Is It Worth It?
Recently we had a discussion with a colleague who didn’t understand what it means to be a certified Google Partner. Since it’s a relatively new designation, I thought it would be helpful to explain what it is and why working with a Google Partner has many advantages.
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Quality Control with Certification
Becoming a Google Partner is more than just signing up for a free program. There are several certification tests an agency has to pass. And, you have to maintain certain criteria to keep the designation.
In order to become a bona fide partner, an agency must:
- Have a complete Company Profile
- Pass two AdWords exams, one that focuses on advanced features and quality guidelines. Annual testing is also required.
- Manage at least $10,000 in AdWords campaigns.
- Utilize best practices in managing client advertising accounts, which includes quality scores.
We’re proud to be a Google Partner; we maintain a profile and performance record that is above average. In case you’re curious, here’s a link to view our public profile.
Why Should You Work with a Google Partner?
There are many reasons to hire with a Google Partner for digital marketing expertise.
1. Certifications – To pass the certification exams, an agency must study and have practical experience. These tests are meant to encourage digital marketing professionals to achieve a superior level of knowledge. With so many disreputable consultants peddling online marketing guarantees, certifications are a quick way to see if they are following guidelines set forth by the most utilized search engine on the planet (90% market share, if you include searches made on YouTube). Additionally, partners must re-take exams every year to prove their competency. Currently, our team has three AdWords Google certified marketers, with knowledge of various aspects of online marketing, from online sales to Search Advertising.
2. Practical Experience – To maintain the certified Google Partner designation, an agency has to walk its talk. Google regularly monitors a partner’s performance, reviewing quality scores and other indicators; this keeps the pressure on to deliver quality service. They will also remove partners if they receive verifiable negative feedback about that particular partner.
3. Access to Exclusive Information – Google supports their partners by providing a ton of information not shared in public forums. This includes private webinars, training hangouts and other educational materials to keep us current on the latest trends and best practices. Also, because of this flow of information, partners tend to hear about major changes a bit before the general public do. Another benefit is beta access to new tools, with changes to AdWords, Google Analytics and Search Console, often coming to Google partners before anyone else.
4. Get Help Quickly— Since a Google Partner is managing a large budget, we have access to Google representatives that most businesses, or other agencies, don’t have. If/when there’s a problem, you want it to be quickly resolved and sometimes talking to Google is the quickest way to do that. Partners are also part of a larger community. Rather than compete with each other, we share information to help one another. How cool is that!
These are just the top four reasons why working with a Google Partner makes sense. Can you think of another?
How can we help?
What do your links and content say about your site’s SEO? What does your data say in Search Console?
We are Spectrum Group Online, and we offer strategic and tactical consulting so you can monetize your online presence. Call us for a complimentary 30-minute consultation to discuss your website’s user experience and translate that into sales.
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