Planning to sit for your AdWords certification? So you want to become certified in Google AdWords before trying out at a live AdWords. We don’t blame you. After all, Google AdWords is a sophisticated system. Most people struggle to get the hang of it, let alone create ads from generate-leads-to-converting-sales. Doing-it-all on your own can be a risky free-for-all that only results in you getting your “hand burnt” (losing money).
That’s one reason why we at AdCerts recommend that you go through the AdWords certification process first if you’re going to try to do from scratch on your very first AdWords campaign. Getting AdWords certified is the best way to ensure you’ll have profitable campaigns, short of engaging an agency or hiring a professional to do it for you.
So, what do you need to know about getting Google AdWords certified before you start?
Here are the top 17 common FAQs we usually received from users about AdWords certification:
- HOW DO I GET ADWORDS CERTIFIED?
To get certified, you have to take & pass the AdWords certification exams. - HOW MUCH DOES THE EXAMS COST?
It’s completely FREE. - HOW/WHERE DO I REGISTER FOR THE EXAMS?
The Google Partners portal. - HOW MANY EXAM SUBJECTS IN THE ADWORDS CERTIFICATION (GOOGLE PARTNERS)?
SEVEN (7) individual exams:
1.) AdWords Fundamentals
2.) Search Advertising (also/used-to called Advanced Search)
3.) Display Advertising (also/used-to called Advanced Display or GDN)
4.) Video Advertising (some calledYouTube Advertising, please don’t…cause YouTube certification is totally a different certification)
5.) Shopping Advertising (Although Google Merchant Center or Google Shopping (used to called Product Listing Ads) isn’t available worldwide, but it’s always good to get certified more to demonstrate your expertise!)
6.) Mobile Advertising (Super important especially if you’re an agency, as Google recently announced in its summit the Mobile-First World is the present)
7.) Analytics Certification (also known as the Google Analytics Individual Qualification or simply GAIQ)
- DO I HAVE TO PASS ALL 7 TO GET GOOGLE ADWORDS CERTIFIED?
No (lucky you!). You’ll only need to pass 2 of the AdWords certification exams to become an AdWords certified professional – the AdWords Fundamentals exam and one of the following: Search Advertising, Display Advertising, Mobile Advertising, Video Advertising, or Shopping Advertising. - HOW MANY INDIVIDUAL/UNIQUE CERTIFICATE?
FIVE (5) unique certifications, yep that’s right – 7 exams but 5 certificates! By passing Fundamentals and one of the list in “Point 5” you’ll get 1 public profile’s URL to your certificate, and here’s how it works:
1.) Passing Fundamentals + Search = 1 certificate
2.) Passing Fundamentals + Display/Video = 1 certificate
3.) Passing Fundamentals + Shopping = 1 certificate
4.) Passing Fundamentals + Mobile = 1 certificate
5.) Passing Analytics = 1 certificate - WHAT’S THE MINIMUM PASSING SCORE IN EACH EXAM?
Generally for all exams in AdWords, passing score is 80%. - WHAT IS THE VALIDITY OF EACH CERTIFICATION?
12 months for all 6 exams except 18 months for Analytics. - WHAT IF I FAIL THE ADWORDS CERTIFICATION TEST THE FIRST TIME?
If you don’t pass an exam the first time, you can take it again. However, you have to wait seven days to retake it. - HOW LONG IS THE ADWORDS CERTIFICATION EXAM?
1.) Fundamentals – 120 minutes
2.) Search – 120 minutes
3.) Display – 120 minutes
4.) Video – 90 minutes
5.) Shopping – 90 minutes
6.) Mobile – 90 minutes
7.) Analytics – 90 minutes - HOW MANY QUESTIONS ARE IN EACH EXAM?
1.) Fundamentals – 100 questions
2.) Search – 100 questions
3.) Display – 100 questions
4.) Video – 74 questions
5.) Shopping – 63 questions
6.) Mobile – 70 questions
7.) Analytics – 70 questions
*P/S: so technically you have 1 minutes 12 seconds for each question, to make it sounds scary…you need to answer each question in less than 72 seconds. - WHAT KIND OF QUESTIONS ARE ON THE ADWORDS CERTIFICATION EXAM?
The exam is composed of multiple choice questions. - CAN I SKIP QUESTIONS AND COME BACK TO THEM LATER?
No. Unfortunately you can’t skip or go back and answer the earlier questions. - CAN I PAUSE THE ADWORDS CERTIFICATION EXAM?
No. You can’t pause any of the exam sections once they have begun. So make sure you have an unobstructed period of time to take each of the exam sections, and an uninterrupted internet connection.
*P/S: however, if you do lose your connection, you can resume the exam where you left off when you’re connected again, but the timer will not stop during this time (so no excuse…). - CAN I GOOGLE THE QUESTIONS ONLINE WHILE TAKING THE ADWORDS CERTIFICATION TEST?
Yes, it’s an “open book” exam. You can search for the questions online or search within the AdWords Help portal. Just be mindful (you have only less than 72 seconds) of how much time it’s taking. - HOW LONG SHOULD I STUDY FOR THE ADWORDS CERTIFICATION EXAM?
Most certified professionals recommend studying for at least 2-3 weeks before taking the certification test. So give yourself adequate time to prepare. - ARE THERE ADWORDS CERTIFICATION STUDY GUIDES AVAILABLE?
Google has a number of study guides available to help you through the preparation process.Login to your Google Partners portal and you’ll click into each subject certification and you’ll find the download links to its study guide. (Save the hassle…we’ve created the complete list of all AdWords certification study guide)
So there you have it! We hope we’ve covered all your basic questions about the AdWords certification process.
Good luck!