How to Become a Google AdWords/Ads Certified Professional: A Step-by-Step Guide
Google AdWords Certification: Recognizing Expertise in Online Advertising
Google AdWords certification is a prestigious recognition granted by Google to proficient advertisers in the field of online advertising. Upon successfully passing two AdWords certification exams, individuals receive a personalized certificate and are showcased on a public profile page as part of the Google Partners program. Over the years, the program has evolved alongside other Google products and initiatives. Previously, the certification program operated independently and required a fee for taking exams. However, with the establishment of the Google Partners program, the certification process has undergone changes.
Section 1: Selecting Your Google Account Before embarking on the certification journey, it’s crucial to determine the appropriate Google account to associate with your certification. The choice of account depends on whether you are representing an agency or company or pursuing certification as an individual. If you’re affiliated with an agency or company, you will likely be required to use your work email address. As an individual seeking certification, you can choose a Google account that best aligns with your personal and public professional identity. You can create a new account easily at http://accounts.google.com if needed.
Section 2: Joining Google Partners Once you have finalized your Google account, it’s essential to sign out of any other Google accounts to avoid confusion or login issues. When logged into the account you intend to use for certification, visit http://google.com/partners. Click on the “Join Google Partners” tab and then select “Join Now.” You will be presented with the terms of service, which you should review before proceeding. By accepting the terms, you officially become part of the Google Partners program.
Note: The program’s name and wording on the Google Partners landing page may cause confusion, particularly for individuals navigating the process for the first time. However, rest assured that this is the correct platform for achieving certification. Google’s help article on the subject provides further validation and guidance.
Section 3: Completing Your Profile Your profile serves as your individual representation within the Google Partner directory (if you choose the public option). It is the official profile that will be linked to your certifications. Clicking on the “Complete Your Profile” link in the navigation menu will prompt you to fill in specific fields if Google doesn’t already have this information in your account. Additionally, you can search for your company in the directory and request an official association with it. If you take this step, your company’s Google Partner account administrator will need to verify and approve the request for it to become official.
Section 4: Exam Preparation Google provides comprehensive educational resources through its foundational content and broader institute content. If you’re new to AdWords and the certification exams, it is recommended to go through the foundational content. Plan to allocate at least four hours to review the video and written materials and pass the sample exam questions for each module. Even if you have prior experience managing AdWords campaigns, it is still advisable to go through the modules at a faster pace for a refresher. The sample questions are particularly valuable as they mirror the format of the actual exams. Unless you have previous certification or a considerable level of AdWords experience, skipping the training content is not recommended.
Pass Fundamentals Exam + One Additional Exam
To end up guaranteed you are required to pass the AdWords Essentials exam in addition to one of your preferred extra exams.
The extra publicizing exams include:
Search.
Display, Video, Mobile, Shopping,
While pursuit and show are the two long-standing extra exams, Google is intensely pushing video and YouTube promoting. Any of the extra exams you go notwithstanding Fundamentals will confirm you. I suggest you pick one that is most appropriate to the particular promoting you do or in a zone that you will put the time in adapting so it can give however much incentive as could be expected to your present or future job. In case you’re an overachiever or love state-administered tests, nothing says you can’t take them all.
Section 5: Passing Exams To achieve certification, you are required to pass both the AdWords Fundamentals exam and one additional exam of your choice. The available additional advertising exams include Search, Display, Video, Mobile, and Shopping. While Search and Display have
