Google’s Online Marketing Challenge started in 2008 and began with 500 registered professors. Now there are over 1,000 professors registered with the growing challenge.

The purpose of the challenge is to give students real world experience working with Google AdWords and online advertising. It also gives students the opportunity to see how they can grow real businesses and non-profit organizations by using online advertising.

The challenge is open to any student who has a professor or university affiliate (i.e. researcher) willing to register for them.

Professors must go to Google’s Online Marketing Challenge site and register, The student then registers under the professor’s name. If students wish to participate in groups of ( must be 3-6 people) the process is as follows: 1) Have professor register, 2) Students register under professor’s name, AND 3) Professor verifies the team members and registers accordingly.

The deadline to apply for the challenge is May 1st.

The challenge has several different categories of global and regional winners; there are challenge winners, social impact award winners ( for people who help non-profits), and social media winners( for people or groups who create and maintain Google+ pages).

Prizes include a seven night stay in San Francisco, free tablet devices, free laptops, and $15,000 in donation to a non-profit partner.

Challenge representatives in the YouTube video claim that the experience is a real resume booster.

They also explained that you can advertise for your own personal blog.

Contestants will receive a $250 credit to support their campaign which will run for three weeks and end on June 8th. But the process is not done until participants submit a post campaign report or social impact statement which is due by June 15th. This is where contestants explain what they have done and learned throughout the experience.

The winners is determined by metrics.

Students will work with their professors to put their submission together.

Representatives in the YouTube suggested that they get a head start by reviewing the AdWords for beginners guide and watch short video tutorials on a google learning site devoted to online marketing.