Google renamed AdWords to Google Ads in 2018, but the search volume for "Google AdWords course by Google" hasn't budged much — people still type the old name when they're looking for Google's official free training. That training lives at Skillshop (skillshop.google.com), and it's the only place you can earn a Google Ads certification that Google itself will verify. Everything else — Udemy, Coursera, YouTube tutorials — is third-party.
This guide covers what the Google AdWords course by Google actually teaches, how the certification process works, which supplementary courses are worth stacking on top, and what the certification realistically does for your career.
What Is the Google AdWords Course by Google (Skillshop)?
Skillshop is Google's official learning platform, free for anyone with a Google account. It replaced the old "Google Academy for Ads" in 2019 and consolidated all Google product certifications under one roof.
The Google Ads certifications available through Skillshop are:
- Google Ads Search — keyword targeting, match types, Quality Score, bidding strategies
- Google Ads Display — audience targeting, responsive display ads, remarketing
- Google Ads Video — YouTube campaign types, TrueView, Brand Lift measurement
- Google Ads Shopping — Merchant Center, product feed structure, Smart Shopping
- Google Ads Apps — universal app campaigns, in-app bidding
- Google Ads Measurement — conversion tracking, attribution models, Google Analytics 4 integration
Each certification is a separate 50-question exam. Most people start with Search, which is the closest to what "AdWords" originally meant — text ads on google.com triggered by keyword searches.
What the Google AdWords Course by Google Actually Covers
The Search certification path is broken into learning modules that run roughly 3–5 hours total. The content is not deep. If you've run Google Ads campaigns before, you'll find it surface-level. If you're a beginner, it's a solid orientation but won't make you independently competent to manage a real budget.
Module breakdown (Search cert)
- Campaign setup — campaign types, network settings, geo-targeting, ad scheduling
- Keywords — match types (broad, phrase, exact), negative keywords, search term reports
- Ads and extensions — responsive search ads, ad rank, extensions (sitelinks, callouts, structured snippets)
- Bidding — manual CPC vs. Smart Bidding strategies (Target CPA, Target ROAS, Maximize Conversions)
- Quality Score — expected CTR, ad relevance, landing page experience
- Measurement — conversion tracking setup, attribution, performance reports
The exam has a 75% pass threshold, 75-minute time limit, and can be retaken after one day if you fail. Passing gives you a certificate valid for 12 months before you need to re-certify.
What the course skips
Skillshop doesn't teach budget management strategy, client communication, agency workflows, or how to structure accounts for scale. It also won't teach you how to diagnose why a campaign is underperforming. Those skills come from managing real campaigns — the certification is a baseline signal, not a competency test.
Top Courses to Stack Alongside the Google AdWords Course by Google
Skillshop gets you the cert. These courses fill the gaps in actual digital marketing and Google ecosystem knowledge.
Introduction to Google SEO Course
Offered on Coursera and rated 9.7/10, this covers organic search fundamentals that directly complement paid search — understanding how search intent, keyword research, and landing page quality affect both SEO and Quality Score makes you a better paid search practitioner, not just an SEO one.
Google Cloud Generative AI Leader - Mock Exams Course
Rated 9.8/10 on Udemy, this is relevant if you're looking to understand how Google's AI-driven bidding and Performance Max campaigns work under the hood — Google Ads is increasingly an AI product, and practitioners who understand the underlying models make better optimization decisions.
Master Generative AI with Google NotebookLM Course
Rated 9.8/10 on Udemy. For ad copywriters and campaign managers, NotebookLM is a practical tool for synthesizing competitor research, processing large keyword lists, and drafting ad creative variations — a workflow tool worth knowing for anyone managing Google Ads at scale.
Modernize Infrastructure and Applications with Google Cloud Course
Rated 9.7/10 on Coursera. Relevant for performance marketers who manage or work alongside teams running conversion tracking via server-side tagging on Google Cloud — understanding the infrastructure helps when debugging GA4 and Google Ads data discrepancies.
Is the Google Ads Certification Worth It for Your Career?
Depends on where you are and what role you're targeting.
Entry-level marketing roles: Yes, it's worth getting. Hiring managers at agencies and in-house teams use it as a filter. It signals that you've at minimum completed Google's official training and can discuss campaign mechanics. Not having it can be a flag at the resume screening stage for coordinator or specialist roles.
Mid-level and senior roles: Less important as a standalone credential. Experienced practitioners are evaluated on account performance metrics, budget managed, and results. The cert is a footnote on a resume, not a differentiator. That said, keeping it current costs nothing and takes a few hours.
Freelancers and consultants: Worth displaying. Clients who aren't technical use it as a trust signal. Pair it with Google Partner or Premier Partner status (which requires your linked account to meet spend and performance thresholds) for stronger positioning.
Salary impact: Slim on its own. Google Ads specialists in the US earn roughly $55K–$85K at entry/mid-level, and $90K–$130K at senior/manager level. The certification alone doesn't move that needle — campaign performance history and vertical expertise do.
How to Pass the Google AdWords Certification Exam
The exam questions are multiple-choice and scenario-based, not memorization of definitions. A few things that actually help:
- Work through all Skillshop modules before attempting the exam. The questions map directly to the module content. Skipping modules and guessing is a common reason people fail on first attempt.
- Pay attention to Smart Bidding questions. A disproportionate share of exam questions in recent versions focus on automated bidding strategy selection — Target CPA vs. Target ROAS vs. Maximize Conversions, and when to use each.
- Know the conversion tracking setup flow cold. Questions about the Measurement section often involve multi-step scenarios about attribution model differences.
- Don't overthink "best practice" questions. When Skillshop says "Google recommends X," that's usually the correct answer even if real-world practice varies.
FAQ
Is the Google AdWords course by Google actually free?
Yes. Skillshop is completely free — no subscription, no hidden fees. You need a Google account to sign in. The course content, practice questions, and certification exams are all included at no cost.
Is it called Google AdWords or Google Ads now?
Google rebranded AdWords to Google Ads in July 2018. The platform, the campaigns, and the official courses all use "Google Ads" now. The old "AdWords" name no longer appears in Skillshop. If a course or certification still calls it "AdWords," check when it was last updated — pre-2018 content may cover interface elements and campaign types that no longer exist.
How long does it take to complete?
The Google Ads Search certification path takes most people 3–6 hours to complete all learning modules and pass the exam. If you're going after multiple certifications (Search, Display, Measurement), budget 10–15 hours total spread across a few sessions. The exams themselves are 75 minutes each.
Do Google Ads certifications expire?
Yes. Each certification is valid for 12 months from the date you pass the exam. Skillshop sends reminder emails before expiry. Re-certification requires retaking the exam — you can't just pay to renew. This annual requirement keeps the credential at least somewhat current with platform updates.
What's the difference between a Google Ads certification and Google Partner status?
They're different things. Certifications are individual credentials earned by passing Skillshop exams. Google Partner status applies to agencies (companies), not individuals, and requires that the agency have certified users, maintain a minimum ad spend threshold, and meet performance standards. Premier Partner is the top tier. As an individual, you can be certified without being affiliated with a Partner agency.
Will this course teach me to run profitable Google Ads campaigns?
Not on its own. Skillshop teaches the mechanics of the platform — how to set up campaigns, what the settings mean, how the auction works. Actually running profitable campaigns requires hands-on practice with real budgets, audience data, and the ability to diagnose what's going wrong when performance drops. Treat the certification as your foundation, not your finish line.
Bottom Line
The Google AdWords course by Google — now called the Google Ads certification on Skillshop — is the right starting point if you're entering paid search. It's free, it's from Google, and the certification is the one employers and clients recognize. Finish the Search certification first, then add Measurement (it's more useful than it looks given how much GA4 integration matters now).
Where Skillshop falls short is depth. It won't teach you account architecture for large catalogs, bidding strategy for competitive verticals, or how to read a search impression share report and know what to do next. For that, pair it with third-party courses that cover real campaign management, and get hands-on with actual campaigns as fast as you can — even if that means managing a small test budget of your own.
The cert is a floor, not a ceiling. Get it, keep it current, and build your actual skills beyond it.