Google Ads is not just one of the oldest online advertising platforms, but it has also been the inspiration for many others - Facebook Ads, LinkedIn Ads, Yandex Ads, Amazon Ads, and many more. Understanding and being able to manage the vast jungle of settings in Ads gives you an incredible lever. You will not just be able to handle advertising budgets efficiently, but to turn them into a sustainable source of long-term revenue.

Through creating your own account and campaigns during the course, you will not just get to put the theory straight into practice, but also get a closer understanding of the application of the herein taught principles and strategies.

Once you’re done with the course, you’re all set to take the Google Ads certification and don’t just end it with some more ECTS points but an actual valuation of your skills which is known in the entire marketing industry.

Upon completing this learning experience, you’re able to structure an Ads account, set up all kinds of campaigns, know the KPIs you should look out for, manage and optimize ads efficiently, and how to apply a certain budget.

After completing this course, you will be able to

1. structure an Ads account
2. set up Search, Display, App, YouTube, and Shopping campaigns
3. acquire advanced knowledge like how to effectively apply remarketing
4. know how to manage and optimize Google ads efficiently
5. use the basics of Google Analytics and Merchant Center to further enhance the ROI of your advertising efforts.

Ads is an incredibly complex platform with many opportunities when mastered successfully. However, to get there it takes quite some practice and awareness of the many different options. Learn directly from a former Google employee and global Agency owner what it takes to master Google Ads better than anybody else. This course will help you approach the learning journey in a structured way and teach you according to the 80/20 rule the most important aspects:

1. Account structure: What makes an efficient account? What campaign types help you drive what business goal? This is a big part of the 90% of an iceberg that you don’t see, but a crucial factor in creating a sustainable basis for longterm growth.

2. Targeted Ads: Learn and test techniques to create compelling ads through organized ad groups and campaigns. Discover what makes an efficient Call-To- Action and various advanced tips and tricks to help you convert more people.

3. Keywords: Learn the proper methods to find the best keywords that will drive the most traffic to your website while also keeping cost per click down to maximize your profit. We will use the Google Keyword Planner, discover the various settings which are the key to success with attracting the right people to your homepage.

4. Ad Extensions: Discover the easiest way to outperform your competitors and get even better leads to your homepage. Add phone numbers, locations, prices, simple snippets of information, or much more to your ad to make it bigger, stand out more, and increase the Click-Through-Rate.

5. Metrics/KPIs: When do you actually know that a campaign is working? What are some competitive metrics that you can use to compare your company with others in the industry?

6. Remarketing: Only 2% of your website visitors convert on their first visit. What are you going to do to get the remaining 98% back? You don’t want to miss out on all that revenue, do you?

7. Basics of Google Analytics & The First-Party Tracking World: Get to know the basics behind data analysis with one of the most powerful and free tools out there.

At the end of this course, you’ll be well prepared to take the Google Ads Certificate exam. With that, you receive a worldwide recognized certification that is a valuable addition to your degree.

Weights for each grading component used to compute your final grade:

• 30% of the final grade is based on in-class participation, which is split up into the following parts:

1. YouTube Ads Discussion Board entry (5%): since its acquisition in 2006, YouTube has been a steady part of Google and its revenue. Covering this important platform for our everyday lives, you’re expected to research about and post the best YouTube Ad according to your assessment. You will find further instructions for this task in the forum for the discussion board.
2. In-class participation (15%): actively participating in the learning process is not just key to efficient skill acquisition. It is also a major attitude that helps you progress and succeed in the professional world.
3. In/Post-Class Reflections (5%): At the end of Day 1 and 3, you’ll be given around 10 minutes to contribute an individual reflection which you will post on the respective discussion board/forum. Taking a few minutes to write down what you have learned and reflect on the new
   knowledge helps you retain it better. You will find further instructions for this task in the forum for the discussion board.
4. In-class pop quizzes (5%): on Day 2, 4, and 5, after reviewing the material from the prior class day, you’ll do a short, 4-5 questions quizz.
   This is not graded and solely there for you to have another option to practice and reflect on your knowledge. Submitting it will count as completed.

• 15% of the final grade is based on your pre-class assignment, which is due on November 26, 2021. Make sure to have an eye on the assignments as well as the respective deadlines. You will receive a reminder and see more instructions on MyLearn latest by November 12, 2021. Make sure your email is up-to-date! If you cannot find the instructions or haven’t received an email, you’re expected to reach out to the professor. Late submissions will automatically count as a 0. The past has shown that this can be a key differentiator in receiving the better grade at the end of the course!
   
• 30% of the final grade is based on 2 in-class exams, whereas there will be a mid-course exam (15%) on Day 3 and the final exam (15%) on Day 6, which will simulate parts of the Google Ads Certification exam. The exam on Day 3 will be about knowledge you have acquired on Day 1 and 2. The final exam on Day 6 will cover knowledge from Day 3-5. Both exams are weighed equally to reflect rather the significance of knowledge of the respective parts than the amount covered. Quality over quantity!
   
• 25% of the final grade is based on the group project. Please see more details about that below.

There won’t be any extra homework.

Class structure: You will receive the slides for each day in advance of the class and are expected to read them prior to each day. This flipped classroom principle allows you to discover the new knowledge through hands-on learning and get a very practical experience.

Bonus Task (not mandatory):

In addition, you will receive a maximum of 5% bonus points to your grade by successfully passing the official Google Ads Certification exam within 2 weeks after the last class. This gives you an extra chance to improve your grade. See more details below.

The transformation of your grade on the 100% scale looks like this:
• 1: 100% - 91%
• 2: 90% - 81%
• 3: 80% - 71%
• 4: 70% - 61%
• 5: Below 60%

I am happy to answer your questions during class. I will also try to be available in the classroom after each class or during the breaks of each class. It is usually much more productive to discuss your questions in person.

If you have any questions before class, you can reach me at pw@ajaladigital.com.

Tentative Course Schedule

Date         from       till                 Preliminary topic outline
  6.12.       9am        1pm               Introduction to search engine advertising & basics of SEO.
  9.12.       9am        1pm               Search campaigns
13.12.       9am        1pm               Exam 1 | Display campaigns
15.12.       9am        1pm               Video (YouTube) campaigns
20.12.       9am        1pm               Shopping campaigns, App campaigns
22.12.       8am        Noon             Exam 2 | Google Analytics, Smart Campaigns, Remarketing

Bonus Task: Google Ads Certification

Task: By completing this exam successfully, you will leave the course with a certification that is highly valuable in the professional world. Furthermore, it is an addon to your education and a well-sought-after proof of skill in the marketing world. Make sure that you’ve got stable internet connection as any internet interruption could mean that your exam ends early and you need to start all over.

You will receive 5% for this task if you complete the steps below before the deadline. This task is not mandatory, but represents and additional opportunity to get a valuable certificate outside of class and add a few bonus points to your grade.

Steps:
1. Go here to access the certificate and additional preparation material: https://skillshop.exceedlms.com/student/path/18128-google-ads-search-certification (you have to be logged in with a Google account in order to access this page).
2. Click on "Google Ads Search Assessment" to access the exam. Schedule ~1.5h to get it done.
3. Once you have passed, upload a full screenshot of the result (date & time must be visible on your laptop screen) on MyLearn.

Deadline: 5.1.2022