The reality behind earning the professional certificate that almost everyone can gain from.
As a recent grad entering the field, one of the first things I did when transitioning into the workplace was to complete The Google Ads certification courses before moving to more in-depth practices. I questioned the urgency in obtaining my certification, as I’ve taken courses in college on these topics and figured it was nothing more than a task to keep busy, but there are actually a number of benefits associated with being Google Certified that made me excited to be able to help my team.
How to get certified
You can earn the certification through Google's online training program called Skillshop but first, you'll need to create an account, of which you can learn more about here.
Skill shop offers a number of different certification courses complete with a variety of tools to help anyone improve their craft. The Google Ads certification in particular will inevitably lead to better recommendations and decisions onstrategy implementation, but this course isn’t for just anyone. Having a comprehensive working knowledge of digital analytics and the Google Analytic platform is needed in order to pass the exams. If you don’t have any experience managing different types of Google Ads campaigns and are unfamiliar with online advertising concepts and best practices, you can prepare by accessing courses in Skillshop. If you believe that you already know everything there is on digital and Google analytics, why not enhance your knowledge and develop a better understanding? Because let’s be honest, experts don’t really exist.
When you set up a Skillshop account, you'll gain access to the free Google Ads certification assessments including Google Ads Search, Display, Video,Measurement, Apps, and Shopping ads. Each Google Ads product area offers related in-depth learning paths that you can use to study for the assessments or even look back on at a later time. Keep in mind that you'll need a score of 80 percent or higher in order to pass the exams, so reading up on your assessment topic is highly advised.
As a certified professional, you can demonstrate your achievement with a personalized certificate issued by Google. Your Certification will be valid for one year from the date of which it was endowed. Upon successfully passing each assessment you will receive a certification in the form of a digital badge that can be displayed online and can also be printed. You can renew your certification by retaking (and passing) the certification assessment at anytime after its expiry.
Why get certified?
Getting certified shows employers that you have a clear understanding of the core concepts of digital marketing. You can add the qualification to your CV, and easily upload it to your LinkedIn profile. Becoming certified shows you have strong digital skills and that you're motivated to learn; two essential qualities in the workplace. Demonstrating these qualities may even improve your chances of finding a job, getting promoted, or even help you start an entirely new career. And again, there’s no shame in showing off on your certification on your resume, website, and social profiles to drive more sales for your business, or to just show off. Why not display that unaltered digital badge in your email signature or share it to your social media sites while you’re at it?
The Google Partner or Premier Google Partner badge
Help your company attain Partner status by earning the Google Partner badge or the Premier Google Partner badge to discover the real benefits of being certified. Some of the benefits of attaining partner status includes:
- Access to Google’s beta features for up to a year before it’s made available to the general public
- Access to your company’s very own Google Agency Team to help avoid unnecessary wait times
- Unique conferences and product information that are only available to certified partners
- The option to complete quarterly challenges for a chance to win prizes for your team
- Earn an endorsement and an official listing from Google to help drive potential business
Attaining Partner status shows that your company has exhibited expertise in Google Ads skill and has met all of Google’s other requirements. The first step to qualifying for your company’s Google Partner status is joining the free Google Partners program. Remember, you'll need admin, standard, or read-only access to your company’s Google Ads manager account. After joining, it’s important to check your Partner status; you can find the Badge status card in the navigation bar on the left side, under "Partners program".
In order to even be considered for a Partner badge, your company needs to meet certain criteria and there’s no time like the present to get started. Companies must meet the performance requirements by delivering solid overall ad revenue and growth, a 90-day ad spend requirement of $20,000 USD across all managed accounts, and lastly, have at least 50% of its eligible users Google Certified from Skillshop.
NOTE: An “eligible user” is an individual who has admin or standard level access to your company’s Google Partners registered Ads Manager account OR any account linked to the company’s Google Partners registered Ads manager account and shares an email domain with a user of the registered account.
Gain a Competitive Advantage
After Google has developed a new feature or application, companies with a Google Partner badge will gain access to test marketing features up to a year or more before the general public, or your competition, even has access to it! This can give you an advantage, which is particularly important in today’s competitive market. Not to mention that being endorsed by Google is a surefire way to impress your customers and increase your chances of expanding your clientele. When clients see your affiliation with Google, they're more likely to want to use your services thus providing you with an instant edge on your competitors.
In short, the google certification in digital marketing is probably one of the most beneficial certifications you can acquire today, so go ahead and embark on your journey to discover the benefits of being certified first hand and learn how you can take your business, your reputation, and your skillset to the next level.
It's always a good day to learn something new,
- Good luck from your friends at Hotspex Media.
