The Arkansas State online Bachelor of Science in Strategic Communications – Social Media Management can help students prepare for the Google Analytics Individual Qualification (IQ) assessment.
Google Analytics is a powerful tool that helps social media professionals manage data gathered by social media accounts. While it is designed to be user-friendly for beginners, users with more extensive training can make it more effective on multiple levels. Proficient users can analyze social media data for their organizations and teach colleagues to use Google Analytics for specific purposes as well.
Google Analytics can measure consumer behavior and preferences across multiple channels. If you are a social media manager responsible for new content, it can provide information about which posts and tweets garner the most attention. If you have created a new campaign, you can set up Google Analytics data to see whether there is new traffic to the site and how much.
Google Analytics also allows organizations to measure conversion rates. Conversion rates measure completion of activities important to your organization. It can be sales from a retail website, downloads of a software a company sells, membership in an organization or downloads of eBooks. An organization may derive its return on investment (ROI) from sales or rising membership fees. Social media managers may be asked to devise a metric to measure conversion rates and their ROI.
It can also measure user interest. Social media managers for a nonprofit organization will be able to see if new members signed up for an email newsletter. (This is known as a goal conversion.) If you have initiated a new spokesperson for a campaign, you can measure user interest.
A Google Analytics certificate lets potential employers know that you are proficient in the types of data management, metrics and reports that Google Analytics offers.
How to Become Certified in Google Analytics
To become certified in Google Analytics, students must pass the Google Analytics IQ assessment. The assessment is designed to test two areas: best practices in digital analytics and knowledge of the Google Analytics platform. The first covers key metrics and dimensions that organizations can use to mine and effectively use data. The second covers how organizations collect, transform and organize data.
Students can access the Google Analytics Academy study materials here. Instruction is available in online video lectures and related material.
The exam consists of 70 questions. Questions are either multiple choice or true/false. To receive an IQ certificate, students must receive a score of at least 80 percent. An 80 percent score equates to 56 correct answers. The test takes 90 minutes.
People who do not pass on the first attempt can retake the Google Analytics IQ assessment in seven days. Passing the exam results in certification that is valid for 18 months.
Learn more about the Arkansas State Bachelor of Science in Strategic Communications – Social Media Management online program.
Sources:
Google: Analytics Help – Analytics Training and Support
Google Partners Help: Getting Qualified – About the Google Analytics IQ Assessment
Google: Analytics Help – How to Prepare for Google Analytics IQ
Google: Analytics Help – Conversions Reports
Google Analytics Solutions: Analytics – Features
The Digital Marketing Reference: Conversion Rate
Google Partners Help: Getting Qualified – About Google Analytics Individual Qualification (IQ)