AdWords

This page has been especially created to facilitate your preparation for the Google AdWords Certification test.

About the exams
The AdWords certification covers the fundamental aspects of online advertising and campaign management, using Google tools like AdWords, Analytics, and DoubleClick.

Here are more details about each of the three exams:

  • Advertising Fundamentals: This exam covers the most basic aspects of AdWords and online advertising, including account management and the value of search advertising.
  • Advanced Search: This exam covers intermediate-to-advanced best practices for managing AdWords campaigns.
  • Advanced Display: This exam covers intermediate-to-advanced best practices for advertising on YouTube and the Google Display Network.

Certification

To become certified, you must pass both the Advertising Fundamentals exam and one of the two advanced exams.

Preparing for the exams

The exam study guides in the Partner Help Center can help you master the best practices for which we test.

Here are links to the exam study guides:

How to take the exams

You can take the exams if you have a Google Partners account. More about creating an individual account

If you already have an account, follow these steps:

  1. Sign in to Partners at https://www.google.com/partners/.
  2. Click Certifications to see your exam status. For example, you might see a message telling you how many exams you need to pass to get certified.
  3. Click See exams.
  4. Hover over the section of the exam that you’d like to take. Click Exam Details.
  5. Click Take exam to start taking the exam. Or, you can review the exam study materials linked to on this page.

Keep in mind that it might take up to 48 hours for your exam certification to appear on this page once you’ve passed an exam.

Exam fee

There isn’t a fee to take the exams. The exams are free for everyone who has a Partners account.

Time to complete exams

You’ll have 120 minutes to complete each exam.

Keep in mind that you won’t be able to pause the timer after you starting taking an exam. The exam timer will continue to count down even if your computer shuts down — so be sure that you won’t be disturbed while taking the exam. If you do lose your connection, you can resume the exam where you left off when you’re connected again, but the timer will not stop during this time.

Passing scores

The score that you need to get to pass is different for each exam.

Search Advertising Fundamentals Exam 85%
Search Advertising Advanced Exam 80%
Display Advertising Advanced Exam 70%

Retaking the exams

If you don’t pass an exam, you can retake it in seven days. Try using the Help Center’s exam study guides to increase your chances of passing.

Staying certified

After you pass an exam, you’ll need to take it after some time has passed. The time varies for each exam.

Advertising Fundamentals Every 2 years
Advanced Search Every 1 year
Advanced Display Every 1 year

Communicating your certification to others

Sign in to your Partners account and click Certifications. You’ll see all the exams that you’ve passed and your certification status on this page.

If you’re affiliated with your company’s Partners account, your company admin can see your exam scores and any certifications you’ve earned.