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. Which is why you might be considering getting a Google Adwords certification.
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.
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 can give you the edge over your competition.
Getting certified can also give you a boost in popularity and credibility. (Google also has other certifications available as well.)
You should make certification one of your top goals 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 Google AdWords Certified?
Google AdWords certification is a professional accreditation from Google that shows prospective customers you are proficient 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.
Does Google AdWords Certification Really Matter?
Google leads the world in mobile and digital ad revenue. In 2017, they generated $73.8 billion in digital revenue, by 2020 the company generated more than $146 billion in advertising revenue.
In fact, Google’s parent company Alphabet actually makes more money on digital advertising sales than any company on the planet.
Google’s PPC advertising platform, AdWords, is one of the most effective platforms for driving sales.
Which is why having a certification is such a huge deal.
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.
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 consumer survey, the majority of people read online reviews before considering a purchase:
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.
Simply having them on your site is helping drive brand authenticity through the roof.
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. Create 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. Google Adwords Certification Will 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 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:
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 nicheYou spent the time and effort to get the certificationYou 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. Google Adwords Certification = 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.
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.
In fact, I’ve used the Google Partners page to find AdWords companies for my own business.
How to Get Google AdWords Certified
Now that you have a good understanding of what AdWords certification is and why it matters, how do you start?
First, you have to sign up for a Google Skillshop account.
Click “Log in” to start.
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 several exams:
These exams cover 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 ads.
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.
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, in Google’s Skillshop.
Even if you are an AdWords professional that runs accounts on a daily basis, you should still study to prepare.
Once you are done, you’ll need to make sure you meet the requirements to get the Google Partner badge.
Conclusion
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.
It can help you land more clients and stand out in a sea of AdWords companies. It will also give you all the skills you need to run your own AdWords campaigns.
However, it isn’t for everyone. If certification seems like too much of a stretch, feel free to reach out to my team for help with your PPC campaign.
What is the most compelling reason that you got (or want to get) AdWords certified?
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