The Google Advertising Fundamentals Exam

September 24, 2010

As I have written here before, Google has expanded testing requirements for passing and obtaining its new Google AdWords Certified Partner Designation.

Google now offers four exams –

1. Google Advertising Fundamentals Exam

2. Search Advertising Advanced Exam

3. Display Advertising Advanced Exam

4. Reporting & Analysis Advanced Exam.

Would be partners must pass both the Advertising Fundamentals Exam and one of the other exams to receive the Google AdWords Certified Partner badge.

The Google Advertising Fundamentals Exam tests AdWords managers in eight of the fifteen total subject areas provided.

The eight subjects covered in the Google Advertising Fundamentals Exam are:

1. Introduction to AdWords
1.1 Overview of AdWords
1.2 Getting Started with AdWords

2. AdWords Account and Campaign Basics
2.1 Account Management Basics
2.2 Campaign Management Basics
2.3 Ad Group Management Basics

3. AdWords Ad Formats
3.1 Overview of Ad Formats
3.2 Ad Formats Guidelines & Best Practices

4. AdWords Targeting and Placements
4.1 Overview of Targeting and Placements
4.2 Keywords and Keyword Targeting
4.3 AdWords Language & Location Targeting
4.4 Placement Targeting for the Display Network

5. AdWords Bidding and Budgeting
5.1 Overview of Bidding
5.2 Overview of Budgets

6. Policies and Ad Quality Topics
6.1 AdWords Policies
6.2 Ad and Site Quality

13. Optimizing Performance
13.1 Overview of Optimization
13.2 Optimizing AdWords Campaigns and Ad Groups
13.3 Optimizing Websites and Landing Pages

15. Selling and Representing AdWords
15.1 The AdWords Value Proposition
15.2. Selling the Benefits of AdWords
15.3 Maintaining Client Relationships

Note: Sections, 4.5 Location Extensions, 6.3 Invalid Clicks Issues, 13.4 About Google Website Optimizer. 13.5 Using Google Website Optimizer and 13.6 Optimizing for Greater Conversions are not included in the Google Advertising Fundamentals Exam.

In total, the Google Advertising Fundamentals Exam is composed of 8 topics and 21 subtopics.

How The Ad Auction Works For Google Content Ads

September 23, 2010

In this video, learn more about the Google AdSense ad auction from Hal Varian, Google’s Chief Economist.

Great information for traditional publishers and AdSense profiteers alike.

Find Google’s Latest Product Releases At Google New

September 22, 2010

Google has introduced a single address to find all of their latest products and features @ http://www.google.com/newproducts

The Google New page is populated with the most recent Google news first.

Visitors can also sort and view Google news either by products or areas of interest.

 

Google New Products

Google New Products

 

Learn more about Google New Products in this video:

Taking The New Google Certification Program (GCP) Exams At Google Offices

September 21, 2010

I received an email from Google regarding taking their new exams at one of four Google offices.

I just now noticed the email concludes with a request to keep the program details confidential so I guess I will.

Google really takes confidentiality seriously – so much so they issue invitations to Google partners with confidential emails addressed to: Hi,

Hi

Hi

Don’t Lose Your Yahoo! Traffic

September 20, 2010

I was surprised to learn after transitioning my Yahoo accounts to Bing that I still need to run Yahoo campaigns until the end of October.

For those of you who had thought you had seen the last of Yahoo! – Think Again!

Yahoo Transition

Yahoo Transition

Google Instant: Connection Speed A Factor

September 19, 2010

I apparently had a slow internet connection this afternoon and received the following message mid query while in Google Instant:

“Google Instant is off due to connection speed. Press Enter to search.”

Google Instant Connection Speed

Google Instant Connection Speed

I guess this means Google Instant is dependent on internet connection integrity and speed.

Does this mean dial up customers aren’t able to access Google Instant?

Google Adwords As An Issue Awareness Channel

September 18, 2010

The following video has an interesting and unique use case for Google Adwords: Service Employees International Union organizes their members and drives issue awareness with Google AdWords.

In what other ways can Google Advertising whether search or display be used to reach and connect with an organization’s members?

Why News Doesn’t Sell Anymore

September 17, 2010

Scratch that… financial news sells and always will while all other forms of news are living on borrowed time.

Why can’t non-financial news production be cost justified any longer?

Because “news” isn’t now nor was it ever transactional for advertisers.

The web – specifically Google – has simply laid this fact bare.

Engaged Or Disengaged? That Is The Question

September 16, 2010

There are only two types of audiences:

1. The Engaged Audience.

2. The Disengaged Audience

Which audience do your prefer reaching?

There should be no question as to which is better.

The Future of Yahoo Search Marketing Desktop?

September 15, 2010

It seems like just yesterday when Yahoo released its Search Marketing Desktop – Yahoo’s answer to Google’s Adwords Editor.

While Yahoo’s new paid search campaign management tool came several years after Adwords Editor, it was a welcome relief for those of us who manage search accounts with lots of campaigns and keywords.

With Yahoo’s recent announced shuttering of the Yahoo Ambassador program after selling its search business to Microsoft – another question remains: What is Yahoo going to do with its Search Marketing Desktop paid search management tool?

Yahoo Search Marketing Desktop

Yahoo Search Marketing Desktop

To my knowledge, Microsoft doesn’t yet have a comparable search management tool available or in development.

It would be nice if Yahoo’s Search Marketing Desktop ported directly to Microosoft’s adCenter but I am not counting on it.

Will Yahoo’s advertisers soon receive an email notifying them the Search Marketing Desktop will be mothballed at some point in the near future?

If so, it won’t be a surprise but what a waste.