Is it worth being Google AdWords certified?

[Andy Black]

[HASHTAG]#AndyTalks[/HASHTAG] 023 - Is it worth being Google AdWords certified? (< 2mins)

TRANSCRIPTION by @Drive2Riches

@lowtek asks, "Is it worth being Google certified?" (by that he means Google AdWords certified).

Short answer -- No. I'm not Google certified. People don't ask me whether I'm Google certified before they hire me. If a business insisted I was, then it's probably not a business I'd personally want to work with anyway if they think a piece of paper is what it takes.

If you're trying to get a job in an agency or client-side business to do their AdWords campaigns, I'm sure it will help, so just do it.

Just be aware that when you take the exams, you're going to take a part of your brain out, the part that's going to actually do the work and make it happen, and answer how Google wants it.

When I was an Oracle DBA and I got interviewed for Oracle DBA contracts -- database administrator -- sometimes I'd get asked if I was Oracle certified. My stock answer was always "I'm not. I thought I would spend time getting certified between contracts, when I was trying to get the next contract, and I never spent any time between contracts. I'm always getting hired too quick for me to spend the time to get certified."

No client has ever asked me if I'm Google certified but there's a little story, analogy that I've used a few times and that is if you want to learn how to race a car around a race track, would you learn from the people who built the car? From Ford mechanics for instance? Or would you want to learn from people who actually race a car around the track? So, you're choice.

 

Don't like ads? Remove them while supporting the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[Tom.V]

I've personally watched someone who had never even been inside of the Adwords UI take the test and pass. It's SUCH A JOKE, that you can literally search for the answers (via Google nonetheless) while taking the test, which is what I did, and get certified. Totally agree about the agency aspect, if you're looking for a job it'll help. Otherwise, it's trash.

 

[AndrewNC]

Great job on the short videos - makes it a lot easier to sit down and watch the whole thing - I'm going to start applying that philosophy to what I do - Anchor app!!!!

From the quality of service aspect of what we do (google adwords/nlp), I agree whole heatedly that the experience we have helping others is much more valuable than a certificate on paper...

My original NLP training had me certified through them:



I let it lapse because my experience matters more than the paper...BUT I'm wondering - would it help get a few more clients if I listed this on my about page with the certification?

The truth is some people like seeing the fancy pieces of paper with the certifications on them...

 

[Andy Black]

Great job on the short videos - makes it a lot easier to sit down and watch the whole thing - I'm going to start applying that philosophy to what I do - Anchor app!!!!

Thanks. Yeah, I'm settling into a routine of doing daily Vlogging, and then I'll go back and pull out specific little clips. The first habit I wanted to establish was a simple daily one.

The truth is some people like seeing the fancy pieces of paper with the certifications on them...

True.

I just find that businesses that insist on a certification for something as fast changing as Digital Marketing are putting their hand up to tell me they're going to be a PITA to deal with.

 

Don't like ads? Remove them while supporting the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.