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While no PPC certificate or marketing degree can fully prepare you for the real world, a quick training course can considerably increase your knowledge of paid search advertising. They’re a great way to fill in knowledge gaps and familiarize yourself with search advertising platforms like Google Ads, SEMrush, and Facebook. Plus, they look great on a resume or LinkedIn profile!
Below, we’ve rounded up a few of the best PPC certifications for more successful ad campaigns. Whether you’re looking to pad your resume before applying to a new marketing position or just boost your confidence when determining ad copy and bidding strategies, these easy PPC certifications can help you become a more well-rounded digital marketer. And the best part is, many of them are 100% free!
The best PPC certifications for digital marketers
Google Ads Certification
Overview
Many Google Ads users are blissfully unaware that Google offers several valuable PPC courses. Currently, the paid advertising giant offers five certification courses on various Google Ads subjects:
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Search advertising
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Display advertising
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Measurement
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Video advertising
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App advertising
Completing all five proves you have a well-rounded understanding of Google’s advertising platform. They’re a must-take for any digital marketer running paid search advertising campaigns. Especially Google Ads campaigns.
The certification can also be counted towards your company’s Google Partner or Premier Partner status in the Google Partners program.
Format
Each course includes several hours of video content, a knowledge check assessment, and a certification exam at the end that takes a little over an hour. They’re available in 22 different languages through Google Skillshop.
Cost
Google offers all their Google Ads Certification courses to total beginners and digital marketing experts alike at no cost. All you need is a Google account and a few free afternoons.
Facebook Certified Digital Marketing Associate
Overview
The Facebook Certified Digital Marketing Associate training is one of the few PPC certifications that focuses specifically on paid social advertising. The practical course covers five topics:
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Understanding the value of Facebook advertising
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Establishing platform presence
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Facebook advertising fundamentals
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Creating and managing ads
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Reporting
Facebook’s social advertising certification is a perfect choice for digital marketers looking to expand their company’s advertising presence on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. It’s a must-take for anyone interested in social media management or if your digital advertising strategy involves Facebook ads.
Format
The Facebook PPC certification is filled with great tips and advice on how to use paid social channels. In addition to online courses, there’s hands-on live training, a handy study guide, and a practice test. Each lesson is broken down into short modules that take around 20-30 minutes total. The final exam takes around an hour and a half to complete.
Price
You can access the Facebook Certified Digital Marketing Associate program through Facebook Blueprint. Both the course materials and the exam are free to any Facebook user.
SEMrush PPC Fundamentals
Overview
New to PPC advertising? The SEMrush PPC Fundamentals certification is designed for total beginners. To prepare for the exam, there’s a free online PPC course that covers the basics of pay-per-click marketing. It’s led by PPC advertising expert and founder of PPCDesigns, Joel Bondorowsky. Thirty-six lessons across eight modules cover the following areas of knowledge:
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PPC overview
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PPC strategy
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Search advertising
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Shopping campaigns
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Display advertising
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Universal app campaigns
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Bidding and budgeting
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Multi-touch conversions
While it’s a great PPC certification for any digital marketer, it’s particularly useful for marketing teams that use SEMrush for keyword research, competitor research, and analytics.
Format
SEMrush’s PPC course consists of thirty-six lessons full of useful and engaging video content. It takes around five hours to complete the modules to prepare for the final test. The final exam consists of thirty-five multiple-choice questions. It can be retaken as many times as you like. In the end, you’ll earn an official certificate to show off on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
Price
The SEMrush PPC Fundamentals Course and Exam are free to anyone with a SEMrush account. If you aren’t a current SEMrush user, sign up for the free trial and complete the certification before it expires.
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Other PPC Marketing Certifications
Microsoft Advertising Certified Professional
Similar to the Google Ads Certification, the Microsoft Advertising Certified Professional certification proves your PPC skills on Bing. Throughout the text-based course, you’ll learn how to strategize, set up, manage, optimize, and report your Microsoft Advertising campaigns.
The course materials and tests are free to anyone with a Microsoft account. There’s even a free 231-page study guide to help you prepare for the exam. At the end, you’ll earn a printable certificate, a digital badge for your social profile, and a spot on Microsoft’s member directory.
Directive Institute PPC Certification
Looking for a more hands-on program? The PPC Certification from the Directive Institute is designed to help you optimize and successfully execute your campaigns from start to finish. The 13 modules are filled with text, videos, and templates that can easily be applied to your current paid search campaigns.
While the course itself takes around 10 hours to complete, you’ll have continued access to its content. A one-time fee of $99 gives you unlimited access to all of the Directive Institute’s courses and certifications. In addition to PPC, they offer courses in SEO, CRO, and Data Analytics and Optimization.
How to Pass PPC Certification Exam
If you’re going to spend the time and effort (and perhaps even a bit of money) to complete a PPC certification course and exam, you’ll want to be sure to make the most of it. Your certification is more than just a resume booster and LinkedIn badge. The skills you learn can be applied right away to improve your own paid search advertising campaigns.
Though most certification programs give you unlimited tries to pass the test, there’s no better feeling than nailing it on your first try. Check out these quick tips on how to pass your PPC certification exam:
Take your time completing the course — Don’t rush through the modules. Take your time so you can absorb as much information as possible. Don’t be afraid to rewatch videos, reread notes, and redo modules entirely to ensure there are no gaps in your knowledge.
Take notes — As you work through the modules and exercises, Jot down a few notes to look over later before you take the exam. Stash them in your desk after you finish the course to pull back out when you need a quick refresher.
Study, study, study — Just like any college exam, studying is key to acing the test at the end of your PPC course. Plus, reviewing the materials helps you retain more information to apply to your campaigns once you’re finished.
Use the study guide and other available resources — Most certification programs come with handy study guides, videos, and other handy resources to help you prep for the exam. They can help fill in knowledge gaps and ensure you study all the appropriate materials for the exam.
Understand what’s on the exam — Most programs offer detailed descriptions of the test so you can better prepare. How many questions are on the exam? What is the format? How long will it take you to complete? Knowing the answers to simple questions like this can boost your confidence before you begin.
An Avenue of Possibilities
Whether your marketing agency team is looking to upgrade their skills in social media marketing, search engine optimization, or more, harnessing the potential of PPC campaigns is a great place to start. Brushing up with step-by-step tutorials is helpful, but having that accreditation of a certification from a formal training program, such as a Google ads course, will amplify the credibility of your staff as PPC experts.