How to pass Google AdWords certification exams.

What is Google AdWords certification

Google AdWords Certification Program is a globally recognised certificate which showcases the knowledge and proficiency in AdWords advertising.

Is it worth it? – Benefits of getting certified.

Being certified by Google themselves is a great thing. It’s a great certification to prove your PPC skills and it will come in very useful regardless of your role – be it PPC agency, freelance or inhouse.
Your Individual Qualification can be put on your CV or it can be used as a way of marketing your skills as an account manager. If you are looking for a job, this will certainly help you more than any other qualifications.
It’s also a great opportunity to test your skills even if you are a seasoned PPC advertiser like ourselves. Tom and Luke have been working with AdWords for a number of years. They are also members of the Google AdWords Engage for Agencies programme but until recently, they never had time to take the exams.

Getting Started

You have to start with joining the Certification Program. You can find more on joining here https://support.google.com/adwords/certification/topic/180?hl=en&ref_topic=20318
Your next step will be The GCP Learning Center where you can study for your exams https://support.google.com/adwords/certification/

Preparing for the exams

How to prepare for your exams – Study materials in the GCP Learning Center
In order to get your certification you’ll have to pass two exams. Fundamentals exam plus one of two Advanced exams. You have a choice of two, Search Advertising and Display Advertising. Each exam is $50 however all training is free.
The best way to prepare is through the GCP Learning Centre. This offers free comprehensive training lessons providing you with all the information you need to know about the AdWords program. The training sessions cover a variety of AdWord topics of valuable information on becoming an Adwords professional.

The Fundamentals exam

This is the first exam you’ll have to take, it’s a multiple choice test. There are 100 questions and a time limit of two hours. To pass this exam you will need to achieve a score of 85% or above.The new Google Advertising Fundamentals exam covers a broader range of topics to better showcase the expertise of our Google certified partners.
The GCP learning centre contains all the information you need, you can access and study online or download a PDF version.
The modules covered in this exam are:

• Introduction to AdWords
• Account management
• Campaign and ad group management
• Keyword targeting
• Language & location targeting
• Ad formats
• Budgets and bidding
• Measurement and optimization
• Performance, profitability and growth
• Managing multiple accounts

The Advanced Exam.

When you have completed the Fundamentals exam you will then be required to take the Advanced Exam where you can either chose to sit the Display Advanced or Search Advanced exam. The Search Advertising Advanced Exam and Display Exam each allow you to show specialized knowledge within AdWords, which can help you if you offer particular services in addition to basic account management.
Search Advanced -

• Search fundamentals review
• Ad formats
• Ad & site quality
• AdWord tools
• Performance monitoring and reporting
• Optimizing performance
• Performance, profitability and growth
• AdWords API

Display Advanced –

• Display ads and the Google Display Network
• Display ads on Youtube
• Display ads on mobile devices

Be warned – It ain’t easy. The questions are all multiple choice but you will only have a limited amount of time to answer them. Cheating is impossible due to the tight restrictions on time limit.
Once you begin the exam you can’t pause the timer, it is highly important that you take the exam in a location where you won’t be disturbed. Unfortunately if your computer shuts down or browser closes the clock keeps ticking and you will not be able to regain the time you’ve lost. If this should happen, you can email googlesupport@testsys.com who will ask you to describe your situation and then it will be reviewed.
The passing score for the Fundamentals exam is 85%
The passing score for the Advanced Search Advertising exam is 80%
The passing score for the Advanced Display Advertising exam is 70%

Taking the exams

Both exams are a multiple choice. You’ll need to login and download a special browser in which you’ll take your exam.
Each exam costs $50. This is a non-refundable expense, so be sure that you actually want to take the exam when you register. You’ll have to pay this cost each time you take the exam.
Google supports a number of different languages in which you take take your exams.

What if I fail?

If you fail the test it’s not a problem, you can retake the test every seven days, however you will have to pay the registration fee each time so you are encouraged to use the Learning Centre to prepare.
With the program’s unique qualification system, marketing and training materials, you can gain AdWords knowledge, receive Google recognition, and increase your chances to make more money. Passing the exam can bring you many benefits with regards to your career and if you’re looking for a job this could be the perfect qualification to have.