What Does a Google Ads Specialist Do?
In case you’re new to this whole Google Ads specialist thing, and you have no idea what the job is and what it consists of, then not to worry: we’re here to help you out.
First of all, let’s answer the fundamental question: “what is a Google Ads specialist?” In a word, a Google Ads specialist is a marketer that specializes in Google Ads and other forms of paid marketing, including LinkedIn Ads, Facebook Ads, etc. They are also very familiar with general marketing concepts and would know how to optimize landing pages, and so on.
The classic Google Ads specialist job description will describe the profession as one in which you’re expected to manage campaigns, optimize them, launch new campaigns, report on campaign KPIs, and so on.
There is a number of other responsibilities that you might be tasked with as a paid marketing specialist, including managing paid ads on other platforms, giving your input on landing pages, helping with ad creatives, and so on.
How Much Do Google Ads Specialists Make?
Naturally, one of the most important considerations to make when thinking of applying for a Google Ads specialist job is how much money you can make as a Google Ads specialist. Thankfully, there’s nothing but good news in this section.
When applying for a job with a company, you are going to receive a salary stipulated by the employer. In other words, this is just any other job you have ever applied for. On the other hand, if you decide to freelance Google Ads instead, then you’re going to need to charge your clients a rate, whether that’s hourly, daily, monthly, etc.
Now, let’s talk numbers: the average Google Ads specialist salary in the US, according to Glassdoor, is around $58,500, while the median salary is a hundred shy of $62,500. In other words, if you decide to take up a Google ads career, you definitely won’t go hungry.
On the other end of the spectrum, if you decide to become a Google AdWords expert freelancer, then you are able to charge an average hourly rate of $15 – $40—according to Upwork, at least. However, the better you become at your job, the more you can charge. In fact, it’s not unheard of to charge $100 an hour and even more.
Of course, what we have said comes with the caveat that the pay you can expect to receive will vary depending on experience, position, the company you’re employed with or the clients you have, and even you geographical location. So, make sure to double check when applying for any roles!
And if you’re still unsure about how much to charge clients for Google Ads management, we have a dedicated post on the subject that should clarify a couple of things.
Google Ad Jobs
You will be glad to discover that there are many kinds of jobs for Google Ads specialist roles out there. In fact, one of the benefits that make becoming a Google Ads specialist worth it is that the job is always in high demand, and you can always expect some form of employment, especially when you have the necessary experience.
There are many other advantages to taking up a Google Ads job, which we have gone into detail in our article on whether Google Ads careers are worth your while. So, if you want to know more about that, we suggest reading that blog post in full.
Now, without further ado, let us look at the kinds of Google Ad specialist jobs that you can find when you decide to take up this line of work.
And of course, we’re not considering opening up your own Google Ads agency as one of the jobs here. 🙂
Google Ads Agency Specialist
Arguably one of the most common of the Google advertising careers is working for a Google Ads agency, which is a kind of marketing firm that specializes in managing paid ad campaigns for companies.
In this role, you’re a kind of Google Ads strategist, consulting third-party companies on how to best conduct their paid marketing campaigns. Not only that, but like pretty much all Google AdWords specialist jobs, you’ll manage their ads campaigns, trying to shave off as much ad budget as you can, while simultaneously trying to increase their ROI (return-on-investment) as much as humanly possible.
Moreover, all of the other responsibilities that we saw above when we explained the classic Google Ad specialist job description will apply for this role.
In-House Marketing Specialist
On the other hand, forming part of an in-house marketing team means that you’re dedicated full-time to the management of ads campaigns for the brands owned by the corporation you’re employed by.
The observant ones among you will realize that we used “corporation”, and this is for a very good reason. It’s usually the case that only very large companies will afford to build their own in-house marketing team. Other smaller companies will often find that outsourcing their marketing is better in budgetary terms.
These kinds of Google AdWords jobs are not too far off from the previous role we’ve explained. The difference is that you’ll be limited to a portfolio of sites. In other words, you’ll also be a Google Ads campaign specialist, but only for the brands that the company that employs you owns.
The benefit of this is that you will end up having greater familiarity with your projects. The downside can be that you might eventually become “bored” of the same sites.
Google Ads Internship
If you have absolutely no experience with Google Ads, there is the possibility of taking up a digital marketing internship to become a Google Ads specialist with a company. Think of this as a kind of Google Ad specialist job training, where you will be learning how to manage ad campaigns, etc., on the job.
Entry Level Google Ads Jobs
If you don’t have the required level of experience to be able to perform certain Google Ad expert jobs, then you might be able to find an entry level position that pays less but has the expectation that you grow with the company and become a full-fledged marketer in the long run.
You can also find this kind of job advertised as a junior Google Ads specialist role. No matter the name of the role, it’s still the same thing in the end.
Google Ads Manager Jobs
If you’re wondering if there is any way that you can scale up when working in a corporation, then you can find the answer in the form of becoming a Google Ads manager. This is a kind of “advanced” ads specialist role where not only are you in charge of ads campaigns, but you are also in charge of a team of specialists.
As a Google Ads manager, you’re expected to have more of a strategic role, where you’re managing the direction of the entire paid marketing strategy employed by the company. At the same time, you’re also expected to manage a team of specialists that will be performing most of the “hard work” involved in the strategy.
Naturally, you can also expect the Google Ads manager salary to be much higher than the salary of the average position. However, be warned that the stress of being a manager is also much higher than being a regular specialist. So, take that into consideration when applying for this role.
Google Ads Freelance Jobs
Of course, as we have already said you have the possibility of becoming a freelancer when deciding on taking up a Google Ads career. This role is a bit of a no-brainer: you’re essentially a self-employed Google Ads specialist.
So, you’ll still have the exact same responsibilities as we saw in the Google ads job description above, with the difference that you’re your own boss and you make your own rules.
Of course, this kind of role is very appealing, as you can work whenever and wherever you want. However, there is a caveat and that’s that becoming a successful freelancer is much harder than one would think…
Especially when it comes to getting Google Ads clients, and enough of them to make end’s meet as a freelancer.
How to Be a Google Ads Freelancer
If you’re interested in learning how to freelance Google Ads, then you really ought to read our dedicated guide on the matter. However, we’re going to give you a quick summary of the process here. As we’ve said in the previous section, becoming a freelancer is much more difficult than most imagine.
There are many approaches that one can take in order to become a Google Ads freelancer, but it boils down to making connections with fellow marketers who might help you identify potential gigs (maybe they have too many to handle, for example), and people that are looking for Google Ads services.
Moreover, it’s also a good idea to market yourself as a Google Ads specialist. There are a number of ways you can do this, including starting a blog about Google Ads and/or PPC marketing in general (like what we’re doing!), as well as compiling a portfolio of successful campaigns you have managed in the past.
Google Ads Side Hustle
Otherwise, if you have the skills required of a Google Ads specialist but don’t wish to commit yourself to a full-blown ads career, you can still use your paid marketing expertise to your advantage by working a Google Ads side hustle.
Essentially, rather than working a Google Ads expert job as a full-time career, you can do some extra work on the side to earn a little extra. You don’t need to put in many hours—just enough to boost your income by as much as you need!
Remote Google Ads Jobs
The beauty of these paid search jobs is that most of them can be done remotely. Actually, this is a line of work that can be done from anywhere in the world as you don’t need a particular location—all you need is a laptop and the necessary software to carry out your role.
So, if you were hoping to find Google Ads specialist jobs from home you’ll be glad to know that there are plenty of opportunities where you can work completely remotely. However, be aware that not every company allows its workers to work remotely, so be sure to check well the benefits of the company you’re applying with.
Of course, when you become a freelancer, then no one can tell you where to work from and you’re your own boss.
How to Get a Job as a Google Ads Specialist?
Now that we’ve gone over the kinds of Google specialist jobs that you can apply for, it’s time to go over how you can land any of these Google Ads expert jobs.
We have touched upon how to become a freelancer in a previous section, so there is hardly any need for us to repeat ourselves. And of course, being a Google Ads freelance specialist can be your full-time occupation, or a part-time gig to make some extra money on the side.
However, getting a job as a Google Ads specialist is more than just freelancing: as we have seen, you can be an employee in a company as well. This would follow the regular, rigorous process of applying for the job, going for interviews, and maybe even completing some pre-employment assessments.
In the next section, we will give you tips on how to produce the best job application possible. However, before we go into that, let us give you a couple of tips on how to perform best during the employment process. Of course, these tips are classic best practices for an interview, like dressing professionally, being on time, and so on.
So, let’s get down to it:
- Explain Your Experience: you’re going to be interviewed for a Google Ads job, and naturally, you’re going to be asked about your experience with the paid advertising platform, and all other relevant experiences. Be prepared to explain how familiar you are with Google Ads, relevant tools like Optmyzer, Ads Grader, and Semrush, as well as the results you managed to achieve during your time.
- Show Your Passion: the field of PPC marketing is extremely competitive, so every advantage can help you greatly in securing the position you’re applying for. Not only do competence and experience help greatly, but your personal attitude towards Google Ads can also make a difference. If you show that you’re enthusiastic about paid advertising, the interviewer might consider your application more favorably.
- Follow Instructions to the Letter: you’re bound to receive a few pre-employment assessments in order for the employer to gain a better understanding of what you’re capable of. Make sure that you follow the instructions provided to a tee in order to give off a good impression, as any deviation from the assessment’s instructions might reflect badly on you.
Google Ad Specialist Job Application
Before we close off this blog post, we’d like to help you out with your job application by providing you with some tips if you’re interested in applying for these roles.
Sure, here are some tips on how to write the perfect job application to become a Google Ads specialist:
- Customize Your Application: if you haven’t been working with Google Ads for the majority of your career, you’re going to need to clean up your Google Ads specialist resume to display only the experience relevant to the position you applied for. Make sure to highlight your experience with Google Ads, any other paid ads platform, as well as any related tools.
- Sell Your Experience: rather than blandly explaining your experience in brief detail, try and “market” your skills and experience as much as possible. For example, instead of saying that you “managed Google Ads campaigns,” say that you “increased website traffic by 20% and generated $10,000 in leads through effective Google Ads campaigns.”
- Quantify Your Results: as much as you can, try and provide quantified results on your job application. This will help your interviewer gain a better understanding of your impact through concrete figures. For example, instead of saying that you “improved Google Ads performance,” say that you “reduced Google Ads costs by 15% and improved conversion rates by 10%.”
- Make Your Application Mistake-Free: this is a bit of a no-brainer, but any typos and grammatical errors will make you look unprofessional. You don’t need to read like a modern-day Shakespeare, but make sure that you’re coherent and articulate in your application.
FAQs
How much do Google Ads specialist make?
The answer to this question depends largely on the role that you take up, your experience, where you are in the world, or how many clients you agree to take up at one go. However, to give you a concrete answer in the form of numbers: Google Ads specialist salaries range from $40k – $80k per year. Hourly rates for freelancers generally fall in the range between $15 – $40 an hour. But don’t be surprised to find that you can earn more than this!
How do I become a Google Ad specialist?
There are many steps involved in becoming a Google Ads specialist, all of which we explained in our dedicated guide, which we suggest that you read. However, allow us to give you a quick summary of the process here.
The first and most obvious step is learning how to use Google Ads. There are many ways of doing this, but in our opinion signing up to a Google Ads course is often the best solution; if you want a breakdown of the best Google Ads courses out there, our blog post dedicated to the subject ought to help.
After that step, it’s often a good idea to become a certified advertising professional. This involves passing an assessment set by Google itself, but if you wish to know how to get Google Ads certified in full detail, we suggest reading our post on the matter.
Moreover, if you’re interested in finding out whether a Google Ads certification is worth it and which Google Ads certification is best, we have written blog posts on both.
Finally, you’re going to need to apply your newfound skills in order to gain experience in the work, and you can do this in several ways. For example, you can build your own websites and run campaigns for your own project, or you can offer to handle ads campaigns for voluntary organizations for free, or else you can apply for an internship or entry level position.
What is the job of Google Ads specialist?
A Google Ads specialist is expected to perform many things during the period of their employment. In fact, the Google specialist job description typically has you managing ad campaigns; optimizing them to shave off ad budget and boost ROI; launch new campaigns; help in creating landing pages and even optimizing them; reporting on performance metrics; and so on.
Is Google Ads specialist a good career?
If paid advertising is your passion, and you have what it takes to withstand the pressures that come with Google AdWords expert jobs, then there’s often a good career awaiting you. Not only can you be paid handsomely, but there is plenty of room for growth; plenty of opportunities to work remotely; and plenty of work to be had!
Is Google Ad specialist legit?
If you’re wondering whether being a Google Ads specialist is legit form of work, we’re here to tell you that it absolutely is. And don’t just take it from us! There are many people out there whose day jobs are simply that: being Google Ads specialists and managing ad campaigns for their clients.
Is being a Google Ads specialist worth it?
This depends on your goals in life. If PPC marketing is close to your heart and you think that the benefits you receive when becoming a Google Ads specialist far outweigh the drawbacks, then it’s definitely worth it. You’re getting paid to work in a field that fascinates, all the while improving your skills and usually being able to work remotely—how is that not worth your while?
