There is a shortage of qualified Google Ads professionals in the marketplace. I hope to change that by giving away everything I know about Ads online, delivering 28 daily lessons.
Do you want to advance your career by becoming Google Ads Certified?
Or do you want to give a friend or colleague the gift to kick-start their marketing career?
Then you will want to sign up for our Google Ads Mastery Course.
Why a Google Ads course and why right now?
As a data driven marketer, I do exactly what I preach: make decisions with data. In December I surveyed Knowledge Land members to see what topic was on their mind. What did they want to learn the most in 2015?
Of the available class options, the most popular course was the one about Google Ads. Here is how I described the course at the time:
From 0 to Google Ads: how to do pay per click marketing like a boss
A friend told me he would pay me a pretty penny if I could create a course that could introduce people to Pay Per Click Marketing from beginner to advanced in a matter of weeks.
That course sounds awesome, doesn’t it? You can learn everything I know about Google Ads in a month.
These same lessons in a classroom would cost you $1,000 or more. Try beating that!
When you say “everything you know” what does that mean?
When I say everything, I mean EVERYTHING.
First we spend several days getting comfortable in Google Ads. But this isn't some lame product demo. We talk about what it's really like to advertise on Google. From there, we get into the goods stuff, including:
Battle stories – like the one where I spent $3,000 in about 15 minutes on accident.
Money topics – like how to build a PPC team, agency and revenue model.
Elephants in the room – like how to deal with Google and why you can’t always trust their motives (sorry Google).
Certification training – all of the skills you need to pass the Google Ads certification exam. And why that’s important for careers in search marketing.
Insider tips – like how to get an interview for a PPC position, the test I used to give candidates before hiring and how much you should be paid.
What is the course format?
Each day of the course you receive an email introducing the daily lesson. That email will take you to a page where you can review the video we have produced for the day.
For those of you who prefer to read, we are planning to make transcriptions and images available as well.
What are the lessons and topics?
Lesson 1: Understanding the Game (Introduction and about the instructor)
A lot has changed in the 10 years since I launched my first Google Ads campaign, but many things remain the same as well. Learn more about your instructor and how he was able to deliver out of this world results for clients. Learn how you can do the same with your master of AdWords.
Lesson 2: Creating an Google Ads Account
Knowing everything about AdWords starts from the beginning. Learn how to set up an initial Google Ads account, what settings to choose and common gotchas to avoid.
Lesson 3: Navigating the Google Ads Account Structure
Get an understanding of campaigns, ad groups, ads and keywords; the core components of Ads. Learn how they all work together to form your advertisements.
Lesson 4: Campaigns, Ad Groups and settings
Right away we start to get into the most efficient ways to manage Google Ads. Hint: it’s not one campaign with the default settings. Learn the exact settings you should select for your campaigns in each scenario.
Lesson 5: Keyword Selection
Google Ads would not exist without people searching on Google. The main input for searchers are keywords, and this is also the main targeting method in Goolge Ads.
Learn all about keywords, match types, negative keywords and how to generate them. Access the search query report to see some of the crazy things that are happening behind the scenes.
Lesson 6: Ad Testing and Optimization
While the text ad format is fairly easy to understand, finding the right creative is part art and part science. Get to know both the art and science behind the ads you run in Google Ads.
Lesson 7: Quality Scores
An algorithm that rates the effectiveness of your ads. It can be your best friend or worst nightmare. Learn how to use it to your advantage!
Lesson 8: Google Ads Auction and Bidding Strategies
How do you maximize your results while minimizing your ad spend? Here are some strategies that will lead you well on the path to peak efficiency.
Lesson 9: Tools of the Trade
Now that you see how campaigns are up and running, it’s time to get more efficient. Learn some of the tools that go into building top performing Google Ads campaigns.
Lesson 10: Metrics of the Trade
Get familiar with the metrics that you will be seeing throughout the Google Ads interface. Learn which metrics are important and which ones can be misleading.
Lesson 11: Ad Extensions
Beyond the basic Google Ads implementation, you can also extend your ads in several creative ways. Learn your options and when to best use them!
Lesson 12: Conversions
After we become comfortable advertising on Google, it comes time to measure results. Without an understanding of what is working, it’s very difficult to become efficient. Learn about tracking pixels, conversion optimization and how to troubleshoot when things aren’t working.
Lesson 13: Geographic and Language Targeting
Do you want to advertise in Canada? That will happen if you don’t check your default settings. Learn about country, language, city and state targeting in Google Ads.
Lesson 14: All About Billing and Options
Credit card billing, invoicing and more. Learn how Google Ads spend on credit cards paid for my honeymoon!
Lesson 15: Having a representative with Google
Large advertisers often have dedicated teams from Google. They can provide you with great insider research and industry benchmarks. Learn how to use this to your advantage while being cautious about the recommendations.
Lesson 16: My Client Center
Manage multiple Google Ads accounts in one place? Yes please! Learn how My Client Center (MCC) works and why we all need one.
Lesson 17: How to Earn a Positive Return
Many advertisers spend with Google Ads and fail to see the value. They simply don’t make enough money to justify the amounts they pay per click. Learn how to drive a positive return with any AdWord account.
Lesson 18: Seeing your ads in the wild
Step outside of your world for a minute to see how your ads look in the real world. Would you click on them if you were a prospect? How do you appear to searchers?
Lesson 19: Google Display Network
Advertise on millions of websites with the Google Display Network (GDN). Understand remarketing, targeting, ad formats and exclusions.
Lesson 20: Device Targeting
Should you treat mobile visitors differently than your main site? Probably! Learn how to differentiate this traffic and make sure you are always advertising in the right place.
Lesson 21: Account Administration
With great advertising power comes great responsibility. Learn how to manage a Google Ads account the right way. User administration, change history, account access and more.
Lesson 22: Bid Optimization
Big accounts have the temptation to use software to automate common tasks. Is software the answer? Learn how to assess the situation and take a strategy-first approach.
Lesson 23: Account Optimization
Most Google Ads accounts don’t age gracefully. Learn the maintenance that you need to do in order to keep running in peak-condition.
Lesson 24: How to get Compensated for Your Work?
Time to start talking about money. Learn revenue models for PPC management agencies, consultants and software vendors. Understand how to charge for your work fairly for both manager and advertiser.
Lesson 25: Paid Search as a Career
As a hiring manager who saw thousands of resumes for PPC positions, I saw the good, bad and ugly of job seekers. Learn how to avoid the most common mistakes and make yourself look more appealing.
Lesson 26: Working With/at a PPC Management Agency
How do you deal with clients who are unreasonable? What is the career path for someone getting into this field? Learn that and more.
Lesson 27: Google Shopping Campaigns and Product Listing Ads
For pure e-commerce companies, here is a method for generating strong revenues and return on investment. Learn how it works and where you can get started.
Lesson 28: Becoming Google Certified
At the end of this course, we want you to be a certified Google Ads individual. Learn what that certification means and how to achieve it. Then pass that test and basque in the glory!
What makes this course unique?
This is not a product demo with Google Ads, but rather a blueprint for becoming a great search marketer. I have been fascinated with paid search marketing since 1999, when my dad showed me the keyword campaigns he was running with Overture (now Yahoo Search Marketing).
When I started getting really serious about the business 10 years ago, there was very little information available teaching you how to be a great search marketer. I had to figure it out myself.
This course draws from all of the energy that went into growing a business through paid search. We cover lessons learned while managing well over $20,000,000 in Google Ads spend. We give a perspective of what it was like to go from managing our first $100/month campaign to managing millions in spend each year. We share secrets of how to get your resume noticed by prospective employers.
We share opinions.
We give away techniques.
We make you excited to apply everything that you learned.
Why are you making this course again?
Because I banged my head against a wall for 5 years trying to find qualified professionals to fill roles in search marketing. It took a hundred resumes to get 5 quality interviews, and several rounds of interviews before landing an employee who fit with the culture of the company. And had the skill that we needed.
It didn’t take long to realize that the talent levels would never grow if the industry didn’t do anything about it. I could either place responsibility for training on the “industry” or I could take on that responsibility myself.
That responsibility came in the form of teaching classes in Minneapolis at the DemandQuest training institute with Ted Kozlowski. Together, we developed Google Ads and Google Analytics certification courses that have had thousands of students.
Word spread and soon we had requests to hold classes for people all over the world. As much as I like world travel, it is difficult to fulfill all of those requests in person.
That is why I have taken to the online world to teach those who want to learn about Digital Marketing. Now we take you to Google Analytics certification or Google Ads certification in matter of several weeks.
This course is going to start in February and showcase 28 lessons in 28 days. You can start on February 1st or any time in the future.
Over the course of 28 days I will teach you everything that I know.
Will I really be a Google Ads expert at the end?
You will have more knowledge than 99% of the marketers I interviewed during my agency days. You will also be taking the Google Ads certification exam to prove your expertise. By learning from an expert, you will think and act like an expert.
Why should I learn from you, Jeff Sauer?
Because I am going to show you the skills you need to make more money.
I am going to entertain you.
You will be drinking from a firehose of information, and you will keep on coming back for more.
Time will fly by, and within a month you will be a force to be reckoned with!
Don't just take my word for it, here are some testimonial tweets and presentations that have reached hundreds of thousands of marketers all over the world.
@jeffsauer Congratulations on making the list Jeff: Top 25 Most Influential #PPC Experts for 2014! http://t.co/lPAQsFCSZb #Top25
— PPC Hero (@ppchero) July 23, 2014
Vote for him and your other favorites at the Reg desk! MT @KHallecy: @jeffalytics thank you! Best speaker I've heard so far. #heroconf — PPC Hero (@ppchero) April 29, 2014
Advanced Google AdWords for E-Commerce Websites by @jeffalytics #catalogmarketing #ecommerce http://t.co/nhLd35x8sm via @SlideShare — Dmitry Perlovich (@dperlovich) April 25, 2014
How to get the “True ROI Measurement Using Google AdWords, Google Analytics and Excel” by @jeffalytics #PPC #AdWords http://t.co/Ct3yEvPdST
— White Shark Media™ (@WhiteSharkMedia) April 7, 2014
“Expectation management is usually the best strategy of all…” @jeffalytics nails it http://t.co/iLRtnos7Th — Brett Reifers (@BrettReif) May 31, 2013
Congrats to 4 other MN #PPC pros on @PPCHero Top 25 Influencers @jeffsauer @mannyrivas @lisarocksSEM & @Realicity! http://t.co/lDqSH3N9oa — martyweintraub (@martyweintraub) July 22, 2014
@jeffsauer Congrats, Jeff! Top 25 influential PPC heroes of 2014. http://t.co/oLE3Rw1WxG
— Chris Bradley (@bradleywrites) July 22, 2014
Measure PPC Program Value with Google Analytics by @jeffalytics – thanks for mentioning Supermetrics Uploader! http://t.co/yGR6D5geuo — Supermetrics (@Supermetrics) May 2, 2014
@jeffsauer been fans of @jeffalytics blog for a while. Love to know what you think of our ppc budget tracking app http://t.co/SHjmbuhFKe.
— SteadyBudget (@SteadyBudget) November 7, 2014
True: #14 – You don't have dedicated PPC landnig pages?! 22 Reasons Why Your Website Sucks http://t.co/35qJ1bFF2M via @jeffalytics — Elizabeth Lord (@lizlordPPC) July 18, 2014
Another packed house for @mnsearch event on PPC, #searchsnippets with @jeffsauer http://t.co/vdr3a3ld — Aaron Weiche (@AaronWeiche) August 29, 2012
PPC Optimization Emails and Why You Should Ignore Them – http://t.co/YDttTON1AY pic.twitter.com/PKyjEGrdSw
— Jeff Sauer (@jeffsauer) March 12, 2013
Can we up our attribution game? We think so! learning @ attributing the right value to PPC efforts with @jeffalytics & @jeffbaum71 #heroconf
— Point It (@point_it) April 29, 2014
PPC Strategy: These 3 Paid Search Strategies Are All You Ever Need http://t.co/mnCXrw9BWO indepth article from @jeffalytics #ppcsearch — Carl Potts (@carl_potts) April 16, 2014
Is it really this simple? @jeffalytics thinks so. Read these 3 effective #PPC strategies to boost your brand: http://t.co/XGeEJM1O9m
— Fuze SEO, Inc. (@FuzeSEO) November 6, 2013
Interesting Stat: 82.7% of all US PPC Spend goes to Google http://t.co/25pS0ZbHy5 — Jeffalytics (@jeffalytics) December 15, 2014
Advanced #PPC for #eCommerce #Websites (Presentation) http://t.co/HATpzRZy. Thanks @jeffsauer for writing great #content! — Tracy Huang (@TracyHuangMe) December 5, 2012
True ROi: great presentation and great post http://t.co/BlFar3CSZl by @jeffalytics #measurecamp — Guiomar Gonzalez (@guiogl) April 3, 2014
True ROI Measurement for E-Commerce Websites. It was a personal eye opener on #Measurecamp http://t.co/vbB84c2E2o via @jeffalytics — Tim Stierman (@timstierman) April 1, 2014
True AdWords ROI measurement for ecom sites with @jeffalytics. #measurecamp pic.twitter.com/Xsj9PoO3Qg — Casper Blicher Olsen (@casperblicher) March 29, 2014
awesome teachers: @jeffalytics @tedkozlowski @scott_dodge awesome classes #analytics #adwords #SEO starting this week http://t.co/QDhpwcvIAX — DemandQuest (@DemandQuest) April 30, 2013
True ROI Measurement using Google AdWords, Google Analytics & Excel http://t.co/REMIuap8lr via @jeffalytics — Web Analytics World (@waworld) April 4, 2014
Jeff's excellent presentation from #MeasureCamp.True ROI Measurement using AdWords, GA and Excel http://t.co/dUhEVfDW93 via @jeffalytics — Simo Ahava (@SimoAhava) March 31, 2014
Excellent article – illustrates how #ppc and #seo could tie in RT @GrowthHackerSEO 6 New Features http://t.co/on5NASLH5V @jeffsauer — Theodora Dimou (@DorasWebWorld) November 26, 2014
TL;DR
I created an online Google Ads that teaches professionals how to become more comfortable with Google AdWords. The course features a lesson a day for 28 days.
Most of the lessons are conducted right within the Google Ads interface and provide a thorough understanding of how Google Ads works from the inside out.
Not only will you gain a complete understanding of Google Ads, but you will have fun along the way!