A little while ago, I studied for, took and passed the Google Analytics Individual Qualification (GAIQ) test. I got an 84% (BOOYAH! B’s GET DEGREES!), and studied for about 4 hours. You need to get at least 56/70 questions correct for a passing grade of 80%. There are a ton of fantastic walkthroughs out there on how to pass this exam, but I felt that some of them were a little bit too wordy, and sort of trick you into over-preparing for it when you don’t really need to.
That being said, here’s how I passed it after just an afternoon of studying, for what it’s worth:
First, go to the Google Testing Center and sign up for an account. This is different from your Google login. The test is $50. I searched around and even asked a few of my friends at Google for a promo code, to no avail.
Next, go to the Google Analytics IQ Lessons and watch all of them. Yes, all of them. I know, it sucks, but do it. It’s a little over two hours. Bring a notepad and take notes. Some people recommend having your analytics account open so you can play with it while you’re watching the videos, but I didn’t do that.
Download the Slingshot SEO GAIQ Practice Problems and read through it once. It’s a great guide, and the questions seem to mimic the actual test quite closely.
Once you’re done watching the videos, and you’ve taken notes and read through the practice problems once, go back to the Google Testing Center and fire up the test. It will open up a browser that doesn’t let you escape, so make sure to open up a second browser, and include the following 5 tabs: Analytics Help Center, your Actual Google Analytics Account, the GAIQ Lessons, the Analytics IP Address Traffic Exclusion Tool (this is only 1 question on the test) and of course the big G itself.
Slingshot SEO has proposed a strategy for taking the test that worked really well for me: Do all the easy questions first. If you have some idea of what the answer might be, “mark” the question. If you have absolutely no idea, leave it blank. Once you’re done with the easy ones, it will bring you to a screen that allows you to review either the marked questions, the blank questions, or all questions. This way, on your second time through, you can tackle the marked questions first because they are the ones that you have a good shot of getting correct. Afterwards, you can work on your hail mary questions.
The test takes an hour and a half. I used up all the time. If you fail, it’ll cost you another $50, and they won’t let you take it for another 2 weeks (although, you can just create another Google account and take it if you’d like, but that’s annoying).
The certification is valid for 18 months, and you get a shiny new logo and another line on your resume.
Want to learn more? Here are some great resources:
The Slingshot SEO guide to GAIQ on SEOMoz
Tips and Tricks on Passing the GAIQ Test
8 Comments
Twitter: leetk3zzer
Google Analytic’s has quickly become one of the MUST HAVE tools for webmasters across the globe. If you’re currently working in the SEO industry, or planning to work with clients with their websites, you must ensure that you’re fluent with the Analytics software and understand how to read and interpret the data that’s given to you.
The course Google is offering is great. In the future, I believe more and more web-based jobs will require specific Google qualifications.
I took the GAIQ a couple weeks ago and passed. Thanks for the info on tis site, it was a great resource! My coworker recently created a Google Analytics reference guide that is good to use on the GAIQ exam. Take a look: http://www.blastam.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/handy-google-analytics-reference-guide-80-tips/
Great job on passing your test! A colleague of mine just created a Google Analytics reference guide to help with general Google Analytics reference, but is especially useful as a reference for the GAIQ test. http://www.blastam.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/handy-google-analytics-reference-guide-80-tips/. I thought it might be helpful for next time you’re going to take the test to renew your certification!
Thanks for the review about GAIQ. It is very helpful. Hope I’ll pass as well.
Thanks for the info. Have to take this for a class. Wish me luck!
After reading your post, I thought if you can do it in only 4 hours of studying, I can do it too, even if it took all day and night… That was weeks ago and I’m still not ready for the test. Custom variables, event tracking, virtual pageviews, RegEx, reverse goal paths… The only way someone can pass this after 4hrs of studying is if they already knew all this crap prior to studying. I’ve been using Analytics for several years and never used half of this stuff. I salute you Tommy because this is one hard test and anyone reading this post should be ready to buckle down. I say watch all the tutorials two or three times and practice using the features before taking the test. This is not a test you can “fake”, you really gotta know this stuff to pass.
I just wish there was better profile/searching support for GAIQ individuals. It’s almost an afterthought compared to Adwords certification support.
Twitter: econversion_pl
Some really good tips here Tommy. Thanks for taking the time to put all of this together and in a logical and easy format to follow.