This Google Analytics Exam guide was originally publish in 2013 but has been updated for the 2015 version of the exam.
Do you use Google Analytics on a regular basis? Are you the go-to person when someone has questions about Google Analytics? Do you love diving into data and getting something really quite useful out of it?
Have you ever considered becoming Google Analytics qualified?
What is the GAIQ Exam and why should I bother?
GAIQ (Google Analytics Individual Qualification) is an exam offered by Google to prove that an individual is proficient in the use and understanding of Google Analytics.
Key Stats
- It’s FREE! – you can take it online at the Google Partners website
- You must register to become a Google Partner first
- Now available in 14 languages!
- 70 Google Analytics-related questions (all multiple choice) – chosen at random
- 90 minutes long (test cannot be paused, it must be done all at once)
- You must do one question before moving onto the next question. You cannot skip a question to come back to it later
- Once you have submitted an answer that is your final answer, there is no going back to change answers.
- 80% is the passing score (you can get up to 14 questions wrong)
- Once passed, your certification expires after 18 months
Reasons to do the GAIQ test
- Official Qualification from Google
- Can be added to a CV/Resumé/LinkedIN
- To have idea of where you can improve upon (you can make a note about which questions you didn’t know the answer to and research those areas for the future)
- If the company you work (or hope to work for) for is interested in becoming a Google Analytics Certified Partner Google say “It is highly preferred to have at least 1 employee who is certified in the GAIQ test.”
Gathering Google Analytics Knowledge
In order to pass the GAIQ test, the following is required:
- Knowledge of how to use Google Analytics
- Knowledge of how Google Analytics works (i.e. what cookies it uses, how it processes)
- Knowledge of advanced Google Analytics topics such as Custom Dimensions
- Knowledge of how Google Analytics integrates with other Google products such as Google Tag Manager and Google AdWords
- Knowledge of RegEx (Regular Expressions)
- Ability to think logically about a problem
- Understanding of how the business would use Google Analytics
List of Google Analytics IQ Resources
- Analytics Academy AKA “Google’s Official Study Videos” – These are really good and I would watch/participate in all of them
- Google Analytics YouTube Channel – Many many videos, broken down into different playlists for different topics
- Google Analytics “Conversion University” videos – these are old (from 2011 or older), but I found them very useful
- Google Analytics– Nothing is really better than using the software itself. Explore everything!
- Regular Expressions Reference Centre – If you find RegEx tricky, I found this reference table really useful
- This guide by Himanshu Sharma– although written in 2013, it’s quite relevant for the current format
- The “Big Daddy” of resources by Jens Sorensen– written in 2010, it’s still relevant, but some things have changed since then
Doing the GAIQ Exam
In all likelihood, you’ve probably done some kind of exam at some stage in your life before. The advice you teachers gave you is still sound today.
Some exam advice that your teachers always gave you
- Make Notes – either in a physical notebook or digitally as you work
- Read everything. Read the question, read the possible answers
- Don’t Rush
- Re-read your answers before submitting
Some GAIQ specific advice
- Be confident before taking it. There’s no set finish date
- This is an Open Book exam – have Google Analytics open for reference. I imagine some people know exactly where/how to find something in Google Analytics, but maybe forget the terminology
- Eliminate answers you know are wrong. You might be familiar with this Sherlock Holmes principle: “When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbably, must be the truth”. It works for multiple-choice exams too
- If you’re not sure what a question is asking, read it again. Break it down and read the answers to see what makes sense to you
Advice from some Google Analytics Qualified Individuals
Some of the old resources are not relevant and somewhat outdated. The Conversion University itself seems to have dropped some modules such as the cookie ones which may be worth mentioning. There is also a lot more focus on result based reporting – i.e. questions on conversion rates/assisted conversions etc. which will probably throw people off this new test as these are new metrics compared to the original test. Questions are also a lot more logical reasoning based as opposed to direct yes/no direct answers.
– Alan Ng, Associate Director of Digital Analytics (Twitter)
I used some notes in a notepad I had saved from last time I took the test. In addition, I used Branded3’s Google Analytics account to look around when I was unsure of some of the terminology
– Andrew Radburn, Project Manager (Previously: Data Insights Account Manager & Analyst)
If you have any questions about Google Analytics or the GAIQ test, feel free to send us an e-mail or chat to me on Twitter @ejbarnes89