If you do a Google search for “PPC agency,” you can find thousands of businesses selling AdWords services.
Why? Because Google AdWords is complicated and tough to navigate for new PPC marketers and small businesses.
But, since Google is the most popular search network on the web right now, they need to use it.
Google is the best place for brands to buy ads for their target keywords.
And these brands are out there, searching through thousands of PPC agencies that specialize in AdWords services and can help them out.
If you own a PPC agency, how are you supposed to compete with so many other companies?
That’s where getting AdWords certified comes into play.
The certification has tons of benefits that can give you the edge over your competition.
Getting certified can also give you a boost in popularity and credibility.
You should make certification one of the top goals on your list if you want to get more PPC-based clients.
Here’s what it means to be AdWords certified, along with how you can get that coveted certification.
What is AdWords certified and how do you get it?
Google currently leads the world in mobile and digital ad revenue.
In fact, Google parent company Alphabet actually makes more money on digital advertising sales than any company on the planet.
For 2017, they are on pace to generate nearly $74 billion in net digital ad sales.
When you compare the revenue of Google to Facebook, you can quickly see that Google is still dominating the mobile and digital ad market.
And Google’s PPC advertising platform, AdWords, is one of the most effective platforms for driving sales.
Tons of companies use it to bring in revenue via paid search.
So, how does all of this relate to the AdWords certification?
And what exactly is it?
According to Google, the certification is a professional accreditation that Google gives to individuals/companies that show proficiency in AdWords.
With the accreditation, you can display a badge on your site that shows that Google recognizes you as an advanced AdWords user and an expert in PPC advertising.
Here’s an example of what it will look like on your website:
The Google AdWords certification is essentially a badge that you can show off on your resume, website, and social profiles to drive more sales for your business.
The certification is meant to differentiate between businesses that have a dedicated and proven proficiency with the platform from those that don’t.
Now that you have a good understanding of what the AdWords certification entails, how do you start?
First, you have to sign up for a Google Partner account.
Head to the Google Partner page and click “Join Now” to start.
It’s easy to set up your account and get started working toward your badge today.
Simply fill out your Partner page profile with contact information.
Then, you need to take some exams.
I know, it sounds brutal. But it’s worth it.
To get an AdWords certification, you need to pass two exams:
There is the AdWords Fundamentals exam:
And one of the following specialty exams:
The fundamental exam is a general test that focuses on basic-to-intermediate AdWords concepts.
It covers topics like the benefits of online advertising, AdWords processes, and best practices for campaign management.
The specialty exams include search, display, mobile, video, and shopping.
If your company focuses on a specific area, it would be wise to spend time acquiring that certification.
If your agency services all of these AdWords functionalities, you should get them all.
Once you are ready to start taking the AdWords exams, you can navigate back to your Partner profile under the Certifications section:
From here, you can select the exams that you want to attempt:
Remember: you must take the fundamentals exam to take the rest and get certified on AdWords.
For these tests, a passing grade is 80% or above:
Most of them take 100 to 120 minutes and have around 100 questions.
If you want to study for these tests (which I highly recommend), you can find the fundamentals study guide, along with the specialized exam guides, here: AdWords Fundamentals Study Guide.
Even if you are an AdWords professional that runs accounts on a daily basis, you should still study to prepare.
If you’re on the fence about the AdWords certification, here are 4 reasons why you should get it ASAP.
1. It’s a form of social proof and credibility
The AdWords certification is like any other certification that you can get online. It has the same purpose:
To demonstrate credibility, knowledge, and skill in a specialized niche.
And most of all, it acts as instant social proof and credibility.
Social proof involves displaying good reviews from and the logos of reputable clients that have used and love your product and/or service.
For example, look at how HubSpot demonstrates social proof on their homepage to convert visitors:
In this case, instead of certifications, HubSpot advertises their social proof in numbers.
They convey credibility by showing that people love and trust their company and their services.
For example, when you see that their blogs have over 4.5 million monthly visitors, you probably think, “Wow, they have tons of visitors. I should follow them, too!”
I use social proof all the time on my site.
For example, I show reviews from past clients to convey trust and credibility:
Social proof drives conversions.
Why? People trust reviews.
According to BrightLocal’s 2016 consumer survey, the majority of people read online reviews to determine whether a local business is good or bad:
People are going to be seeking this information to determine whether they should buy from you or not.
If you don’t have the right reviews, social proof, or credibility, you might be missing out on sales.
Most consumers trust reviews as much as personal recommendations:
Those reviews and client feedback statements (or other forms of social review/proof) generate conversions on their own.
Simply having them on your site is helping drive brand authenticity through the roof.
And one of the biggest principles we can take away from this study is that positive reviews of a business lead to higher levels of trust:
As we know, trust is a building block for conversion.
Nobody is going to buy your product or service if they don’t trust your brand.
The AdWords certification works the same way.
It’s a form of social proof that shows potential customers that your business is credible, trustworthy, and supported by a popular company like Google.
Being accredited by a well-known business is an instant form of social proof.
2. It creates a stronger value proposition
Communicating value is the key to driving sales.
It’s plain and simple.
If you can’t show someone that they need your product or service, then they won’t buy it.
People don’t think they need your product until you convince them that they do. This requires a value proposition.
Value propositions are designed to explain to the user what value they will derive from your product or service.
A strong value proposition explains a few major components:
There’s a simple method I’ve used to create value propositions in the past.
It’s a basic formula that can help you deliver value and benefit to your customer.
Product/Service with key features ensures that customer will be able to top benefit.
So, in practice, it would look like:
Crazy Egg’s heat mapping tools ensure that your marketing team will be able to understand why visitors aren’t converting.
Now, just imagine the value proposition you could make with a certification from Google AdWords.
For example, look at how Gamma Partners convey value on their PPC services by showcasing their Partner badge:
Instead of merely writing that they are great at PPC management, they back up that claim by displaying the Partner badge.
Another awesome example of this comes from Blast Analytics & Marketing, who also does paid search management:
They use the Google Partner badge on their site to support their value proposition.
Value propositions that are optimized can increase conversions.
Adding a Google Partner badge is one of the best ways you can increase your value.
It shows potential customers that you have the experience and skills to effectively run their campaigns and make them money.
AdWords is all about bringing in money with quick sales online. Having the Partner badge shows that your company is capable of doing that.
If you want to convey more value to the end consumer, you need to get AdWords certified.
3. Certifications can help build your resume
Building a resume should be a constant effort.
Even if you run your own business, you should still be growing your resume.
Why? People use resumes for a lot more than just job applications.
A great resume is another way to communicate success in the world of entrepreneurship.
For example, let’s say you need an investment from a venture capital firm to start a new business.
If your resume is blank, what do you think the outcome will be? They probably won’t invest.
But, if you have certifications and data to back up your claims of success, they are much more likely to invest.
Resumes are yet another way you can communicate the value of your personal brand.
You can use them to showcase your achievements in your field if you ever want to land an investment or bring on a new partner.
Let me give you another example of why having certifications on your resume is vitally important.
Let’s say someone searches on Google after reading about your brand, and they find your company:
They check out your website, and then they look you up on LinkedIn to see if you are trustworthy:
They want to know what your work experience is. They want to see your history.
Have you built companies? Did you work somewhere famous? Do you have certifications? .
Ultimately they are trying to understand if you are the right person for the job.
So, they scroll down to your LinkedIn profile under the “Accomplishments” section to check:
After scrolling past the languages, they find your certifications:
That’s why building your resume is critical even if you aren’t searching for a new job.
People are constantly checking out your social media profiles to learn more about you.
If you run a company, you can bet that clients will be checking out your profile.
And you need that profile to build credibility on its own if you want to close more deals.
If you go to your LinkedIn profile, you can add the Google AdWords certification directly to your virtual resume:
Resumes are a virtual first impression.
They let the viewer know important information that reflects your character, work ethic, and dedication.
When someone inspects your profile or resume and notices that you have a certification, it tells them a few things:
- You have dedicated yourself to that niche
- You spent the time and effort to get the certification
- You have a good work ethic and go beyond the minimum requirements
Certifications are a way to showcase your skills and build your personal brand.
If you want to grow your personal brand and show people that you mean business, get the Google AdWords certification today.
4. It gives you free promotion
Becoming a Google AdWords Certified Partner has countless benefits for any given business or entrepreneur.
You can use the certification to build social proof, gain credibility, and even drive more sales with a better value proposition.
But one of the best benefits comes in the form of free promotion.
Let me show you what I mean.
When you get certified on AdWords and become a Google Partner, they will list you on their verified website of partners.
If you navigate to the Certified Partner list, you can see various companies that are certified:
If you click the “Find A Google Partner” button, you can find certified companies to run your PPC and AdWords campaigns:
You can even locate companies that specialize in website analytics, too.
Next, you simply input your website URL and location to filter the results:
If you want to start finding great, certified companies, Google gives you an entire list of their certified partners.
And that’s free advertising for your business if you’re one of those certified partners.
Google is personally recommending you to interested customers. They even highlight the specific certifications that you possess.
Plus, it allows users to sort by their interests:
If you have multiple certifications, you can show up for more of these results.
Users can also search by their industry and company focus:
Google’s Partner platform is a great tool that people use to find new businesses.
Why do they use it?
It’s reputable, trustworthy, and straight from Google.
Having your company featured on the Partners page gives you a leg up on the competition.
It’s free promotion with the benefits of social proof, trust, and value combined in one.
The certification is perfect for taking your brand to the next level.
In fact, I’ve used the Google Partners page to find AdWords companies for my own business.
And it’s a great way to connect with more businesses and entrepreneurs!
Conclusion
If you run a pay-per-click agency, you know the struggle of trying to acquire new business.
Running a basic Google search for an AdWords agency will generate thousands of results and hundreds of ads.
And that’s because the platform is a great place to advertise. But the system is complex and not well-suited for the everyday worker.
That means there’s a huge need for agencies to help companies run their AdWords campaigns without wasting thousands of dollars.
But that also poses some serious risks and threats for the typical PPC-focused agency.
It’s harder to get clients, differentiate yourself, and to seem “legit” in such a crowded field.
When there are virtually thousands of businesses trying to get the sales for “PPC agency” searches, how do you stand out?
How do you communicate more value, experience, credibility, and social proof?
One of the best ways to do it is through the AdWords certification.
It’s an instant form of social proof and credibility.
And according to the latest data, social proof and trust are major factors in a buying decision.
It can help you land more clients because people trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.
On top of that, it helps you stand out in a sea of AdWords companies.
It helps you put the cherry on top that gives you the extra push to drive sales.
Certifications can also help you build your personal brand and resume.
Lastly, the AdWords certification is a great way to receive free promotion on Google’s Partner list.
Getting the AdWords certification has the power to take your PPC company to the next level.
What is the most compelling reason that you got (or want to get) AdWords certified?
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