We’re pleased to announce the launch of a resource library in the Google AdWords Certification Program portal. We’ve developed this tool based on feedback from agencies and advertisers that they’d like a centralized place to access and download training materials, research, and resources to stay ahead of the digital curve and effectively adopt Google solutions. This new tool is currently available to users with individual certification program accounts who are based in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand (users do not need to be certified to access it). We’ll be rolling out the resource library in the coming months to additional countries.

The library contains product and industry education above and beyond the certification curricula, as well as sales and marketing resources to help agencies and third parties acquire and retain clients. A sample of content includes:

• On-demand eLearning modules
• Market insights research
• Case studies
• Product one-sheeters
• Relevant videos from the Google Business Channel

The “Recently Added” page will allow you to see the new resources in the library.

To get started:

• Log in to your Google AdWords Certification Program account. New users can visithttp://www.google.com/adwords/professionals/ and click “Join the Program.”
  
  Note: While you don't need to complete the certification program to access the resource library, we encourage you to do so. Individual certification requirements are outlined here.

• You can get a preview of what’s available in the library from the home page. We’ve identified four key categories of information—industry research, case studies, continuing education, and product one-sheeters—and you can access samples of them by clicking the hyperlinks under the descriptions.

• If you have a specific search you wish to conduct, you can enter it into the search box. From there, you’ll see a list of relevant resources, which you can then expand to see a complete description and, if applicable, a download button. For the most accurate results, input detailed queries, and use quotation marks around the keyword phrase. In addition, if you're looking for something from one of the predefined categories, be sure to include this term in your query (e.g., "automotive" + "industry research", "YouTube" + "case study", "Google Analytics" + "course").

If you have feedback on the resources returned for your specific search results or have requests for additional content for the library, please submit your comments here.

Posted by Matthew Davison, Agency Team
This is a cross post from the Inside AdWords Blog

We recently launched the Google Certification Program and we’re glad that thousands of you all over the world have taken the new exams and joined the program. This certification program replaces the Google Advertising Professionals program. To provide you with time to make the transition, we’ve run both programs side by side during a six month grace period which ends in October. To retain certified status and continue using the badge within your marketing collateral, you’ll need to meet the requirements of the new program.

What’s the difference between the two programs? With the Google Certification Program, we’re offering updated learning materials written by Google experts. We’ve developed four in-depth exams on AdWords management called Fundamentals, Advanced Search, Advanced Display and Advanced Reporting & Analysis. The exams are designed to prove proficiency in these areas and are being widely adopted by employees of search marketing agencies. In addition to this, we launched Google Partner Search, a directory to help advertisers find agencies to manage their campaigns. Currently, all Google Advertising Professionals who have opted in are part of Google Partner Search, but this will not be the case by the end of October.

We’re informing all of you who have qualified under the old Google Advertising Professionals program to update to the Google Certification Program. In order to do so, a company must meet a minimum AdWords spend level, and have at least one employee become individually qualified under the Google Certification Program.

If you have an employee that already qualified under the old program, this is a great time for them to update their skills through the Google Certification Program. Upon completion, just update your company profile so that advertisers can find you using Google Partner Search.

To learn more about the Google Certification Program visit our Help Center.

Posted by Kelly Blackford, Agency Training Team
This is a cross post from the Agency Ad Solutions Blog

As the advertising industry has grown and evolved, so too has our relationship with advertising agencies. These companies, from SEMs to the largest traditional agencies, play a critical role in the continued success of Google, our advertisers and our industry — so we spend a lot of time talking to agencies about how we can make it easier for them to work with us and our advertisers.

We’ve had a lot of great feedback from agencies and today we’re announcing changes designed to offer them better training and more rigorous certification in AdWords proficiency, and to lower costs for those who help advertisers get the most out of AdWords. We’re also making it easier for advertisers to find certified agency partners to work with them on digital advertising. Here’s an overview of what’s changing today.

Raising the bar for Google AdWords Certification

We're retiring our long-standing Google Advertising Professionals (GAP) program and replacing it with a new Google AdWords Certification program for those managing AdWords accounts on behalf of advertisers. The new program provides agencies and their employees with more up-to-date, comprehensive, strategy-focused training and certification on the latest tools and best practices for managing AdWords accounts, including:

* New training materials to help agencies better understand recent changes in search marketing and AdWords functionality, available via webinar series, learning centre, or on-site training at Google
* More challenging certification exams to test practical application of knowledge and best practices (rather than simple recall of knowledge)
* Advanced-level exams to highlight competency in search, display, reporting and analysis
* A redesigned Certified Partner badge, which includes a “Click to Verify” element so advertisers can view the partner’s profile page for additional information.



For more information on the AdWords Certification Program or to create an account, visit the Google Certification program site and help center.

Helping advertisers find Google Certified Partners

Google Certified Partners can opt in to Google Partner Search, an online, searchable directory that helps advertisers identify Certified Partners that meet their criteria. Small and medium-sized advertisers who haven’t previously used an agency have told us that evaluating potential partners can be a daunting task, so we think Google Partner Search will be especially valuable for them.

To show up in advertiser searches through Google Partner Search, agencies must opt in and fill in details about their core attributes and capabilities. Searches can be filtered by location, agency experience within a particular budget range, the types of services provided and the industry verticals an agency serves. Advertisers can then evaluate the list of Certified Partners that meet their criteria and contact the partners who seem best suited to their needs. To learn more about Google Partner Search, visit the Help center.

Introducing preferred AdWords API pricing

The Google AdWords API allows developers to build applications that interact directly with the AdWords platform. Agencies and developers of search engine marketing tools use these applications to manage large AdWords campaigns more efficiently and creatively.

Today, we’re announcing preferred AdWords API pricing. This gives qualified Google AdWords Certified Partners who manage client AdWords accounts free use of the AdWords API based on managed client spend. To apply, agencies must have an active agency profile page and be compliant with the AdWords API terms and conditions. We’ll evaluate applications for preferred AdWords API pricing based on the criteria listed here.

We hope preferred AdWords API pricing will encourage agencies and developers to experiment with new strategies, expand the functionality of their tools, and build more comprehensive client campaigns without worrying about increased costs. You can learn more about preferred pricing and how to apply at the preferred AdWords API pricing site.

We’re looking forward to receiving feedback on all of these initiatives and to continuing to improve our partnership with agencies.

Posted by Penry Price, Vice President, Global Agency Development
This is a cross post from the Inside AdWords & the Agency Ad Solutions Blog

Google recently announced the launch of remarketing on the Google Content Network to all AdWords users. Remarketing is a powerful solution for advertisers to customise creatives to users who abandoned their shopping cart or visited specific product pages on their website. On Wednesday 14 April, 2010 the Google agency team is offering a webinar training session that will showcase this new way of targeting customers, explain key benefits, and show you how to set it up in your AdWords account.

Google Remarketing Training for Agencies
April 14th 2010 - 2pm Sydney Standard Time (4pm AKL, 12pm SG)
You can sign up for this webinar here.

To help you prepare for the new Google Advertising Fundamentals and Search Advertising Advanced exams in the Google Certified Partners program, we are also offering two, four-part webinar series covering the following topics:

Google Advertising Fundamentals
- Targeting the Google Network on April 15th
- Understanding Search Ads Quality on April 20th
- Optimisation Tools & Strategies on May 4th
- Selling Google AdWords on May 6th

Search Advertising Advanced
- Leveraging AdWords Tools on May 20th
- Performance Monitoring and Conversion Tracking on May 27th
- Conversion Optimiser Strategies on June 2nd
- Multiple Account Management Tools and Best Practices on June 3rd

Click here to register for these webinars

Posted by Kelly Blackford, Agency Training Team

To help you prepare for the new Google Advertising Professional (GAP) Fundamentals and Advanced Search exams, the Google Australia & New Zealand Agency team is offering two, four-part webinar series covering key topics including:

Fundamentals

- Targeting the Google Network

- Understanding Search Ads Quality

- Optimisation Tools & Strategies

- Selling Google AdWords

Advanced Search

- Leveraging AdWords Tools

- Performance Monitoring and Conversion Tracking

- Conversion Optimiser Strategies

- Multiple Account Management Tools and Best Practices

Click here to register for these webinars

In addition, you can watch on-demand webinars covering a variety of topics including YouTube Advertising, new tools, and industry research relevant to the Asia-Pacific region.

Whether you're a new agency employee or a seasoned veteran, our AdWords webinars can help you meet your goals. Led by local AdWords experts, these online webinars will help you to improve your AdWords knowledge and get the most out of your clients' accounts. All you need to get started is an internet connection and a computer with speakers or headphones.

View all on-demand webinars

Posted by Matthew Davison, Account Strategist

How do I keep up to date with new Google products? Am I using all the latest features and tools to run my campaigns? How can I learn about AdWords quickly?

As part of our ongoing efforts to improve training materials and the Google Advertising Professional program we have updated the certification exam and learning center.

We've replaced it with a new Google Advertising Fundamentals exam which is designed to be more rigorous and strategy-oriented. Our teams have developed the new curriculum and exam to equip search managers with useful, relevant training to manage AdWords campaigns.

We've noted some questions since we introduced the new exam so want to tell you a little bit more:

* We're testing a wider range of knowledge and the passing score is higher than the previous exam - 85% vs 75% on the previous test.

* You can access the new exam through your Google Advertising Professionals account - navigate to the My Exams tab where you can pick up your candidate ID to use on the testing site and follow the links to either the Learning Centre or the Exam Testing Site.

* The new exam is available in English only, but will be available in 20 additional languages in January.

Our goal was to bring the materials and exam up to date and ensure they cover all current products and best practices to help run and manage AdWords campaigns. We will be introducing new advanced exams in 2010, so you may hear about some of them being tested now. But at this time, you only need to hold a valid passing score in the previous exam or if you're new to the program - the new Advertising Fundamentals.

Congratulations to those of you who have taken and passed the new exams and good luck to all test takers.

Posted by Kelly Blackford, Agency Training Team
This is a partial cross post from the Inside AdWords Blog

The Google Advertising Professionals program has moved out of the My Client Center Pro Center page into a new home on the Google Advertising Professionals Program site.

So what does this new change mean for you? If you are currently GAP certified, all of your Company account information and data will automatically be moved from the My Client Center (MCC) Pro Center Page to this new site. You can access your Company account using your AdWords MCC account log in. Once on the new site, you'll be able to view exam statistics for Professionals associated with that account, learn about new exams and features, as well as have easier access to a more complete set of training and marketing materials. Each individual associated with the Company will be able to create a customised individual profile that will stay with them even if they change companies.

The main difference you should be aware of is that promotional credits will not be migrated over to this new site. Instead, you'll receive a one-time distribution of 20 promotional coupons worth $100USD (based on local currency exchange rates) which may be used with any new account that you create. As a quick reminder, coupons cannot be used if your accounts are on invoicing.

If you are currently certified as a Google Advertising Professional, you should receive an email with login instructions and all the information you need to make this transition. We hope you give the new GAP program site a whirl and let us know if you have any feedback!

Posted by Kelly Blackford, Agency Training Team