Google Ads is the most efficient advertising tool if you are looking to get the most of your website traffic and generate more leads.
Most Businesses that take google support sees a fantastic 201 percent ROI on their Google ad spend.
Therefore, if you are looking to create more and powerful Ads, Google Ads certification is an excellent way to start. Additionally, it will look fabulous on your Resume.
If you are a beginner starting off to make a career in online advertising or if you are an experienced marketer, looking to polish your marketing skills, Google Ads certification is a great place to do so.
Once Google certifies you, you will become a distinguished and trusted advertiser in the online marketing field.
However, graduating with Google Ads Certification is not an easy task, and that is why we have created this guide to help you crack Google Ads certification exam.
What is Google Ads certification?
Google Ads certification is a credential badge for many marketers that marks them as experts in online marketing.
Google Ads certification is a professional recognition from Google who shows proficiency in primary as well as an advanced level of Google Ads.
Google Ads certification provides a platform for different individuals to showcase their online advertising skills by earning a certificate through Skillshop, Google’s training and certification program.
There are six individual assessments with related study materials and courses.
The exam will ask knowledge and practical experience of digital marketing from every individual, including the best practices for handling and enhancing google ad campaigns.
Along with that, you need to know the proper understanding of running your Ad Campaign,
In this post, we talk about the nooks and cranny of getting certified by Google Ads in a manner that will be easier for you.
We will also provide additional information, including tips and advice of what you can expect from the Google Ads help materials.
You have been doing some research on your own and have come up with a lot of Google help material’s which may not be immediately helpful.
But before we dive into details, let’s understand the basics. Shall we?
What is Google Ads?
Digital advertising has come from a long distance from being a niche approach to becoming a core construct in any digital marketing strategy.
These days businesses of any shapes and sizes are turning to Google ads to bring and retail new potential customers through the largest search engine in the world.
Since everyone is following display ads and Google ads, that does not necessarily mean you should follow them as well.
Digital marketing is all about arriving the right customer at the right time through the right message and having a relevant advertising platform can help you achieve that.
But it can quickly turn harmful if you are using the wrong keywords and reaching the wrong target audience.
However, if you are considering using Google Ads campaign, it is the right place.
Therefore to define Google Ads, it is an online advertising service developed by Google to guide marketers to reach its target customers instantly.
Here is a quick preview, when you search for “travel destinations” on Google, it will show you a long list of searches. But if you look meticulously, you will notice the top and bottom results if the Google search engine is usually ads.
But how does Google figure out which ads to show? Let’s look into it.
Different types of Google Ads
1. Search Ads
Like my example earlier, when you search for something on Google, a list of different Ads appear above the organic search list called Search ads.
Google considers a lot of factors before choosing which ads to display and the sequence it follows.
The essential factors in search ads include,
- Targeting: For example, your ads will be shown according to the geographic specification that you will choose. It can be as specific as zip codes.
- The search term and Keyword: This includes what is being searched by the user, along with the primary keyword that you use to optimize the ad.
- The relevance of the Ad copy: That means the Ads that appear for a specific search should show relevant results. For instance, if you are searching for College applications, it should not show results for Travel packages.
- The Landing page experience: Is the landing page relevant to the search? Did the user get what they were looking for?
- Quality score: Quality score depends on the factors that are mentioned above. Everything is interrelated and works in a continuous motion.
- Conversion rates: It depends on factors such as Relevance of Ad copy, the landing page experience and quality score.
- Bids preference: If two advertisers bid on perfect landing pages and Ads, the advertiser who bids the most will get preferential treatment.
So you see, search ads, when used correctly and targeted appropriately, will prove profitable for your business.
2. Display Ads
You might have noticed them when you are reading a view of viewing a video on a website. Display Ads appear in a lot of different sections of the web page and come in various dimensions.
Display ads do not explicitly provide what you are looking for but depending on certain factors such as audience interest, managed placements, keywords and based on your previous search history; Google decides to show it to you.
Display ads only appear on advertising-supported websites. The targeting criteria for display ads are as follows,
- Keywords: Display ads are based on the relevant keyword that is used for optimization. For instance, if you are looking for a “digital marketing strategy”, Google will show the websites that are relevant to the content.
- Topic: Adwords groups specific topics under which different websites are grouped. It is beneficial for advertisers to choose a subject under a similar umbrella. For example, if you are looking for travel websites, it will be listed under the topic entitled “Travel”.
- Placements: If you are looking to target websites where you want your ads to appear, using placements is your best bet. For instance, if you’re going to show you ads only on travel-related websites, you can use this technique to find such advertising websites to target travel ads.
- Remarketing: This technique will help you reconnect to your website visitors who have been coming to your websites but have not taken any action.
3. Shopping Ads
If you are looking to boost your retail campaign, bring more traffic to your website, help generate leads and increase conversion, this technique will come in handy.
If you are thinking of running a shopping ad, then you must fulfil the following criteria,
- You need to make an account with Google merchant center.
- Then set up an account with Google Ads and link them together.
- Finally, you need to update product data every 30 days and send it to the google merchant center.
When you link Google ads with Google merchant centre, the shopping ads centre will take all the data and provide you with a match and display relevant ads for your user.
4. Video Ads
Video ads help advertisers to run video ads on display networks that support video formats such as Youtube.
Using Video Ads provides the following benefits,
- Video ads provide better targeting and help you reach the right audience. This sort of ad has demographic, interest and location keyword and device targeting techniques to help you achieve the right audience.
- With Video Ads, you will help better reach over your audience and have complete access to broad and more potential targets.
- Video Ads let you know valuable metrics such as reach, frequency, engagement, view rates, performance and many others to help you succeed in your digital marketing campaign.
5. Universal App campaign
If you are looking to promote business through mobile apps, you can utilize universal app campaigns. Google Adwords uses text and relevant information from your app store campaign.
All you have to do is provide texts, budget and an initial bid. Make sure to include language and locations for your Ad and Google Adwords will do the rest.
By using all the information, Google Adwords will design different ads in varying formats along with running different ad combinations and display the ones that perform the best.
Why get Google Ads Certification?
If you are a talented digital marketing expert who wants to make a mark in the industry, getting a Google Ads certification will make you stand out from the crowd.
Many employers have emphasized on the importance of getting Google Ads certification to find employees in their marketing team.
For instance, many employers search for good people with this certification on LinkedIn. LinkedIn usually offers a talented pool of people compared to standard job boards like Indeed.
Moreover, the demands of highly qualified Marketers skilled in Google Ads in High, while the supply for qualifying candidates has remained relatively low.
However, with the internet applying for a job is easier than ever, and anyone can apply for a job with little or no effort.
Therefore, many employers are getting a handful of low-quality choices to join their marketing team.
Having Google Ads certification is one of the few defining qualifications that show you have the quality experience in the industry and have the proven knowledge and skills to show it.
The good thing is that many new talents on the Market do not have a proper resume or qualified certification. That means many such skills will not get veiled by an employer.
So if you manage to get a Google Ads certification, you will easily stand out!
The certification is useful for any marketer in any occasion. For example, if you decide on doing something other than PPC, you can use your Google Ads experience in doing something else. A bulk of PPC advertising, through Google Ads, is made of Online Advertising.
Therefore, if you are well versed in the art of Google Ads, you can easily use these principles in other online marketing strategies.
Moreover, you will have more knowledge of the adjacent areas of marketing that will help in communicating with your team and solve problems better.
Having a Google Ads certification under your belt will only make your resume stand out but make you look better to your manager.
How applicable is Google Ads certification in the Marketing Industry?
Looking from a fair and objective aspect and in terms of actual skill and practice, a certification is not entirely applicable in the real marketing role.
It is possible to score well and give the perfect exam without any prior experience, especially when you can get all the answers online.
If you have taken the Google Ads exam, you would probably know some questions are unnecessarily complicated, biased and not applicable towards an answer.
The thing is, Google will make money on Ads regardless if your Ad leads to a sale or not. However, many of the problems on the evaluation are still crucial as it will help you in guiding through the complicated platform and make accurate decisions.
You can also learn a lot through the Google Ads program and the exam, even if you do not know Google Ads.
We would commend you for taking the test honestly and without cheating. Try to learn from the wrong attempts and retake it to improve your trial.
Otherwise, you would have a tough time navigating through the platform which might seem detailed and intimidating to newcomers.
One of the extensive reasons why you should take your certification seriously rather than just speeding through the process is because any reputable marketing agency would like to test your skills, your understanding on the terminology and pay per click reasoning ability during your selection process.
They are going to test you in detail to know if you are really who you say you are. As you can see, the information about the exams offers valuable insights on real-world value.
Even if you do not understand the entire thing, comprehending most of the concepts will help you sail through any application.
Treat this opportunity to learn the most about Google Ads rather than another task of your check-off list. You will be learning from every question and every wrong attempt while others will run through the exam to complete it.
Change your mindset, and you will see the shift in your confidence.
Google Ads Certification- An Overview
Google Ads certification is given to a body of individuals who have proved their knowledge and expertise in understanding the proficiency in Google Ads.
Individuals with such certifications set the bar and create a standard for those who are classified as experts in the digital marketing field.
Google started this program as a Google advertising professional but later changed the name to Google AdWords fortification in 2010. After that, Google made fundamental changes in the program and changed its name to Google Adwords Partners in 2013.
Any organization or individual is open to the forum of joining Google AdWords partners program. However, to be a certified Adwords professional, the individuals should pass the Fundamental and at least one advanced or specialized exam conducted by Google.
For that, you need to open a Skillshop account. Once done, you will get free access to Google Ads certification study materials and related courses that are available.
Google Ads certification covers the following assessment areas,
- Google Ads Display Certification
This Advertising tests the ability of individuals to create strategies for Google Display. That means using their abilities to use Google display network to increase brand awareness, Grow customer retention and reach new existing and potential customers. You can showcase your expertise in campaigning and create unique Google search strategies to achieve specific marketing goals.
- Google Ads search certification
This advertising evaluates your mastery of optimizing and creating outstanding google search campaigns. Individuals who are certified by Google will demonstrate useful ability to create an advertising strategy for the Google display network. Methods include increasing customer retention, brand awareness, and reaching new and potential customers.
- Google Ads Video certification
This evaluation will test your ability to create, optimize and strategize video ad campaigns for Youtube and Google Video. Individuals who get certified by google will show efficient storytelling ability to reach potential customers throughout the entire journey of the purchase.
- Shopping Ads Certification
In this assessment, you need to show successful knowledge to create, maximize and optimize shopping campaigns that maximize reach as well as conversions. The test also includes demonstrating skills related to showcasing shopping ads and smart shipping campaigns.
- Google Ads measurement certification
In this evaluation, you need to showcase your skills on Google analytics to monitor campaigns, track performances, and other metrics such as sales, lead generation and app download.
- Google Ads apps certification
The assessment will test your ability and knowledge to create, strategize and optimize successful Google app ad campaigns.
Additional information on Google Ads certification exam
- To acquire Google ads certification, the interested individual must take and pass the fundamentals exam before sitting for the other assessment.
- You will have 75 mins to complete each assessment. The exam consists of 45 to 60 questions.
- You need to score of 80 percent or higher to pass most of the exams, with one exception being Google Ads Apps certification exam that requires only 70 percent to pass the exam.
- If you fail the attempt, you have to wait a full day to retake it.
- The best part about the Google ads certification exam is that it’s completely free.
- Once you have cleared the exam, the google Ads certification is valid for an entire year in which case you have to retake the assessment to keep your hard-earned badge qualified and validated.
Tips to ace Google Ads certification exam
While it may seem challenging, getting Google ads certification is worth the effort, and we will help you prepare for the test and be a better marketer.
- Get on the job experience.
Google recommends that you get hands-on experience using Google Ads to pass any certification exams. Since, you need to create, analyze, optimize and strategize a successful campaign, having theories on successful digital marketing campaigns will not cut it. That is why having some experience with Google ads will help you be familiar with the platform. You will understand its strengths, weakness, tools and topics to pass the Google ads edification exam successfully.
- Choosing your Google Ads certification exams
If you do not hold any previous understanding with the Google Ads exam, read the study guides. If you are a beginner, it’s an excellent place to start as it explains every process in detail. This fundamental guide will teach you everything there is to know about Google ads and goes on to discuss how to use Google ads in an impractical scenario.
However, if you are not sure which assessment to pick, Google search ads certification exam and display ads certification exam are the right places to begin. These tests will comprise a wide range of topics, and the skills that you will acquire from it is widely applicable. The shopping ads certification exam is also a useful point to start for marketers who work in retail or eCommerce.
Use the Skillshop page to know about each assessment. It also contains links to free courses and study materials.
- Make your notes.
Start making your notes as it will allow you to understand the subject better. Create a cheat sheet as it will enable you to recap on useful ideas before the exam quickly. Note down valuable ideas and information, including formulas or conversions as it will help you remember.
You use the cheat sheet during the exam in case you forget any information during the exam. But since you will get a limited window of time, you cannot do that with every question.
It is always advantageous to have a reference guide to help you out on those tricky questions.
- Study!
If you desire to make it through the Google Ad certification program, then you need to study!
You will find plenty of study materials at the main Google Ads certification page in Skillshop. This assessment page contains a study guide that will help you plan and track your progress.
You can browse through the program and make yourself familiar with the fundamentals of Google platforms and its service.
Each topic contains a fundamental course as well as certification evaluation that will help in reinforcing your basic knowledge on each section.
Google ads have provided video playlists for anyone who prefers a more visual learning experience.
- Practice
If you do not test your knowledge, you will never know where you stand. While studying the google fundamentals and making your notes, open your Google Adwords account and simulate a lesson.
Try using different types of Ad formats, AD extensions or bidding strategies to practice tactics that will help solidify your knowledge in the topic.
You can also try Google’s practice test on the skill shop to make a personal evaluation of your knowledge.
- Take Mock Test
Aside from taking reading materials from google, try using a third party Adwords expert to get insightful tips about the actual exam.
You can also test your knowledge on Adwords quiz and see how you do on mock tests. These exams will give you a preview on how well you will be doing on the actual exam. Passing the mock test will provide you with confidence while taking the real Google Ads certification exam.
If you think you have missed out on some fundamental concept, you can always go back to your study materials and retake the assessment later.
- Join community forums
Try joining community forms to talk and learn from experienced marketers and strengthen your knowledge on what you know and what you may have missed out on. Join a Google Adwords community or ask questions on Reddit or Quora or find a Facebook community to be amongst people of your similar mindset.
Tips during your Google Ads certification exam
Once you start google ads certification exam, you cannot pause it. It might make you nervous.
Here are some influential pointers that you can follow to make your exam much easier,
- Relax and take a moment before the exam. Get your notes ready, and have your table organized. Do not begin the exam without making sure everything is in place that will help navigate through those difficult questions.
- If you think the question is severe, go through your notebook. Remember, you cannot change the answers that you have already submitted. Use your intuition if your knowledge fails to make the correct answer.
- Make sure that your laptop is well connected to the power source, and your internet connectivity is stable. You do not want to wait for seven days to retake the test due to technical difficulties.
- Take your time while choosing the right answer. Many candidates are left with plenty of time before finishing the exam. You will answer multiple-choice questions for at least an hour.
- Eat and take a good night’s rest before taking the test. Most candidates overlook such simple things. Have a water bottle near you to keep yourself hydrated while taking Google Ads certification exam.
- Take each assessment as a learning curve and an opportunity to store up valuable knowledge for future reference. Do not break down if you cannot clear the evaluation, for you can retake the test in a week. Use that time to learn from your mistakes and be better in your preparation.
You don’t have to be an experienced professional to ace the Google ads certification exam. Still, the knowledge that you will gain will make you stand out in the digital marketing field.
