A couple weeks back I took the Google Analytics Individual Qualification test…

Yes I passed!  For anyone interested in learning all the intricacies of Google Analytics I suggest you look into the Google Analytics Individual Qualification exam.  To prepare yourself for the exam Google has set up a Conversion University site that walks you through a series of  flash tutorials.  These flash tutorials explain all the functions that Google Analytics offers to webmasters.   I will admit to you up front, it’s a lot of information and you will need to know it all in order to pass the exam.  I went through all of these series twice before taking the exam.  For someone who uses Google Analytics and feels that they know the basics you too can probably get away with going over these tutorials once or twice.  If you’re not comfortable with Google Analytics you may want to go over it as many times as it takes to make sense of the information.  The tutorials go by fast and I had to pause, rewind and listen to several sections over and over.

I can’t stress how important it is to have your own Google Analytics account open while you watch the tutorials.   While it’s not necessary in order to watch the tutorials it sure does help.  If you are like me and are a visual learner you will also want to pause the tutorial and compare the information within your own account.  If you are new to Google Analytics then I really suggest you register an account, implement the tracking code and wait until you have a couple days of data before you start studying the exam.

A couple notes about the exam itself:

• The test is 80 questions and consists of multiple choice and pick all that apply.
• Time limit of 90 minutes.  However you can pause the exam at any time.
• Cost = $50.00.  If you fail you can take it again however you need to pay the exam fee again.

If you pass you are qualified for 18 months PLUS you get a nifty certificate like mine above!

Personal Advice:

I thought this was one of the hardest exams I have ever taken.  I use Google Analytics every day at work and view several of it’s reports for numerous clients.  To be honest, I thought I was relatively competent but studying for this exam proved otherwise.  Every aspect of Analytics goes 2-3 layers deeper then i was familiar with.  The training tutorials truly do a good job and if you pay attention everyone should do very well.  It’s just a lot of information so make sure you review all of it as many times as necessary.

Good Luck!  Feel free to share your experiences with this exam and or ask any questions you may have.