Meta Blueprint Exam: Planning vs. Buying
Both tests are great choices for buyers, but they don’t test general buying knowledge. The Blueprint exam validates your understanding of Meta’s planning and buying best practices. Some answers may seem counterintuitive to practical buying, adding to its reputation as a tough test. Let’s explore both versions in detail.
Meta Blueprint Planning
Quick synopsis:
- Designed for high-level marketing approaches. Aligning Meta goals to complement a holistic marketing strategy. This includes search, programmatic, Tik Tok, YouTube, OOH, newsletters or traditional media.
- 60 questions total
Needs Assessment 24%
- Reviewing the advertiser’s goals and converting them into a campaign strategy
- Examine the strategy for a larger Meta ecosystem. This includes using multiple objectives such as reach and awareness, traffic, and/or conversions.
- Review the scaling of first-party audiences and determine what's the best option. This includes examining CRM vs. custom audiences.
Learning and Insights 17%
- Previous reporting, analyzing performance to date: Takeaways for future campaigns.
- Research: Expect questions on creative and industry insights. Examples include Meta white paper scenarios on geo-targeted reach boosts for store traffic, Advantage+ over manual placements, or mixed placement options over selecting one platform.
Media Recommendation 45%:
- Understand bidding: Know the difference between highest value, target cost, cost cap, bid cap or lowest cost
- Targeting: When to include look-a-like vs. interest vs. custom audience
- Flighting strategy: Aligning the correct awareness, engagement, and conversion tactics at each phase of the Meta campaign funnel
- Forecasting multiple outcomes: this is based on the previous campaigns. Benchmarking key signals such as cost per result or purchase.
- Reporting approach: Focusing on the KPI for each phase of the smart funnel. All metrics are essential; however, key campaign objectives should align with critical signals. For example, conversion campaign objective emphasis = return on ad spend, CPA or traffic campaign objective emphasis = click thru rate, cost per click/landing page view.
- Creative recommendations: Examples include carousel vs. collection ads for conversions, what are the pros and cons for either placement.
Campaign Performance Monitoring 14%:
- Evaluating performance against planned outcomes and modifying the media plan
Meta Blueprint Buying Breakdown
Quick synopsis:
- Proficiencies in the skills, tools, policies, and best practices to buy within the Meta ads platform.
- Again, 60 questions
Campaign Set-Up and Initial Planning (48%):
- Meets Meta policy: What is permitted and not allowed in sensitive categories such as finance or employment campaigns. Understanding the “special categories” section.
- Creating and optimizing the target audience
- Ability to explain Meta buying fundamentals
- Align individual Meta campaigns to business goals
Set Up (22%):
- Explain the capabilities of the business manager
- Choose the appropriate campaign setup: 100% ACQ, RET vs. ACQ, Always On, etc…
- When and where to apply tracking parameters and pixel events
- Creative optimizations: When to include verticals and sound on- sound off style of creative (subtitles). Be able to explain 1:1, 9:16, 16:9, and 4:5 aspect ratios and what’s best practices for each.
Optimization (18%)
- Analyze campaign performance
- Applying best practices by adjusting buying controls
Measurement and Reporting (12%)
- Determine how to adjust future campaigns based on campaign results
- Analyze measurement study reports: Understand brand vs. conversion lift
Tips to Success and Other Things I Learned
The cost to take the exam is $150. If you fail the test, you must wait a few days to re-register. If you're employed at an agency, your Meta sales rep should have free vouchers to take the exam. If you’re a contractor or freelancer, you will need to pay the total price of the test.
Regarding skill sets, you should be able to navigate Meta ads and business manager. If your skills are still developing, take the digital marketing associate exam. It's an excellent warm-up to the buying exam. Taking these tests with little or no buying experience is an uphill battle. It's like learning to fly without ever stepping into a plane’s cockpit.
I highly recommend taking advantage of the practice exams. Keep retaking them until you’re scoring consistently at the 100% level. Although you can quickly memorize the answers, understand the thought process behind the answer. Keep redoing the math, so the formula is muscle memory. If you can pass 100% after eight attempts, you should be ready for the Blueprint exam.
I recommend taking the buying test first and scoring your first win. Then, move on to take the Blueprint planning. Also, make sure you take a break between both tests. Blueprint planning is a different style of exam. Many of the questions are strategic outcomes, what-ifs, and word problems. Again, use the planning practice test until you pass it eight times with a 100% score.
You can take the exam online or in person. I strongly recommend taking the test online. You’ll be required to upload a picture of your ID and clear your desk. Don’t be surprised if the online monitor asks to view your desk and span the camera to prove you’re alone. Also, the computer mic must always be on to show you in a quiet area.
The Blueprint certification lasts 12 months, with a free renewal exam that's 25 questions long. The renewal test is quiz-based and easy to pass. It's valid for 12 months. You will then be required to take the formal test.
Click here to watch the above YouTube video on Why You Should be META Blueprint Certified. We also have the following podcast for all things META Blueprint and PPC- Please click here to view. We have the corresponding podcast episode for you to review.
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