How can I find an AdWords consultant who knows what they are doing?

[ron_ron]

Before I throw money away on mistakes that everyone makes when you are first learning, I would like to hire someone just to help me get started. Can anyone tell me how I can find an AdWords guy that won't cost me an arm and a leg and won't take me for a ride?

[RhinoFish]

I'd say you can lower your risks by finding a certified G AdWords Professional in your area and meet them face to face to discuss your needs and to allow you to know the person a little before you do business with them.

Good luck!

[ron_ron]

How does one go about finding a Certified G AdWords Professional? Is there a database somewhere?

[poster_boy]

How does one go about finding a Certified G AdWords Professional?

You can find plenty by searching for "Qualified Google Advertising Professional" (or similar) on 'Linkedin.com'. Good luck.

[gav240z]

Make sure you find someone who not only understands Adwords, but also knows how to use Analytics and make effective decisions based on the data they receive from Analytics.

You might not always start with a profitable campaign, but if you can interpret the data in Analytics correctly you can work out ways to improve a campaign and make it more cost effective.

It might be best to also look for someone who gets paid based on the performance of your campaign!

[RhinoFish]

"It might be best to also look for someone who gets paid based on the performance of your campaign!"

Very good advice. These types are also the hardest to find.

[tomasvdb]

I'd guess most people on this forum are of that kind?
(qualified and performance oriented)