Are you looking at branding yourself as a PPC expert?
Becoming a Google Ads Certified Partner can really enhance your expertise and credibility
While several brands have recorded success when they used Google Ads to promote their business/products in the past, more companies are constantly considering Ads as a way to boost their content marketing efforts and conversion rate.
But most of them just can’t do it themselves.
Why?
Because it’s a bit technical and expensive.
So, allowing an expert to manage the whole process can help brands maximize their ROI.
The truth of the matter is, most companies have challenges when it comes to choosing the right agency for the job since anyone out they can actually pose to be an expert on anything.
So taking the right decision on who to hire to manage your Google Ads campaigns becomes very crucial. Because to a large extent, the person whom you bring in to do this job will determine your success or failure.
That’s why you need a credible and verifiable expert, especially those who have taken the Google Ads certification courses.
In the rest of this article we’ll get to understand the benefits of this certification, how to qualify for AdWords pretty fast, practice test, the certification courses, and cost.
What is Google Ads Certification?
Let’s begin with the owner. Here’s how Google defined it:
“The Google Ads certification is a professional accreditation that Google offers to individuals who demonstrate proficiency in basic and advanced aspects of Ads. An Ads certification allows individuals to demonstrate that Google recognizes them as an expert in online advertising.”
Google Ads Certification can be valuable to you if you are:
1). A PPC Specialist
If you’re a PPC specialist and you’re looking at improving your portfolio and credibility, then Google AdWords Certification can be valuable to you.
Here’s an example of a badge you’ll get from Google which you can always show off on your website with a link to your partner profile showing that you know what you’re doing.
2). An Online Advertising Agency
Similarly, it can really be a plus for an agency to have the Google AdWords certification partner badge on their website as part of their trust booster.
Here are reasons why you should run the Google AdWords Certification program:
i). It adds to your credibility as a PPC expert: With the badge and the link which serves as a proof of your certification you can always add them to your Linkedin profile, your business card, CV or to your Google+ to boost your profile.
It will give your clients the confidence that you are working with Google’s advertising best practice whether you are working with an agency or just a solo PPC expert.
ii). You will be featured on Google’s partner listing site: You get the chance of been featured on the Google certified partner listing site like this:
You can leverage on the badge and specialization to win clients.
Because this will send an impulse to your clients that since Google recognizes and authorizes your brand, it means you are highly capable of running AdWords campaigns.
iii). It can help make your job search easier: If you’re searching for a job in an internet marketing company, it can help increase your chances of getting the job, because employers put high values on certifications.
Certifications are to a professional what beauty is to ladies. They both help you get attention.
How to Qualify for Google AdWords Certification Exams
There isn’t really a strict rule for qualifying to take the Google Certification course/exams.
However, you need to be an online advertising expert that wants to boost their credibility or someone that wants to use the process for learning how AdWords really works.
Secondly, to be successful with the Google AdWords Certification exams you should study the guide provided by Google very well, even if you’ve been using AdWords for a while.
The following tips can help you prepare very well so you can crush the exams like a boss.
a). Read AdWords study guides and watch the video lessons: You might have a working knowledge of AdWords, but it’s recommended that you still read the manuals and watch the video lessons to help you keep your mind fresh on all the topics.
b). Take notes: It’s great to write down your own notes. Of course, you can always print it out and study anytime or download the PDF to your computer or Smartphone.
But to get everything to sink very well you might need to write down your own notes while you study – as studies by Princeton University shows that handwritten notes will help you better retain information.
You can also write down some key points so you can easily reference them during the exam.
Try as much as you can to make the learning process as much fun as it can be.
iii). Practice: There’s a saying that, “Practice makes perfect.” Yes, it also applies here too. There’s nothing as good as having a first-hand experience with any process.
You can run a small campaign for your website while you are learning, ensure you implement everything that you learn.
Practice and let it become a part of you.
iv). Join forums: Meet experienced marketers or PPC experts in forums to help strengthen what you know and to give you quick tips/tricks.
Google has an AdWords community where you can meet other partners and improve what you know. You can also post on Quora or Reddit, ask questions and write down opinions and answers from industry leaders.
Certification Practice Test
It’s important to test yourself before the actual exam to know how much of the material you already know.
Note: In the main exam you’ll be given 120 minutes to answer 100 questions, the exam is a multi-choice question, you need to answer 80+ questions correctly, and you can’t go back after answering a question.
You can use the following tools to practice and prepare yourself for the main exam:
a). iPassExam: iPassExam is a good platform to practice with some exam questions. It provides a lot of past questions to help you get acquainted with the kind of questions to expect.
However, in the free version you might only be allowed to attempt 40 questions, while in the premium version, you will have access to everything.
b). Gyani Akash: On this portal, you can access the practice questions which consists of 50 questions — they’re free.
You quickly get your result after each question like this:
So, if you fail any question you immediately get the correction, then move to the next question. But note that you won’t have the chance to see it this way in the main exam.
In addition, you can use WizIQ. The site has quite a number of questions there that you can actually use to practice.
For example:
Finally, after everything you can take a quick look at these flashcards, to help you remember some very important tips.
By now you should be very confident in taking and passing the Google AdWords Certification exam.
Google AdWords Certification Courses
There are 5 courses – but you need to pass just two – Advertising Fundamentals and any other one:
1. Advertising Fundamentals: AdWords fundamental is a compulsory course that you must take and pass, together with any of the two advanced courses before you can have a chance of getting the AdWords Certification.
It covers basic and intermediate concept including the benefits of online advertising and Google AdWords.
2. Advanced Search: The advanced search course covers basic and advanced concepts and also covers best practices for creating, managing, measuring, and optimizing search ad campaigns across the search network.
If your agency is focused on search engine marketing, then taking this course might demonstrate your expertise to your prospective and existing clients.
3. Advanced Display: This course covers advanced concept in creating managing and optimizing display advertising.
4. Video Advertising: This exam covers basic and advanced concepts, including best practices for creating, managing and optimizing video advertising campaigns across YouTube and the web.
5. Shopping Advertising: This course covers basic and advanced concepts, including creating a Merchant Center account and product data feed, creating and managing Shopping campaigns.
6. Mobile Advertising: This exam covers basic and advanced concepts of mobile advertising, including ad formats, bidding and targeting, and campaign measurement and optimization.
Here are the number of questions and time for each exam
- Advertising Fundamentals, Advanced Display and Advanced Search: 100 questions in 120minutes.
- Video Advertising: 74 questions in 90 minutes.
- Mobile Advertising: 70 questions in 90 minutes.
- Shopping Advertising: 63 questions in 90 minutes
Here’s the link to the Google Study guide for all the courses.
You can download them to your machine and study them offline or study online.
Additionally, you can also check these materials as well.
Take a look at this condensed PPC guide.
You should check out the Google AdWords Youtube channel, they have a whole lot of videos to help you learn faster.
You might want to see some sample questions in a video format.
Finally, you can also use this course from Udemy “Ultimate Google AdWords Course 2017 – Stop SEO & Win With PPC!” by Isaac Rudansky
And it covers pretty much everything you need to know about AdWords. You might need to spend a few bucks for the course but it will pay off eventually. You need this especially if you’re new to AdWords.
Ensure you go through these study materials effectively.
Google AdWords Certification Cost
Google AdWords certification cost is Free.
It was $50 before but it all changed on Monday, 30th September 2013 when Google announced the change via their portal and I even received the update via email.
This is because they considered the ROI for having more AdWords professionals instead of earning $50 for every candidate.
And obviously, it’s more profitable to have more certified professionals who will keep working and promoting the AdWords program continuously.
This is very important to Google because AdWords generates over 97% of Google’s revenue.
Sure, if you take the exam and fail don’t give up. You can still re-enrol after 7days when you are fully prepared.
But if you learn quickly and want to try again, there is no harm in using a different email address to try.
SaaS Brand Recap
The moment you take the Google AdWords Certification exam and excels, you’ll be conferred with new title, known as Google Partner – a badge will be generated for you and also a printable Certificate that looks like this:
As you can see, it’s really that simple to become a Google AdWords certified partner.
Don’t be scared. The exam is pretty simple if you dedicate adequate time to studying the materials and practice with the tools I shared earlier.
You can get certified in just a few days if you get started now.