I’m pleased to say that I can call myself an ‘AdWords Qualified Individual’, having recently passed the required exam in the Google Advertising Professional Program.
In the 2 years since I last passed the exam, there have been a lot of changes in both the exam and the AdWords system itself. Here are my thoughts on what the exam means to both clients and practitioners.
The Benefits to Clients
The major benefit to clients of using an AdWords Qualified Individual is that they know that a competent person is administering their online advertising.
Since AdWords’ introduction less than a decade ago, it has quickly grown to be one of the most successful online advertising mediums. You can set up an account and start sending traffic to a website in half an hour or less. It’s also a very good way to lose a lot of money if you don’t know what you’re doing.
AdWords Qualified Individuals and Companies will be aware of the subtleties of the AdWords system. This makes it possible to extract the best return on investment (ROI) possible. It’s no exaggeration to say that refining a campaign can make the difference between profit and loss. I’ve personally been involved with campaigns that have doubled their results overnight, thanks to knowing what changes need to be made.
The New AdWords Exam and Practitioners
If you’re an AdWords practitioner and want to become qualified, you should be aware of the changes made to the exam last month. Google seem to be moving towards setting a higher standard of qualification. Don’t be put off by this. The greater the barriers to entry, the more valuable the qualification when you pass. Here is a summary of the main changes:
- The pass mark has been moved up from 75% to 85%
- You need to use the Testing Center Browser to take the exam. This browser prevents you from having other ‘helpful’ windows open in the background (such as the AdWords Learning Center)
- The exam is 120 questions with a time limit of 120 minutes
- The exam is no longer called the ‘Google Advertising Professional’ exam. It has been renamed the ‘Google AdWords Fundamentals’ exam
Although the name of the exam has changed, the syllabus is still pretty similar to the old exam. This change paves the way for two new exams to be introduced later on in 2010. These are going to be called ‘The Search Advertising Advanced’ exam and the ‘Display Advertising Advanced’ exam.
Tips for Passing the Exam
The vast majority of the answers to questions can be found in the AdWords Learning Center. This is a great source of information, not only for passing the exam but for learning about the various features that AdWords has. For instance, do you know the rules relating to video advertising using Google AdWords?
In addition to having an academic knowledge of the AdWords system, you will need some hands-on experience. This will help you understand the various settings and controls that are available to you. You will also need an account to satisfy the ad spend criteria to become a qualified individual – which is $1000 a month (or equivalent in your local currency).
Once you have passed the exam, you’ll feel that the preparation was worthwhile. Although the questions are a challenge, they are certainly within your capabilities. I was able to achieve a pass mark of 95% – so if I can do it, anyone can!
Tags: adwords learning center, google advertising professional, google adwords fundamentals exam, online advertising, return on investment
Hi
Congratulations on passing your exam.
I have read through the learning centre about 100 times but still failed the test 3 times. The questions are very tricky and i find them long winded by the time i finish reading the question i don’t even remember what they where initially asking for.
But I haven’t given up I am re reading and going to take my time to ensure i don’t fail again.
Congratulations for not giving up. I am sure that your determination will help you pass the exam.
The key is knowing everything in the Adwords Learning Center combined with some practical experience. But you are right, the questions can sometimes be worded in a strange way.
I have previously seen some adverts for ‘ coaches’ who will help you revise and prepare for the exam. I’ve not used one, so I’m not sure of the quality. You can Google the term.
But for someone with your determination, I’m sure you will pass eventually. Good Luck!
Thank you.
I am going through the learning centre with a fine comb.
Am i right in saying once you are certified you get some sort of vouchers for each of your customers to help you.
Yes, you are given a series of voucher codes from Google that you can use for new customer accounts. These must be used against new accounts (not existing ones).