Certification?
The virtual events industry is forecast at 404 billion USD by 2027, at a CAGR of 23.2% from 2020 to 2027. As the business events industry and its communication strategy is transforming, professionals with digital skills will be needed to produce virtual and hybrid events
The Digital Event Strategist certification (DES) will certify you as a globally recognized expert at connecting people to brands, ideas and opportunities through business events in a digital world. Whether you are planning in-person, virtual, or hybrid events, expertise in digital event strategy is critical to engage new and existing audiences and maximize ROI.
A DES certification will help you to grow audience engagement, generate new business insights and operationalize hybrid event production efficiencies. You’ll learn how to not only produce but sell and market hybrid and virtual events.
According to The Future of Jobs Report 2020, published by the World Economic Forum, “Technology use, monitoring and control” is within the Top 10 skills needed to succeed in 2025. In the same way, according to
Mercer´s 2021 Global Talent Trends Study, Digital Leadership is in the TOP 3 new skill requirements for the future of jobs.
DES certification will allow you to join a community of peers and & subject matter experts to network and share resources to face the unique challenges of your job.
Who is the DES Certification for?
DES certification is aimed at anyone who wants to become an expert at connecting people to brands, ideas and opportunities through business events in a digital world. This includes event planners, event organizers, meeting planners, corporate event planners, B2B and B2C and includes sales, communication leaders, marketing content and operations professionals, globally.
How long does each module take to complete?
You can expect to devote about 2 hours to fully study each module before the exam.
I’m having trouble logging in to the course. How do I troubleshoot?
Make sure that when you access the course, you are logging in to PCMA.org, navigating to your My Purchases page, and selecting the Access Now link. Any attempts to log in from a sub-page of PCMA or the LMS directly are not recognized by the system.
If you are experiencing issues, we recommend clearing your browser’s cache, or logging in on a different browser. If you are still experiencing issues, please contact us at [email protected].
How long will I have access to the DES course content?
The course expires one year from when you were granted access.
I purchased the DES course for my team members. How do they log in?
Group purchases are facilitated through our PCMA Institute Team. If you’re interested in a group purchase, please submit your request through our Team and Colleagues Inquiry form. Once your purchase is complete, our team will provide you with a code to share with your team members. When they register for the course, this code will zero out their carts to show the course has been paid for, while still collecting the information needed to get them registered.
If your team does not already have PCMA accounts to register for the course under, they can easily create one by selecting Sign In at the top of our home page, and selecting Create Account.
Are there quizzes for each Module?
Yes. There is a required quiz at the end of each module.
What is the passing grade for quizzes? For the final exam?
In order to obtain your DES certification, you must achieve at least a 80% or higher in all quizzes, and a 70% or higher on the final exam.
What is the deadline for each quiz?
Since the course is self-paced and was built to be flexible and support busy schedules, you can take the quizzes whenever you’d like, as long as you complete them before taking the final exam.
What is the format of the quizzes?
Quiz questions are repeated but randomized with each attempt. If you do not achieve an 80% or higher and must retake the quiz, you will see the same questions.
Do I need to pass each quiz before I move on to the next module?
Yes, you are required to take and pass each quiz in order to move on to the next module.
What is the timeline I should follow for the coursework?
The course was designed with your busy schedule in mind. The video lessons and quizzes can be completed on your own time. We recommend completing one module per week.
What is the format of the final exam? What is the average time most people take to complete the exam?
- You have a time limit of 3 hours
- You will not have an option to save and finish later
- It will not let you finish with any questions left unanswered
- You have to achieve a score of 70% or higher to pass
The actual time taken to complete the exam varies from student to student, but many students do not need the full 3 hours if they have studied adequately.
What happens if I don’t pass the exam?
You will have up to 3 attempts to complete the final exam, after which we are happy to work with you on the next steps needed to become certified.
How long does the certification remain valid?
Upon successfully completing the DES course, you will remain certified for 2 years. We recommend completing the 10 CEU during that time period to remain current. Once the 2 years is up, you will be able to apply for recertification for $150. Learn more about the recertification process.
How can we access additional CEUs in preparation for the recertification process?
The PCMA Institute Learning Catalog is a great place to start. It offers on-demand educational videos, webinar replays, and resources you can explore at your own pace, and most videos offer credit hours toward recertification. Access is included with a PCMA Institute subscription.
For deeper learning, PCMA Institute offers certificate courses and micro-credentials, both on-demand and instructor-facilitated. Options includeFor deeper learning, PCMA Institute offers certificate courses and micro-credentials, both on-demand and instructor-facilitated. Popular options include Enhancing Events with AI, Technical Meeting & Event Production, Event Measurement & Analytics, and Lead with Strategic Influence.
I still need assistance. How do I contact PCMA?
You can email [email protected] and you can expect a response within 2 business days.
Where can I find a link to the DES LinkedIn group for networking?
You can find the link in the getting started module- Join us on social media!
