SEMPO Announces Streamlined Search Advertising Accreditation Process

Google's Advertising Professionals program practice questions to be incorporated into SEMPO Institute's Advanced Search Advertising course

Wakefield, MA, August 15, 2007 – The Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization (SEMPO) today announced that they are working with Google to award graduates of the SEMPO Institute’s Advanced Search Advertising a voucher covering the cost of the Google Advertising Professionals (GAP) program certification test, a $50 value. Google and SEMPO are also working together to incorporate GAP practice questions into SEMPO’s curriculum.

“SEMPO Institute launched the Advanced Search Advertising training course earlier this year because search advertising, a tremendously fast growing career field, is in need of qualified professionals,” says Jeff Pruitt, President of SEMPO. “We are very pleased to be joining forces with Google to allow our graduates fee waivers towards earning the prestigious Google certification.”

“We know that graduates of the Advanced Search Advertising course are well qualified because SEMPO Institute’s training programs reflect their deep knowledge of the search advertising and marketing industry,” said Brian Schmidt, Manager, Online Sales & Operations at Google. “Their training combined with Google certification will tremendously benefit search advertising professionals’ careers.”

SEMPO Institute’s Advanced Search Advertising is an online, distance-learning, 13-lesson course that teaches advanced tactics and theories in search advertising and auctioned media. Throughout the course, students can interact with SEM professionals and SEMPO members through a community discussion board. For more information about the course and other SEMPO Institute courses, visit http://www.sempoinstitute.com.

“Enrolling in SEMPO’s Advanced Search Advertising course was one of the best career moves I have ever made,” said Bill Fergusson, Principal, Fergusson & Associates. “I now know how to apply the best practices in search advertising through every step of a new campaign, from inception and rollout to back-end analysis. I intend now to get the Google Advertising Professionals certification, and it’s an added bonus that I can take the certification test for free.”                 

The process for acquiring the GAP voucher will be finalized by the SEMPO Institute in late August. Integrating GAP practice test questions has begun and its completion date will also be announced in late August.

About the Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization (SEMPO)
SEMPO is a global non-profit organization serving the search engine marketing industry and marketing professionals engaged in it. Its purpose is to provide a foundation for industry growth through building stronger relationships, fostering awareness, providing education, promoting the industry, generating research, and creating a better understanding of search and its role in marketing. Representing thousands in over 30 countries, SEMPO has over 630 members. It represents the common interests of companies and consultants worldwide and provides them with a voice in the marketplace. SEMPO’s education and outreach initiatives are sponsored in part by Microsoft, Yahoo!, Google, Superpages.com, Atlas, and Search Engine Strategies. For more information, or to join the organization, please visit http://www.SEMPO.org.

For more information, contact:
Greg Jarboe
978 549 9537
pr@sempo.org