Certified Google AdWords Specialist – how to choose the one?
With the internet becoming so popular—already used by nearly half the world's population, including approximately 25 million Poles—an increasing portion of our lives is moving online. According to statistics, we spend six hours a day online (that's a full quarter of a day!). Sales of products and services, education, art, and communication are all moving online with us.
Advertising follows step by step. On the one hand, it allows us to find exactly what we need, and on the other, it allows us to present our offer to other enthusiasts of virtual hunting. Properly prepared and optimized advertising allows internet users, while browsing the bottomless pits of the online world, to discover our products or services.
So where can we find such advertising? How can we make it effective?! The answer is a good Google AdWords specialist ! The solution is simple in theory, but it raises another question: How do we know that this Google AdWords specialist will be good and will prepare an effective ad for us? And this is where Google, as a well-known company, comes in handy. As part of the Google Partners program and the Academy for Ads training series, they have developed a certification system for online advertising specialists. Therefore, when looking for a specialist, check whether they are a Google AdWords Certified Specialist , meaning they have passed exams and received a Google certification.
What is Google AdWords Certification and how do I get it?
Google AdWords Certification is a professional accreditation offered by Google to individuals who have achieved proficiency in the Advanced AdWords Advertising Skills program . This certification demonstrates Google's recognition of the individual as an online advertising specialist. It validates their skills and knowledge in creating and optimizing advertising campaigns across all channels offered by Google. This certification demonstrates their expertise while also contributing to their agency's eligibility to achieve Premier Google Partner status (currently the highest level of recognition available from Google).
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To obtain AdWords Certification, a specialist must acquire knowledge of online advertising, pass a test on advertising fundamentals, and pass one of the additional tests on AdWords advertising . The more exams passed, the better, as it allows you to determine which types of campaigns you are an expert in. A total of nine exams are available for certification. Six of them focus on knowledge of topics related to Google AdWords advertising:
AdWords Advertising Basics – covers both basic and intermediate AdWords campaign topics , requires knowledge of effective optimization and campaign management,
- AdWords Search Advertising Certificate – a collection of basic and advanced topics related to text ads in the search network. Requires knowledge of proven methods for campaign creation, measurement, optimization, and management.
- AdWords Display Advertising Certificate – covers advanced topics of graphic advertising and requires the ability to properly create and optimize ads in the advertising network,
- AdWords Certificate for Google Shopping Advertising – certifies basic and advanced knowledge of the principles of creating a Google Merchant Center account and building and optimizing product campaigns,
- AdWords Mobile Advertising Certificate – covers topics related to mobile advertising (displayed on mobile devices, e.g. smartphones), requires knowledge of campaign optimization for the above-mentioned devices,
- AdWords Video Advertising Certificate – confirms the ability to create and optimize video ads (on the YouTube network); its completion requires, among other things, knowledge of ad formats, targeting methods, and bidding.
The others – no less important, but concerning slightly different issues – are:
Google Analytics Individual Qualification – allows you to verify your knowledge of proven methods used in web analytics and the Google Analytics platform . It is important because Analytics account data is used to optimize AdWords campaigns.
- Mobile Website Development Certificate – covers basic and advanced topics related to mobile website development. It certifies the ability to optimize and measure the effectiveness of mobile websites.
- Certificate of sales of internet solutions – Its purpose is to test your knowledge of basic online advertising and sales skills. It allows you to assess the effectiveness of selling Google online solutions. It is not required to obtain AdWords certification or Google Partner status.
Passing the exams requires correct answers to at least 80% of the questions covering both theoretical and practical knowledge. All of the above certifications are valid for 12 to 24 months. This means that once the deadline expires, the exams must be retaken, and the Google AdWords specialist's knowledge must be refreshed and updated with new features introduced by Google (exam questions are updated periodically).
Summary
When choosing agencies/specialists to whom we will entrust our advertising work and in whom we will invest our financial resources, it is worth considering certifications. Besides comparing offers, service fees, and online reviews, I recommend asking about Google exams passed. It's worth remembering this because, as I mentioned earlier, certifications are proof that Google recognizes a given person as an expert, certifying their current theoretical knowledge and practical skills. This entitles them to the title of Google AdWords Certified Specialist.
Because Google places such a high priority on quality, it requires the same from those responsible for creating and optimizing advertising campaigns (especially its partners). By creating a certification system and affiliate program, it helps us select individuals to collaborate with, enabling us to verify the competence of a given specialist. It's impossible for a practicing Google AdWords specialist to fail the exam. Those who don't have it may need some time to deepen their knowledge of online advertising.
Therefore, before entering into a partnership, it's worth finding out who will be responsible for our advertising. Don't be afraid to ask about experience and proof of it (specifically, Google certifications, completed training courses, and other related information). We have the right to choose, and decisions should be made consciously. A Google AdWords specialist is our guide to search engine marketing and the advertising network, so choosing the right one is crucial.
P.S.
As a Premium Google Partner, Verseo places a strong emphasis on acquiring and expanding knowledge of Google AdWords campaigns, Google Analytics, and other tools essential to our daily work. We always strive to stay up-to-date with the latest developments in the world of online advertising and actively participate in numerous training courses and workshops. Our current certifications are available at any time on the Verseo website.
Want to learn more about marketing specialists? Check out the salary trends in this profession!
Summary
The above article covers the following topics:
- the importance of Google certifications in choosing a specialist,
- Google Ads certification process and areas of knowledge necessary to obtain specialist status,
- complementary Google certifications such as Google Analytics, Mobile Sites and Web Solutions Sales.
