Google Analytics Certification: Benefits and How to Get It

The tech industry has exploded in the UK in recent years, and job opportunities have exploded with it. There was a 50 per cent increase in tech job openings in the UK from 2020 to 2021, revealing that employers are responding to the increase in tech and looking to bring this expertise into their industries [1]. 

As companies integrate more technology into their operations, Google Analytics is a critical service in many businesses’ and digital marketers’ toolkits. Earning certification to showcase skills with this software, such as the Google Analytics Certification, could improve your job prospects and reinforce your skills with the service.

In this article, you’ll learn more about the Google Analytics certification, its benefits, and how to obtain it. You’ll also find suggestions for other certifications that could help your business or digital marketing career. 

What is the Google Analytics certificate? 

Google Analytics certification—not to be confused with the Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate—is a certification earned by those who pass the Google Analytics Individual Qualification (GAIQ) Exam. Offered for free by Google Skillshop, the certificate indicates the holder’s knowledge of both basic and advanced functions of Google Analytics. 

What is Google Analytics? 

Google Analytics is a free digital and web analytic service used by businesses and marketers to track and report website traffic and engagement. An important tool in modern digital marketing and e-commerce, Google Analytics is used for basic data analysis purposes such as tracking a website’s traffic, session duration, and bounce rate.

In turn, this data can be used to improve the user experience on a business’s website or direct digital marketing efforts using Google ads and search engine optimization (SEO). 

A paid version of the service, Google Analytics 360, provides advanced Google analytics features like more detailed data and the ability to use advanced analytics. 

Google Analytics certification benefits 

Google certifications are offered for professionals in many areas, with Google Analytics focusing on how to understand and utilise intelligent data and analytics provided by Google’s measurement tools. As these tools provide powerful insights into digital business reach and operation, showcasing your understanding of Google Analytics to potential employers may expand your career opportunities in industries that benefit from these tools. In addition to a tangible record, studying for the certificate will enhance your skills in the process.

As a result, some possible benefits of obtaining Google Analytics certification include: 

• Learning new skills to work in different industries

• Expand your skill set in your current role

• Obtaining a shareable certificate that could improve hiring chances

• Reinforcing and enhancing your knowledge of Google Analytics 

• Showcasing a desire to improve your skill set 

How to get the Google Analytics certification 

There are no degree or background requirements when it comes to earning a Google analytics certification. Anyone with an internet connection, a thorough understanding of Google Analytics, and the time to study for the exam can obtain a Google Analytics certification. In this section, you’ll learn the steps you should take to obtain yours: 

1. Learn about Google Analytics.

The first step to gaining a Google Analytics certification is to better understand Google Analytics itself. Thankfully, Google provides a wide variety of resources to help users understand the tools available to them in Analytics. 

Google Analytics Academy provides free online courses for beginners as well as more advanced practitioners. Topics covered include setting up an account, analysing basic reports, tracking campaigns, collecting and processing data, and more. Google Analytics Academy also includes courses on using Google Analytics 360, covering such topics as roll-up reporting, creating custom filters, and reporting with BigQuery. 

Google’s Digital Marketing & E-commerce Professional Certificate prepares course takers for a career in digital marketing by teaching in-demand job skills that can have them job-ready for entry-level roles in less than six months. In addition to learning about Google Analytics, you’ll also learn the fundamentals of digital marketing and e-commerce, how to attract and engage customers through digital marketing channels, and what it takes to build e-commerce stores. Those who complete the course are granted a Professional Certificate through Coursera and Google.

2. Prepare for the Google Analytics certification exam.

The Google Analytics individual qualification exam covers both basic and advanced concepts. According to Google, the topics covered in the exam include: 

• Planning and principles 

• Implementation and data collection 

• Configuration and administration 

• Conversion and attribution 

• Reports, metrics, and dimensions

If you’re confident in your knowledge of all the above, then feel free to jump into the exam itself. If you’re less familiar with these concepts, however, you might consider reviewing them through Google Analytics Academy. 

3. Take the exam. 

Once you feel confident in your Google Analytics knowledge, you can take the Google Analytics individual qualification exam. Completely free, the exam covers 70 questions on the aforementioned topics and takes approximately 60 minutes to complete. To pass, you must get at least 80 per cent of the questions correct.

If you’re concerned about not passing the exam, don’t worry. Google allows you to take the exam 24 hours after your previous attempt. Use this time to brush up on your knowledge and prepare to retake it. 

4. Market your certification.

Once you’ve passed the exam, you will receive a certificate with your name noting your qualifications. To highlight your digital marketing and Google Analytics skills, consider citing the qualification on your CV. Some employers may look favourably on applicants who have taken the time to earn a relevant qualification. 

Other certificates to consider 

Google isn’t the only company offering web analytics services and certifications. You might also consider obtaining HubSpot’s Digital Marketing Certification, one of SEMRush’s many online certifications, or Meta’s Marketing Analytics Professional Certificate.

Learn more about analytics

Building skills in Google Data Analytics can increase your job opportunities in many industries and is the cornerstone of many modern digital marketing campaigns and e-commerce businesses.

If you’re ready to add Google Analytics skills to your professional toolkit, consider completing the Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate on Coursera. This certificate takes six months to complete, in which time you'll learn how to clean, organise, analyse, visualise, and present data from data professionals at Google.