Certified Google AdWords Specialists or Partners is an extremely popular and well known professional service when it comes to search marketing and more specifically managing AdWords account for clients. Basically these agencies or individuals are just like any other professional service that offers to manage digital marketing for your business, except for the fact that they are authorized and certified by Google to run and manage AdWords accounts for various clients. What does it mean to be certified by Google, you ask? Read through the article and you will get a clear understanding about Certified Google Specialists and how hiring them is in the best interest of your business.
How to Become a Google AdWords Certified Professional
Often businesses prefer to maintain and manage their digital marketing campaign in-house instead of outsourcing to a digital agency which specializes in Google AdWords and everything that is related to digital marketing. They prefer an in-house team for a number of reasons – whether it be to cut costs, have access to a digital team 24/7 or even because they simply prefer to manage and control all aspects of their businesses themselves and not let an outside team handle such delicate responsibilities. Whatever the case maybe for preferring to manage Google AdWords within the company, the principle of the matter remains – you need to hire a person who is a specialist when it comes to managing Google AdWords account efficiently.
While it is true that there are lots of people available who are certified by Google to manage AdWords account for their clients, you can now get AdWords certification from Google yourself. By simply registering in Google Partners and passing the exam, anyone and everyone can get AdWords certification.
Here are some simple yet comprehensive steps that can help you become a Google AdWords Certified Professional.
PROCESS TO SIGN UP FOR ADWORDS ACCOUNT
- The first step to seeking professional certification for Google AdWords is to set up an account on Google Partners website. You can got to this address to register: https://www.google.com/partners/
- Click on the option of ‘I Am Agency’ which will appear on the top right corner of your screen.
- Follow the instructions from herein and join Google partners. Make sure that you read the terms and conditions of the program thoroughly and accept them so that you can move forward.
- After this, fill in and complete all the necessary information that they ask for. This information includes your name, the email address you would use to manage your AdWords account and much more.
- Your next step after filling in the required information is to get the certification by clicking the ‘get certified’ link.
- Once you are done with the above steps, you will be given two options that is to take either the AdWords Exam or the Analytics Exam.
- By clicking on the AdWords exam, you’ll be given three further options regarding the type of AdWords exam. These options include AdWords Fundamentals, Search Advertising and Display Advertising, of which you should pass at least two in order to earn the Google certification and authorization.
ABOUT ADWORDS EXAM – DETAILS AND TIPS
As mentioned above, the AdWords certification examination program entails that you pass two exams if you want to get the certificate. Take a look at the brief description of each of the test in order to get a better understanding.
- AdWords Fundamentals: As the name itself suggests, this exam covers basic aspects and the fundamental concepts of AdWords. These may include the benefits of online advertising as well as of optimized AdWords practices and strategies. Also, AdWords Fundamental test is mandatory.
- Search Advertising: One of the optional exams, the search advertising test goes further than the fundamentals and explores the advanced concepts of AdWords and search advertising. Basically, it includes the best practices and strategies for creating, managing, running, measuring as well as optimizing search campaigns.
- Display Advertising: Again, this is also an optional exam where the candidate is allowed to choose between giving the Search Advertising exam and Display Advertising along with AdWords Fundamentals which is mandatory. This test covers the best practices and strategies associated with the creating, managing, measuring and optimizing display campaigns.
In order to become AdWords certified, it is eminent that you pass two of the AdWords certification exams – AdWords Fundamental exam and one of the other exams. The time prescribed for each of the above mentioned exams is 120 minutes respectively where the candidate is required to score 80% in order to pass.
Further, even though the AdWords exam is said to be easily cleared with little preparation and familiarity with AdWords, it is important that the interested candidate has at least some sort of on-the-job experience of using AdWords in order to have a better chance of passing the test. Also, there is a lot of study material available to prepare for the Google AdWords Certification exam. In fact, Google offers study guides for each of the exams, AdWords Fundamentals, Search Advertising, Display Advertising which covers all the exam related stuff. As long as you take the test seriously like any other exam and take time to study, you are bound to pass the exam and earn your Google certification for AdWords. However, in case if you fail to pass one of your exams, you are allowed to retake it as long as it is within one week. Since Google has abolished the $50 fee it used to charge for each exam previously, you need not to concern yourself with potential costs.
Different Types of Google AdWords Certification
It is important that you understand the distinction between the two types of Google AdWords Certification.
GOOGLE ADWORDS CERTIFIED INDIVIDUAL
If you are a PPC specialist or wish to pursue search marketing and advertising as an independent consultant, it is best if you choose to get individual AdWords certification. This is because it serves as a trust factor when you are seeking for clients who are willing to take you up as their AdWords specialist.
GOOGLE ADWORDS CERTIFIED COMPANY
A Google Certified Company or AdWords Partner Certification as it is most commonly known as is basically a company or agency which contains a couple of certified individuals. Again, the certification is seen as a trust signal for you and your company by prospective clients. An additional benefit of getting AdWords partner Certification is that the said company gets to be listed on Google’s certified partners database. This is beneficial to both, the company for being able to generate more leads and prospective clients as they get to find a trustworthy and competent agency which can manage their AdWords account efficiently and effectively.
Importance of Getting Google AdWords Certification
Passing the Google test for AdWords certification is immensely valuable, especially in this day and age. You may come from a great Toronto SEO company, but having a skill set that goes beyond SEO is essential. No longer is its importance and significance restricted to individuals who wish to pursue a career in digital marketing consultancy. Rather, because of the increasing number of businesses who are striving to establish online presence, and with it the ever increasing use of having successful search engine optimization (SEO) strategies – Google AdWords certification can be of immense benefit to everyone and anyone who is even remotely linked to the online business world.
- Google AdWords certification acts as one of the measures to declare that an individual who has passed the test is competent and adept at managing and running AdWords. Basically, it is a form of an indicator that signals that you are aware of how to navigate the AdWords interface.
- Further, having Google AdWords certification is also helpful if you are looking for pursuing a career in pay per click advertising for a prestigious digital agency or a company. This is because, not only will this certification program allow you to have better career opportunities, but giving the exam is also a great way to learn and familiarize yourself with the digital marketing field.
- The Google AdWords program is self-serving in the sense that anyone can take the test and further their business growth. This is because you learn regarding new features introduced to the AdWords program during your learning period.
Importance of Hiring a Certified Google AdWords Specialist
While it is true that you can get AdWords Certification yourself, it is best that you hire a specialist or a Google partners agency which already has the required certification and authorisation from Google. This is because AdWords is a never ending process which requires continued learning of the new features and strategies.
Here are a few reasons as to how you can benefit your business if you hire a Certified Google AdWords Specialist.
- Since the Google AdWords certification expires after two years, it requires for the specialists to renew their certificate and give an AdWords exam every two years if they wish to continually boast professional certification. As a result they need to be abreast with the current changes and innovations in the AdWords department if they wish to pass the next exam. This is beneficial for you as a prospective client because this means you get to benefit from the skills and up-to-date knowledge of the Specialist.
- The Google AdWords exam tests the prospective candidates seeking for authorisation on a lot of levels. Multiple exams for the same field i.e. AdWords means that the test is somewhat challenging if not very tough. Thus, if your AdWords manager is certified, it is guaranteed that they are competent and capable of managing your AdWords campaign.
- Hiring a certified specialist will also save your valuable time as now you can outsource the AdWords management to a proficient individual or an agency and attend to more pressing matters and concerns.
- Hiring a certified specialist team outside of your company also means that you get 24/7 service and reporting on the campaign level irrespective of holidays, sick leaves etc. If you had an in-house specialist, you cannot access them during official holidays or sick leaves.
Thus, a certified Google specialist is immensely important in this day and age of digital search marketing. Not only is it a signaling factor for competence and reputability, but certification in fact acts as the standard of many professional digital search marketing agencies. So, if you do not wish to be left behind, it is best that you hire a certified specialist to manage your AdWords campaign pronto.
Fortunately for you, help is right here in the form of AOK Marketing. We have handled PPC Campaigns for several clients and can do for you. We have years of experience in handling AdWords and other such tools and can help you gain the maximum benefits by spending the least amount of money. So if you have any questions please feel free to give us a call today at 1.888.566.2577. You can also write to us online and one of our representative will get back to you as soon as possible.
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