After months and months of putting it off, I finally took the Bing Ads Accredited Professional exam this week.

Although I have been managing Bing Ads campaigns now for several years – even separately managing MSN adCenter and Yahoo! Search Marketing campaigns before they combined to form Microsoft adCenter in 2010 (rebranded to Bing Ads in 2012) – I had avoided taking the exam because I knew there were 100 questions and I didn’t feel confident I knew the program back to front.

I thought I would need to set aside time to revise the training materials and kept putting it off until I “had enough time to prepare”. Finally, after being asked outright by a client if I was a Accredited Professional, I thought carpe diem. What the heck was I waiting for?

I don’t know what I was worried about. I got 97 percent, without even glancing at the training materials, so now I’m a recognized Bing Ads Accredited Professional.

Similar to the Google Certification (now Google Partners) program, there are a number of benefits to being a Bing Ads Accredited Professional:

As an accredited member, you can:

•     Use your official badge in your marketing materials, including your website.
•     Print the certificate that confirms your accreditation.
•     Get listed in the Find a Pro Directory to connect with potential clients.
•     Enjoy industry recognition in the Accredited Professional Membership Directory.

So I’m throwing down the challenge to you – if you manage Bing Ads campaigns but haven’t yet become a Bing Ads Accredited Professional, don’t wait for the *perfect* time and don’t let the idea of an exam scare you off. Trust me, if you use the program regularly, you’ll know the answers.

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