Google Adwords Professionals - First batch of qualified SEMs due this week.....

[Chris_D]

Google launched its 'Google Advertising Professionals' programme around November 11th 2004 - almost 3 months ago.

https://adwords.google.com/select/ProfessionalWelcome

Part of the qualification was that you had to do an exam, and then:

Build and maintain at least US$1,000 (or your local currency equivalent) total spend for your or your team's My Client Centre account during the 90-day period.

https://adwords.google.co.uk/support...y?answer=12241

That means that during this week the first batch of "Google Advertising Professionals" should become qualified - assuming that they have done the test when it was announced in the second week of November, and assuming that they have since served their 90 days of managing accounts in accordance with the program's rules.

Let us know when you get your accreditation!

[Chris_D]

I just realised that I got my Google Advertising Professional qualifiaction - there it was in the Pro Centre Tab of My Client Centre Adwords account! I was expecting an email.

Anyone else?

[Web Diversity]

Chris,

Good job!!

I am sure you must be one of the first.

[Black_Knight]

I just wish the certification were a bit more meaningful.

I'd really love to see a day when the AdWords we see regularly had been properly thought out for the advertisers.

Look at the amount of thought missing in a search for Flower beds for an example of the poorly implemented AdWords use I still see all the time.

Or for something more tricky, why not try searching for amatuer insurance providers or worst loans company and look at the companies paying to spike their own reputations just because they haven't used even basic negative matching.

Real fun (for me, anyway) can be had by searching for bad PPC management. Looks like the AdWords for that search are self-justifying.

Somehow, I don't think the certification is going to make much if any difference to this. The training, like most use of AdWords, is still not advanced enough. That said, our PPC account managers are still being told to take the course seriously. Customers probably won't know that the certification doesn't mean much.

[Windsun]

Originally Posted by Black_Knight

ILook at the amount of thought missing in a search for Flower beds for an example of the poorly implemented AdWords use I still see all the time.

I love that one. Near the top of the list:

Low Prices. Smart Deals.
See the difference.
Shopzilla.com

Shopzilla.. flower beds.. what am I missing?

[Chris_D]

try searching for amatuer insurance providers or worst loans company and look at the companies paying to spike their own reputations just because they haven't used even basic negative matching.

Ammon, I think expecting large companies to cover misspellings (like amatuer) for negative phrase matching is expecting a little much - a degree of cost/benefit has to come into play.

Its pretty easy to play games with any kind of dynamic insertion generated advertising, using negative phrases. Like looking for advertisements for things like 'thieving robbing gas and electricity suppliers', or 'dodgy mobile phone company'. It usually comes down to a cost benefit decision by the advertiser.

I hope the qualification addresses the bigger issues of professional campaign management within the published guidelines.

For example - where phrases are bid on - but the products don't exist on the site - like the examples in this thread:

http://forums.searchenginewatch.com/...2032#post32032

These types of advertisements are genenerally offering products which aren't offered on the landing page, and which therefore could potentially be in breach the published AdWords Editorial Guidelines.

The Google Advertising Professionals programme has only had qualified members for less than a week. I think Google will wait until there is a critical mass before it starts to make the programme more meaningful - it hasn't even made a press release!

[seobook]

Originally Posted by Chris_D

The Google Advertising Professionals programme

one thing that I think sucks about it is that it is only for AdWords and while they call it "Google Advertising Professionals" the logo looks like an ad for AdWords.

[Black_Knight]

Originally Posted by Chris_D

Ammon, I think expecting large companies to cover misspellings (like amatuer) for negative phrase matching is expecting a little much - a degree of cost/benefit has to come into play.

But that's my point, Chris. I am not expecting any and every large company to do this. I'm expecting people given a certificate stating they are "Advertising Professionals" from Google themselves should know about the basic negative phrase matching which should at the very least exclude the words free, freebie, amatuer, amateur, unpaid, second-hand, etc for products which are only sold new.

That's a basic level, not an advanced level.

Originally Posted by Chris_D

I hope the qualification addresses the bigger issues of professional campaign management within the published guidelines.

For example - where phrases are bid on - but the products don't exist on the site - like the examples in this thread:

http://forums.searchenginewatch.com/...2032#post32032

or even like the 'flower beds' example with ads only from matress manufacturers and furnishers (oh, and eBay affiliates, of course), with which I opened my post, perhaps?

[PaulH]

Glad you mentioned it, only just noticed it was there, now what to do with it?

I thought there would be some way clients could verify who was qualified? all i see is a poxy image that every SEM site will have by the end of next week – great!

[PaulH]

Originally Posted by Black_Knight

or even like the 'flower beds' example with ads only from matress manufacturers and furnishers (oh, and eBay affiliates, of course), with which I opened my post, perhaps?

That made me smile, not sure our US friends here see that one though.

[AussieWebmaster]

Congratsw all who took it and are now qualified as true Google Professionals... am actually taking it this week... got sidetracked from November until now with new site roll outs and other redesigns etc.

Am hoping to have a little time this week to get that done and finish the powerpoint presentation for SES..

[excell]

Congrats to all who acheived this qualification... before I found this thread I was noticing quite a few websites already wearing the badge and was clueless as to what it meant. I noticed it but I didn't bother clicking through to find out more or anything. - So thanks for mentioning this, now I know something new

Customers probably won't know that the certification doesn't mean much.

It looks cute enough. Could be good for some.

[AussieWebmaster]

I got the test done just before SES so have to wait a bit for banner... no big deal.

[Kal]

Yep, we got ours last month, but have you noticed that the logo has changed slightly now? It used to be Google Certified Advertising Professional, but now it's AdWords Qualified Professional. I prefer the old one!

[AussieWebmaster]

Anyone know of any certification course for SEO?
I have a customer who would to have one of his people certified.... personally I think he needs to be certified but not for SEO.

I told him I would design a nice piece of paper and he could pay me $5,000 but he did not think it was the same thing... little does he know!!!

[Black_Knight]

Aussie, the original, known for many years now is from ACWS (Acadamy of Web Specialists - www.academywebspecialists.com ) to which Robin Noble is connected. More recently has come Kalena Jordan's courses ( www.searchenginecollege.com ) which does include SEO modules, but also features copywriting, usability and more too.

Hope those are helpful to you for consideration.

[AussieWebmaster]

Originally Posted by Black_Knight

Aussie, the original, known for many years now is from ACWS (Acadamy of Web Specialists - www.academywebspecialists.com ) to which Robin Noble is connected. More recently has come Kalena Jordan's courses ( www.searchenginecollege.com ) which does include SEO modules, but also features copywriting, usability and more too.

Hope those are helpful to you for consideration.

Thanks BK... hadn't thought about Kal's stuff... and though I have heard of Robin did not know about the Academy. Appreciate the answer!

[Kal]

Originally Posted by AussieWebmaster

personally I think he needs to be certified but not for SEO.

Some of my best students are certifiable!

oh and thanks for the plug Ammon!

[AdWordsRep]

Congrats to all who acheived this qualification... before I found this thread I was noticing quite a few websites already wearing the badge and was clueless as to what it meant...

Yes, congratulations are indeed in order! And for those of you on the Forum who are amongst the first 100 Google Advertising Professionals, well, watch your mailbox for a little token of appreciation for your pioneering spirit!

AWR

[seobook]

Originally Posted by AdWordsRep

Yes, congratulations are indeed in order! And for those of you on the Forum who are amongst the first 100 Google Advertising Professionals, well, watch your mailbox for a little token of appreciation for your pioneering spirit!

AWR

wonder what they are giving away... I do believe some people may get black hats from google themselves.