Whether you’re a business owner or a marketing professional, there are several ways to improve your bottom line. Besides improving your product or service offerings, you can also optimize your different sales channels, especially your website.
One way to do this is to make sure that you’re taking advantage of all the marketing tools available to you. One of the most popular and versatile tools around is Google Analytics. Here’s why.
What Is Google Analytics?
Google Analytics is a powerful tool used by online marketers to track and measure website performance. Learning how to use Google Analytics is a valuable skill to have for bloggers, business owners, or anyone with an online presence.
Google Analytics can provide you with a wealth of data about your website, such as how many people are on your site, where they are coming from, what pages are viewed, and how long your visitors are staying on each one.
With this data, you can optimize your website to have the best experience for your target market. You can also have a better understanding of the performance of your various campaigns.
Because it is free and easy to use, Google Analytics is the most widely used web analytics service on the internet. For this reason, learning how to use it can be useful for those who engage with businesses of all sizes.
But, what if you could use Google Analytics one step further? Thankfully, you can take a certification in Google Analytics to prove it.
What Is the Google Analytics Certification?
Google offers an analytics certification exam, which is designed to test your knowledge of Google Analytics and how to use it effectively for your business.
Google Analytics certification is a professional accreditation that tests your knowledge of Google Analytics and its various offerings. The certification exam is administered by Google and is available in English, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Japanese, and Korean.
Receiving a Google Analytics certification is a great way to prove your expertise in the tool and shows that you’re serious about digital marketing.
So, how does the certification for Google Analytics work?
How Does Google Analytics Certification Work?
To receive certification for Google Analytics, you must first pass the Google Analytics Individual Qualification exam.
The online assessment is made up of 70 questions which must be completed in 90 minutes. To pass, you must get 80% or more of the questions correct. Most of the questions are multiple-choice, but some are true/false or fill-in-the-blank.
The topics covered in the exam include:
- Setting up Google Analytics
- Interpreting and analyzing data in Google Analytics
- Using attribution models to measure the impact of marketing channels
- Creating and using custom reports and dashboards
- Troubleshooting issues with Google Analytics data
- Configuring goals and filters in Google Analytics
- Measuring website engagement with event tracking
- Analyzing social media activity with Google Analytics
- Implementing remarketing and audience targeting in Google Analytics
To sign up for the exam, you must first be a Google Partner. Google provides several resources to help prospective examinees through the Google Analytics Academy. Aside from this, there are endless options for mock tests, tutorial videos, and other insightful advice for taking the exam online.
What Happens If You Fail the Google Analytics Certification Exam?
If you don’t pass the exam on your first try, don’t worry. Google offers free retakes for all of its certification exams, so there’s no need to stress out if you don’t get it right the first time around. However, it’s important to understand what happens if you do fail.
Should you fail the Google Analytics Certification exam, you’ll have to wait a week before you can take it again. With this in mind, it’s best to really take the time to study and take mock tests before the exam to avoid any delays.
Is Google Analytics Certification Worth It?
If you’re wondering if a Google Analytics Certification is worth it, below are some reasons why it might be for you.
1. A Google Analytics Certification Shows You’re Serious About Marketing
When you become certified in Google Analytics, you’re showing the world that you’re serious about marketing. You’ve taken the time to learn one of the most popular and versatile marketing tools available, and you’re ready to put that knowledge to use.
If you’re a digital marketing professional, this certification will help customers see that you’re taking your marketing seriously and are invested in becoming a leader in your industry.
2. Learning Google Analytics Helps You Optimize Business Costs
Google Analytics is a powerful tool, and when used correctly, it can help you improve your business’s bottom line. With Google Analytics Certification, you’ll have the knowledge and skills to use Google Analytics effectively for your business.
This can lead to improved website traffic, increased conversions, and more sales. By learning Google Analytics, you can also make more informed decisions about how to spend your marketing budget. For example, you may need to fix the user experience on your website, invest more in being more mobile-friendly, or adjust your social media marketing strategy to get more customers.
In addition, even if you’ve hired a digital marketing professional, knowing Google Analytics can help you really understand the numbers that matter. In turn, you can avoid spending unnecessarily on things that just won’t move the needle.
3. A Google Analytics Certification Is a Valuable Addition to Any Resume
If you’re looking for a new job, or if you’re looking to move up the ladder in your current job, Google Analytics Certification is a valuable addition to your resume.
Employers value employees who are certified in Google Analytics, as it shows that they have the knowledge, skills, and initiative needed to effectively use this popular marketing tool. Not to mention, having Google Analytics Certification on your resume can set you apart from the competition.
Invest In Learning Google Analytics
While getting a Google Analytics certification is free, it does take time to truly understand it. In addition, it’s not enough to simply know about what it can do in theory, but you will need to practice utilizing your knowledge fully.
For some people, it’s not necessary to finish the entire course or get the certification to reap its benefits. However, there’s no harm in going all the way and getting certified if you have the time to do so.
By taking the time to learn how to use Google Analytics, you have the power of one of the world’s most accessible digital marketing tools at your fingertips. With this, it’s definitely worth learning, even if you’re not planning to take the certification exam.
