While many multifamily marketing services may put significant emphasis on team certifications, it is unlikely that these certifications alone will lead to better results in Google Ads campaigns1. Here are a few reasons why: 

1. It's really easy to pass the certification test:

The certification test is incredibly easy to pass, making it a poor indicator of actual knowledge and skills. My son was able to pass the Search certification exam without any prior Google Ads knowledge or experience within 2.5 hours of deciding he was even interested in giving it a try.

It's also easy to cheat on the Google Ads test. Unlike the Meta certification test which is a paid and proctored exam2, you take the Google Ads test on your own. Not only are the questions available online, but you also get an exceptionally long time to complete the exam. And if you fail, you can take it the next day as many times as you need to pass.

2. The test doesn't cover how to setup or manage a campaign:

The training material only scratches the surface of how Google Ads work. Instead, it focuses on what has changed in the Google platform over the past year and what they're prioritizing (this year, it's automated bidding among other things). It doesn't show how to use the dashboard, let alone set a strategy or set up conversion tracking.

It takes years to master Google Ads strategy, campaign setup and management, and conversion tracking.

3. The test is outdated: 

I took the test last in December 2022, and it referred to Broad Match Modifier keywords and enhanced text ads, which were phased out in February 2021 and June 2022, respectively. Need I say more?

4. Your PPC campaigns might be fully automated anyway:

While we use a blend of automation and human touch, many suppliers rely on systems that automate PPC setup and management. There are also several industry newcomers that are offering software-only platforms that completely automate account management3.

In these cases, only a handful of team members who work on the automation algorithms are impacting PPC management. Is their Google certification enough to make a difference? Odds are they need to know a lot more than what the test covers to automate a system that will outperform a human manager.

TL;DR— Being Google Ads Certified is a great badge of credibility on your Linkedin profile. But in practice, the knowledge and skill needed to run a successful PPC campaign is well beyond what is considered a passing grade for the certification exam.

It's essential to consider other criteria when selecting a partner to manage multifamily PPC campaigns, such as the experience of the team and how they measure results, particularly in setting up and tracking conversions. While it's still crucial to maintain Google Ads Certifications, it's just one piece of the puzzle to consider when choosing a partner to manage your multifamily PPC campaigns.

1. I'm Google Ads certified. I completed my recertification in Search and Display in December which you can see here.
2. I know it's harder because I wanted to see what everyone was complaining about, so I studied for (and passed) that one too!
3. I highly recommend you do not use these unless you have an in house PPC expert who can inform the strategy tweak the setup. Most of our multifamily clients don't.