I’ve often complained about the lack of certification within my industry. Unlike tradesman who have licenses, and Doctors, Lawyers or many other professions that have degrees, pretty much anyone can claim to be an “expert” in internet marketing. Sure there are degrees in Marketing etc, but I’m talking about some sort of real world measure that “this guy knows what he’s doing” with a subject.
A few months ago, I stumbled upon the Google certification program, and bookmarked it as something I had to get back to and take care of. Luckily, I had some time open up in my calender this month, so I studied and took a swipe at the exams. I have been working with Google Adwords, Google Analytics, and several other Google products for years, so the exams were filled with real world questions that I’ve already dealt with in some fashion before. After about a week of waiting, I got my confirmation this morning. Woohoo!
I am now individually qualified in everything Google tests people on, including: Search and Display Advertising, and Reporting and Analysis:
The Google Adwords platform has really matured over the past few years, and gives any business a chance to have a very flexible presence in search results. Using a handful of options, you can control things like location, user demographics, and even time of Day to determine how often your ads are displayed, and to what audience. It has become a very powerful tool for local businesses, and is WAY less expensive than traditional media like newspapers based on my experience. What’s even better is that by using Adwords with Analytics you get to see how people interact with your ads, and if they converted into buyers or leads for your business. (more on this in another post soon)
So, if you are looking for a partner to try out Google Adwords with or know someone who is, pass my name along. I’m very excited to be a Google Certified Partner starting today!
[googleplusauthor]