By Alexandra Hermida
Alexandra is a Paid Search Account Executive in White Shark Media specialized in Local Search campaigns, and manages PPC accounts on a daily basis for North American advertisers. Follow @whitesharkmedia for more insights to AdWords or download our free AdWords book for more AdWords knowledge.
You might think this is a good tool for beginners. But actually iPass.com is a great resource for search advertising Account Executives looking to get certified in more advanced areas. Not to mention getting certified in other paid search marketing areas like the Display Network and Bing Ads, which will allow you to provide a more holistic service to your Clients or better manage your in-house advertising efforts.
At White Shark Media, we routinely use iPassExam for new Account Executives to get a feel for the exam and be better prepared.
Helpful for Beginners & Advanced PPC Executives
This tool offers a whole array of preparedness questions and mock tests for all sorts of certifications in the SEM industry.
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Learn at your Pace & Style
Sometimes it is good to look at the big picture and understand how things interrelate within Google advertising. But when it comes to tests, it might be better to dissect each topic so you can actually answer questions in isolated scenarios with a set of multiple choice answers.
So for those who prefer to take one step at a time, the iPassExam program allows you to study by sections:
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For my Fundamentals and Advanced Exam, I was taking the sections I had most difficulty with, several times.
You can also see in which areas you get all answers correct and in which areas you’re deficient. Once you identify your weaker areas, you can even go back to the Google Learning Center and you can refresh your knowledge. Or, if your time is tight, check the right answers shown below the incorrect answers.
For example, here I purposely chose the wrong answer:
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I also monitored how long I took on each section to be sure I could complete the actual Google assessment within the established 120 minutes.
This is a practice I definitely will continue to pursue for my recertification(s) and I recommend you do it as well. It gives you the confidence to know you’ll be able to answer everything within the designated time limits. And you can be assured that not only will you answer well, but will choose the best answers and get outstanding scores that you can brag about.
Some people prefer to study everything at once. And you also have this option. Simply choose:
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Smooth Learning
I have to admit, studying for the Bing Ads Training and Certification can be quite a bore due to the format in which the material is presented. Every time I accessed the material, it was necessary to prepare a strong cup of coffee. So for me, iPass.com was a great way to skip at least some of the videos and get a good understanding about the key features of the adCenter interface.
An Investment that Allows you to be Ready for All your Tests – At a Decent Price
One of the things I like most about iPassExam is the value it provides.
It’s quite affordable. You’ll pay anywhere between $50-70 dollars and your registration will be valid for 3 to 6 months, depending on the package you choose. A six month period is more than enough to study for all the certifications you need to become an official search engine expert.
After a few months of training, most of our new Account Executives are ready to go into the “Certification Stage”. Most take one test and the others are then spread out over 2 to 5 months thereafter. So the time frame a registration lasts is perfect to get all the required tests done without getting burnt up studying or it affecting your everyday work routine.
No matter the size of your team or organization, they have multiuser packages. Of course these have a higher price tag but they all come with available discounts.
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Taking a Resourceful Approach
You’ll be able to study whenever and wherever you want (whether you’re at the workplace, home at night or on a weekend at the beach).
If you enjoy study groups or having someone else to discuss your answers with, another approach is to display the test with a projector in a group. Then you can go through
it with your team, vote for the “best answer” and discuss why you would choose one answer over the other.
I have used this technique with peers. I find it really insightful as you get to hear other points of view and practice “discerning” the best answer (which is a skill you’ll need when taking the real Google AdWords Certification Exams).
Depending on your budget and learning style, the above mentioned can prove to be practical strategies to get the best out of your iPass.com preparation efforts.
Some New Features – Timed Simulator
There is a timed exam simulator that mimics the actual AdWords exam. It includes 110 multiple choice questions and a 2-hour timer, just as Google provides.
If you pass this mock exam then you can feel more than confident that you’ll pass the real AdWords exam as well.
Once you’ve gone through the practice questions, you can take the mock test and make sure you’re not only completely on point with all your answers, but also gain test-taking speed for your next Google Certification Exam.
Finally, if you were wondering whether this study program is up to date with the Google Learning Center’s latest content – the answer is Yes. The interface has recently been updated to match Google´s syllabus content.
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Good Luck with All your Certification Exams!
Please feel more than welcome to add on any other tips you may have when using the iPassExam or in general when preparing for any of the search advertising tests out there!