A Step-by-Step Guide to Becoming a Google Ads Specialist

What are Google Ads?

Google Ads is an online marketing platform created by Google to help businesses reach millions of people through targeted ads. A Google Ads Specialist uses this platform to design and manage ad campaigns, leveraging Google’s search engine to target specific customer queries. When users search for terms related to a product, Google displays relevant ads based on keywords and phrases set by the Google Ads Specialist. For instance, if you want your product advertisement to appear at the top of a search results page when someone types in the term “XYZ,” a Google Ads Specialist will ensure that your ad is positioned accordingly.

Companies inculcate words in the ads that justify their product and service and pay based on the number of clicks the ads get. To be more specifically said from an expert’s point of view they comply with the pay-per-click model. Now higher the number of people or the companies involved the higher the pricing or bid potentially. Also the better the click-through rate is the lower Google charges for your ads.

You can also make use of the organic results option but that needs very high-quality content. Google Ads accelerates your results. Google Ads is a very powerful tool. With Google Ads, you can target your audience by geography or time zone or the device used by them. That is you can target your ads. You can also control the cost while using Google Ads by selecting the amount you wish to spend per month on the ads. Google also provides a feature by which you can evaluate the success of the ad. Another advantage of Google Ads is that it provides a tool for people by which he/can monitor their accounts and manage their campaigns.

Who is a Google Ad Specialist?

Many companies lack the expertise to manage Google Ads effectively and turn to Google Ads specialists for help. These experts understand the platform’s intricacies and design well-structured ad campaigns. A Google Ads specialist plans and manages campaigns, keeping up with the latest features and trends. To succeed in this role, you must help businesses manage searches, displays, graphics, and content within Google Ads.

Responsibilities and Day-to-Day Activities of a Google Ad Specialist:

1. Campaign Setup and Structure:

   – Keyword Research: Dive into the world of search terms your potential customers are using.

   – Ad Copywriting: Craft compelling ad messages that resonate with your audience.

   – Budget Allocation: Decide how much you’re comfortable spending each day or throughout the campaign.

2. Targeting and Audience Management:

   – Demographic Targeting: Imagine your ideal customer and tailor your ads to reach them.

   – Location Targeting: Pick the specific places where you want your ads to shine.

   – Device Targeting: Decide if you want to focus on desktops, mobile devices, or both.

3. Bid Management:

   – CPC Bidding: Play around with how much you’re willing to pay for a click.

   – Bid Strategy: Let Google do some of the heavy lifting by using automated bidding strategies.

4. Ad Extensions and Formats:

   – Sitelink Extensions: Direct people to the most important pages on your website.

   – Callout Extensions: Shout out additional perks and features of your product or service.

   – Responsive Search Ads: Test different ad versions to see which ones grab attention best.

5. Quality Score Monitoring:

   – Keep an eye on how well your ads, keywords, and landing pages match up.

   – Always strive to improve ad relevance, the user experience on your landing page, and click-through rates.

6. Conversion Tracking and Analysis:

   – Track actions that matter, like purchases or form submissions.

   – Look at the numbers to find out what’s working and what could use a tweak.

7. Competitor Analysis:

   – Keep an eye on what your competition is up to.

   – Make strategic adjustments to stay ahead in the game.

8. Reporting and Analytics:

   – Put together regular reports that give you the lowdown on how your ads are performing.

   – Dive into the data to uncover insights that guide your next moves.

9. Stay Updated on Industry Trends:

   – Stay in the loop on the latest happenings in the digital advertising world.

   – Explore new tools and features that could give your campaigns an edge.

The role of a Google Ads Specialist requires a combination of analytical skills, creativity, and a deep understanding of the advertising platform. Specialists must be agile in adjusting strategies based on performance data and evolving industry trends.

Career Options for a Google Ad Specialist

A Google Ad specialist can work at agencies as an entry-level employee. These specialists report to an account manager. Companies reach out to these agencies to direct their Google Ad account. Agencies are a little more budget-friendly than hiring a full-time employee as a Google Ad specialist for the companies.

Big organizations require Google Ad specialists as full-time employees. The specialist has the information on the company’s objectives and is a part of the marketing team. He guides the overall procedure of the Google Ad campaigns for the company. As long as there is an adequate HR investment to hire a specialist, Google Ads can lead to productive results.

You can also choose to work as a freelance Google Ad specialist.

Google Ads Specialist Salary

In this digital era, Google Ads specialists are in high demand today. Freelancers have a fixed hourly or monthly rate at which they work. As per Glassdoor the average salary of a Google Ad specialist in the US is $72000. In India the salary of a Google Ads specialist is between ₹3.6 lakhs to ₹8.1 lakhs per annum, the average salary being ₹ 5 lakhs per annum.

Steps to Follow to Become a Google Ad Specialist

If you pursue the dream of becoming a successful Google Ad specialist who presents productive results, the steps mentioned below will surely come in handy as a guide to becoming an expert in the field.

Step 1: Understand the workings of Google Ads

To become someone who specializes in Google Ads, the first and foremost thing you need to do is to get thorough knowledge of Google Ads. You need to have a good grip on the understanding and working of the Google Ads network. One of the most vital parts is understanding the fact that the advertisements in Google Ads are displayed to people when there is a high probability of them acting accordingly. How do Google Ads achieve this?
Google has designed a framework for its use to meet customer demands. Each of the ad’s bid according to its characteristics and gets refined by Google based on 3 significant parameters:

The bid or the amount:

Google Ads are carried out based on an auction system where various companies offer a certain amount to have their ads visible to certain people on the internet. The company that is ready to pay the highest amount per click on the ads would get the upper hand. For example, if the amount you offer is maximum Google will show your ads more frequently. One should decide the bid amount very wisely.

Quality and standard of the ad:

Besides the bid amount, the standard of the ad content also plays a key role in making a campaign effective. Google would opt to choose an ad with good quality content rather than one with poor ad quality even though the company is offering a higher bid. Which checking the quality of the ad use of appropriate keywords, phrases explaining the company’s objective, landing page, etc are evaluated. If the ad quality is superior the company also doesn’t need to spend a large amount for more visibility.

How ad performance gets affected by the ad extensions:

Sometimes there are options to attach links to the websites and additional details. These factors and their format also affect the performance of a campaign.

Now, a company has various options of Google Ads to choose from Google. Some of the types of advertisement campaigns supported by Google are:

Campaigns related to the search:

You get to see these ads when you search for something on Google. The keywords and phrases play a significant role here in reaching the potential audience. This kind of ad is also visible on websites that are partnered with Google.

Display advertisements:

The graphics that you see every time you search for something online come under this type.

Applications:

Such ads are allotted for YouTube, Google Play, and other applications.

Shopping:

These ads appear in the shopping tab for eCommerce products.

Video ads:

Video ads are the videos that appear before videos on YouTube, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hotstar, etc.

The keywords in the ads decide the appearance of ads. Today Google Ads has a leading stand in the market. It earned approximately 104 billion dollars in 2020 in its search revenues alone. It is no doubt that Google Ads have greatly benefited companies and this is the reason for the need for a Google Ad specialist.

You can also refer to the brief introduction about Google Ads provided at the beginning of the article to get a clearer idea about Google Ads. You can even learn more about Google Ads by enrolling in a Google Ads course. These courses are also available online and also provide the necessary materials required. One such course that you can register for is the Google Ads Course by Reliablesoft Digital Marketing Academy. The course teaches everything from scratch and contains all the theories for beginners, intermediate as well as advanced learners.

Step 2: What is the Google Ads certification process

Understanding the Google Ads certification process is crucial as it validates your expertise in Google’s advertising network. This certification enhances your resume, demonstrates your dedication, and proves your proficiency in Google Ads. It adds credibility to your practice in marketing and helps attract more customers, giving you an edge over competitors. Choosing the right platform for your Google Ads certification is essential for showcasing your skills.

The official certifications of Google can be obtained through the Google Skillshop education platform. First, you need to sign up for an account at Google Skillshop. You can do so using your email id. After this, you get free access to a whole lot of Google Ad certification assessments and related courses. You can enroll in any of the courses and start your learning journey. There are other necessary materials and ebooks to aid in your learning process too. You need to clear an exam to get certified.

You can also go for the Great Learning Strategic Digital Marketing Platform to learn about Google Ads and brand management. Today e-learning courses are one of the best ways to get Google Ad certifications. While applying to a company as a Google Ad specialist, these certifications are seen as a requirement for your profiles to be shortlisted.

Step 3: Select the best Google Ad certifications and courses

The next step is to decide on which Google Ad certification you should enroll in. Now there are different types of certifications that Google offers depending on the different areas of Google Ads. The certifications are a demonstration of your expertise in a particular area. Currently, the six certifications provided by Google include:

Certification for Google Ad Search	You can enroll in the Google Ads search program to develop and enhance your skills in search campaigns. The users who are certified get to show off their skills in computerized solutions such as smart bidding and audience solutions to have positive campaign results for the particular objectives of marketing.
Certification for Google Ad Video	This certification proves your understanding of the workings of display ads and how strategic you can be in using them in campaigns at your advantage that have particular marketing objectives.
Google Ads Display certification	You can enroll in the certification course if you want to demonstrate in your resume that you are an expert in Google app campaigns. Once certified you can say that you possess the knowledge of designing ad campaigns for applications and understand modern optimization techniques.
Certification for Google Ads Apps	You can enroll in the certification course if you want to demonstrate in your resume that you are an expert in Google app campaigns. Once certified you can say that you possess the knowledge of designing ad campaigns for applications and understand the modern optimization techniques.
Google Ads Measurement certification	The certification proves that you can fully use Google’s reporting tools for measuring advertisement drives. It also showcases your ability to optimize the performance of digital advertisements using the measurement solutions offered by Google. The users who are certified with Google Ads Measurement can demonstrate their understanding of the important metrics. One of the points that are to be kept in mind before enrolling in this course is that the Google partner’s badge does not come under the umbrella of Google Ads measurement Certification.
Certification for Google Shopping ads	The certification validates that you know how to sign up for a merchant center and utilize shopping ads. If you have the Google Shopping ads certification, it proves that you have the expertise in designing shopping ads and know the strategies to make them reach a maximum number of people.

The above courses are available in more than 22 languages. It is usually suggested to have more than one certification such that you have more options to work in. From an expert’s point of view, it is advisable to have multiple certifications to better understand how different ad campaigns work simultaneously.

Step 4: Preparations are important for the Google Ad exam

This is the most crucial part of the guide. After the selection of the certification course, the next step that you need to climb is the preparation for the exam.

As mentioned earlier Skillshop is the best platform to enroll in courses. Skillshop provides a set of online video lessons for all the different certification exams. Every lesson is in an easy-to-understand language. The Google

Shopping ads certification covers the following lessons:

• Grow your retail business with Google
• Know how shopping ads work
• Identify key shopping ad requirements
• Launch your retail strategy
• Identify the right shopping campaign type
• Unlock the power of smart shopping campaigns
• Try it out: Create a smart shopping campaign

To begin learning, go to the navigation menu and select Browse > Google Ads > Google Ads certification. Choose the certification you want, and complete lessons that include texts, videos, and examples. After each lesson, pass an assessment test; you can retake it after one day if needed. Track your progress and use Skillshop’s practice test for final exam preparation. Additional practice tests online and resources from PDFs and books can also aid your preparation. Aim for at least 80% to pass the certification assessment.

Step 5: Get certified with Google Ads

You are now ready for the final exam to become a Google Ads Specialist. With your preparation complete, the next step is to pass the exam to earn your certification. You can access these exams through Skillshop and take them from any location with a reliable internet connection. Previously, there was a fee to take the exam, but due to high demand, Google now offers it for free for aspiring Google Ads Specialists.

The exam includes multiple-choice and true/false questions. You need at least 80% to pass, except for the Google Ads app exam, which requires 70%. Exam duration and number of questions vary by certification. The exam must be completed in one sitting; exiting the browser ends the test and requires a restart if the window closes.

Once you pass the exam, you’ll receive your Google Ads Specialist certificate immediately. You can share your achievement using a link, which is great for showcasing your skills on LinkedIn or your resume. Earning multiple certifications can enhance your expertise and make you a more attractive candidate for positions as a Google Ads Specialist. If you don’t pass, you can retake the exam after one day. Remember, Google Ads Specialist certifications need to be renewed periodically.

Related Article:

Top 25 Freelance Jobs from Home that Pay Really Well

Step 6: Practice your skills by putting them into an application

Being a Google Ads specialist myself I can say that the application of your learning is very necessary. After you have added your certifications to your resume, you need to put your skills into practice to polish them. Courses and exams can only provide theoretical knowledge. Only by putting your skills into action in real-time situations can make you an expert.

To apply your Google Ad skills you can also get hired as a Google Ads specialist at an entry-level position. Here you get a chance to learn and practice a lot. You can also get to learn from some Google Ad experts. There is sharing of knowledge among the colleagues thereby refining skills by taking up new responsibilities side by side. The new opportunities would help you grow professionally.

You can find clients by freelancing on platforms like Upwork or PeoplePerHour, where you’ll directly communicate and manage ad campaigns. Explore job boards and freelancing sites for opportunities. Though initial client searches may be tough, persistence pays off. Consider taking on free pilot projects to showcase your skills with minimal risk. Small businesses often seek budget-friendly Google Ads experts, making volunteering a valuable way to gain experience and build your portfolio.

Step 7: Endorsement collection from clients

Sharing from an expert’s experience I can say that it is important to collect your testimonials side by side when you work with clients on their Google Ads accounts. Reviews and endorsements act like stars to your portfolio. Sometimes the recommendation letter provided by the clients contains your improvements, significant metrics that matter, and also your skills. Also before sharing your endorsements you should take permission from your client. You get a chance to work on bigger projects when clients get to know your ability through these testimonials.

Step 8: Keep yourself updated with the changes in Google Ads

Learning is a never-ending process and to become a Google Ads expert you must be always updated with the changes in Google Ads. Google Ads updates its features regularly. Hence to become a strategic Google Ad specialist, you have to know the changes to win your competitors and that your ad reaches the maximum audience. The changes would help you analyze what features work better for a particular client and what doesn’t. Everything works on experiments and that is what makes it interesting. You can bookmark some of the prominent websites that post content on Google Ads regularly.

Below is a list of some websites that you may find useful to keep yourself on the sprint.

• ThinkwithGoogle: The website provides updated information on the new trends. It provides a bunch of videos, articles, and presentations on the Google Ads changes and new features.
• Blog.Google.com: To stay updated on developments related to Google Ads, it’s best to follow the official Google blog. This blog frequently posts about new features, tools, and updates to existing properties. As a Google Ads Specialist, these posts can be invaluable for enhancing your knowledge and staying current with the latest changes. Specifically, check the Google Ads Manager category for detailed guidebooks and posts on the Google Ads network.
• Google Ads social media platform: Google Ads has very intelligently harnessed the power of social media. It posts its updates and new trends regularly on its social media platforms including Twitter and Youtube. This not only helps in promotion but also makes the users aware of changes.
• Wordstream.com: The site’s publication reflects the regular changes in Google in its posts and blogs. It also provides advertising and marketing tips to its users.
• Some other websites that post updates regarding Google Ads include hawksem, searchengineland, adespresso.

Step 9: Look that your certifications are renewed

The Google Ad certification is valid for one year and should be renewed. To renew your certification you need to sit for this certification exam again. The exam prerequisites are the same. The time of the exam, and the number of questions are the same as the initial one. You must score the same marks you scored in your previous test. If you pass the test, you are given a certificate that is again valid for another year. Your certification contains the expiration date in it. Also, Skillshop has a feature that notifies you if your certification is on the verge of expiration.

Step 10: Next you can start blogging about Google Ads

Sharing your expertise is a great way to enhance your knowledge and establish yourself as a Google Ads specialist. Start a marketing blog to post regular updates and insights about Google Ads. High-quality content will boost your industry reputation and expand your network. As your reach grows, clients will be more likely to approach you for projects. Contributing to others’ posts can further increase your visibility and credibility.

Step 11: Portfolio creation

Now that you are all done and reached the end of the guide, you are just one step away from becoming a Google Ad specialist, i.e., portfolio creation. Reviews and testimonials are important for your portfolio. Remember to incorporate them into your resume. Some time should be set aside for portfolio creation. A strong will help you in landing a job at your dream company. It acts as a reference for the clients to allot your bigger projects. A portfolio is also essential if you want to indulge in a startup or start your agency. Your portfolio represents your business. Potential clients make remarks about your organization and choose it by looking at your previous projects and engagements.

Besides your portfolio, you also should make a LinkedIn account and post your certification and endorsements. This will help you build connections.

Also, Read: Top 15 Online Earning Sites to Generate Side Income

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)