Google Certifications

[krymson]

So I've spent the last few days taking my Google AdWords and Analytics certification exams. Now that I'm done, do people even care about that? Potential employers, potential clients, and potential competition do it set me a part from them? Is it enough, on top of my blog postings and other works I do, to show that I'm an expert?

What do you think and your suggestions?

[Brian Altenhofel]

I personally don't care about certifications. There are very few exceptions where I've seen tech certifications actually carry weight.

[Harold Mansfield]

So I've spent the last few days taking my Google AdWords and Analytics certification exams. Now that I'm done, do people even care about that? Potential employers, potential clients, and potential competition do it set me a part from them? Is it enough, on top of my blog postings and other works I do, to show that I'm an expert?

What do you think and your suggestions?

I used to ask the same question a while back. Ultimately I've discovered that it doesn't do much. Having the knowledge is always going to be helpful for you overall.

And just keeping it real, that doesn't mean that you're an expert internet marketer. Just that you know how to use the tools. A case study of an actual client's successful marketing and advertising campaign would do far more to attract business than a badge on your website.

However, there are those people who need 4 hours of HTML work done for $75, and want to hire someone with 5 years Marketing experience, a Bachelors in Computer Science, want 10 references, and require a list of your certifications. It'll impress those people.

[krymson]

That's what I was thinking. Right now I'm more in the market of promoting myself as a consultant rather than a web developer. I'm working on getting public speaking engagements to educate more small businesses about digital marketing. I got the certs as a way of showing i know what I'm talking about and they can trust that I can show them how to take advantage of the tools.

So with all of that being said, as a small business owner, would you see someone having those certs as more reliable than someone that does not have those certs?

[vangogh]

Like Brian and Harold, I'm not personally impressed by the certificate, but I suspect having one can help with some people. I know a few years ago when Google first started offering the certificates, people would display it trying to convey the impression that Google had somehow sanctioned or endorsed them to do SEO or work with Adwords. I have no idea if it worked to convince anyone, but I imagine it helped in some cases.

Even though I'm not impressed with the certificate itself, I do know you had to learn from Google and pass a test about your knowledge about AdWords and Analytics. I would assume that means you now know more about both than most people do. That comes more from my knowledge of what you have to do to get the certificate though than being impressed by the certificate itself.

I don't see any reason why you shouldn't display the information on your site. The certificate may not impress everyone, but I would think it would help convince some people to hire you and I don't see where it would cause someone to not hire you. I don't think I would display it all over the site, but anywhere on your site where you offer services related to AdWords and Analytics I would display it. Why not add it to the few logos you have showing your skills?

Speaking of your services, I think a better change would be to mention your services as opposed to your skills. As a client I don't come to you thinking I have a PHP or jQuery problem. I might not know what either of those is. I come to you because i want you to set up some kind of shopping cart on my site or because I want a new design. Your skills matter to an employer. They won't mean as much to a client.

[krymson]

Speaking of your services, I think a better change would be to mention your services as opposed to your skills. As a client I don't come to you thinking I have a PHP or jQuery problem. I might not know what either of those is. I come to you because i want you to set up some kind of shopping cart on my site or because I want a new design. Your skills matter to an employer. They won't mean as much to a client.

This site is my personal site im working on. I'm still working out the grammar and what not, I'm going to change it from "Services" to "Skills" I'm not really trying to "sell" services on this site, it more of I'm trying to become a public speaker and teach small businesses about the web and digital marketing. My Krymson Productions site is my site that I sell services off of this is for potential employers and for me to share my knowledge. I will take your advice and put my certs with the rest of the logos though.