Many of us are probably involved in some way with digital marketing reports even if it isn’t part of our core job role. So understanding how data can be analysed in order to extract actionable insight from it is no bad thing. Similarly, learning how to use an analytics tool effectively can be a great help, may make your job easier and might even help your career development.
Millions of organisations use findings based on GA data to measure the effectiveness of their website(s) and digital campaigns and to help shape their digital strategy. Whether the insight guiding our decisions comes from an in-house marketing team or an agency, the better the marketers, or digital analysts, using the platform are trained, the better informed those decisions will be.
The driving test wasn't made compulsory until 1935. A scary thought. But out of the millions of people using Google Analytics (GA), how many have actually received any kind of formal training?
It’s good to know that there is some help out there for people wanting to advance their GA knowledge and skills and go beyond reporting on total monthly Visits and Pageviews. Make no mistake. GA is capable of some very complex analysis and, in the right hands, is an extremely powerful tool.
Training
On 2nd October last year Google launched the Analytics Academy. The Academy is described by Google as a free hub containing online video courses to improve digital analytics and Google Analytics skills and that’s a fair description of what it is.
Digital Analytics Fundamentals Course
On the 8th October 2014 the first course Digital Analytics Fundamentals was released providing “a foundation for marketers and analysts seeking to understand the core principles of digital analytics and to improve business performance through better digital measurement”.
I took the course last October and I must say I really enjoyed it, probably because it came at the perfect time when I wanted to start using some more advanced features and custom configurations for running my client’s campaigns. At the time I’d been using GA for 7 months and found it very useful for improving my general digital analytics knowledge, learn some new features and become more proficient and effective in using it as a powerful analysis and reporting tool.
There are 22 videos ably hosted by Google’s Justin Cutroni. The course takes about 5 hours to complete and is divided into easily digested sections and links to resources offering more in-depth information are provided. You need to pass each section as well as a final assessment. After a few weeks the course finished so if you didn’t get your certificate last October then you’ll need to wait until Google decide to re-run it – although the course materials are still available if you want as to take it as a self-study option.
Here's what the certificate looks like:
Google Analytics Platform Principles
Google have just announced a new course Google Analytics Platform Principles, starting 11th March 2014. And yes, I’ve enrolled.
Qualifications
GAIQ
Google offer a professionally recognised qualification called the Google Analytics Individual Qualification or GAIQ. It is open to anyone. All you need is to create an account in the Google Test Center and pay the $50 fee. You have 90 minutes to complete 70 multiple choice questions and pass mark required is 80%. If you pass you get a certificate and you can choose to make your name searchable by the public on a Google database of qualified persons.
A new updated 2014 GAIQ is now available which allows for recent changes in GA layout and features. As such the resources offered by Google to prepare for the GAIQ have also been revised. The old set of online videos have now been superseded by the Analytics Academy’s Digital Analytics Fundamentals course materials.
So whether you’re just starting out, have a little experience, or want a recognised qualification to demonstrate your expertise, there’s a training course or qualification out there for you. All you need is a little dedication and time.
Useful links:
GAIQ FAQ: https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/3424287?hl=en-GB&ref_topic=3424286
How to prepare: https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/3424288?hl=en-GB
Tips to pass your GAIQ:
http://www.googleanalyticstest.com/ (Unofficial test site to practice and test your skills)
http://www.jenssorensen.co.uk/2010/07/tips-and-trick-on-passing-google-analytics-individual-qualification-iq-test/
http://moz.com/blog/google-analytics-certification-how-to-pass-the-gaiq-test
https://www.distilled.net/blog/web-analytics/gaiq-study-sheet/