Google Online Marketing Challenge

Step 1: Register for the Challenge. Professors register for the Challenge and are verified by Google. Students form teams of 3-6 members and appoint a team captain. The team captain registers under the verified professor, who in turn confirms each student team by clicking a verification link sent via email after the team registers.

Step 2: Access Dashboard. Once the professor has received a notification email and has verified the student team, the team can access their dashboard with email account used by their captain during the registration process. Next, student teams can add required information to the dashboard, move onto selecting competition partner and preparing AdWords Pre-campaign Report.

Step 3: Select a Business. All teams along with the support of their professors should identify a client business or non-profit organization.

Step 4: Learn about AdWords and the Client. We recommend to review the Digital Marketing Course and Educational Resources. Student teams meet with the business or non-profit organization and determine the campaign goals and strategy, which is then included in the AdWords Pre-Campaign Report.

Step 5: Upload Pre-Campaign Report and request access to the Competition Account.Please note that once you request access to the competition account (Gmail) you will not be able to re-upload your Pre-campaign Report. Once we verify your request, we will share with you competition account's login/password/CID details in your dashboard within 5-7 business days.

Step 6: Run Campaign. Once student teams receive credit in their AdWords accounts, they can start running their campaigns over any three consecutive weeks from March 5, 2014 to June 18, 2014.

Step 7: Write and Submit AdWords Post-Campaign Report/Impact Statement. Student Teams must submit their reports within four weeks of their AdWords campaign ending, but no later than June 18, 2014. If they chose a non-profit organization and wish to be eligible for the Social Impact Award, they must append an Impact Statement to their report.

Step 8: Google+ Social Media Marketing Award (Optional). Student teams that wish to be eligible for the Google+ Social Media Marketing Award should work with their business or non-profit to create and maintain a Google+ page (along with the AdWords campaign) for five consecutive weeks between March 5th and June 18, 2014. 

Step 9: Judging and Awards. Google and a panel of independent academics from all over the world select the winning teams based on the success of their campaign and the quality of their competition reports. Winners will be announced to all participants in August 2014.