Right since the inception of the Google adwords program, Google has emphasized the importance of getting qualified. By being qualified means the individual has passed the exams meeting its minimum qualification criteria. Additionally, if the individual meets its min. budget spent requirement, they are given additional credit. So far so good.
Based on Exam one may become Individually qualified in Google Adwords. Google gives you a Page on Google.com announcing that You are qualified and also mentions the areas in which you specialize. If an Individual meets its minimum required budget spent in US Dollar terms, during the last 90 days, then one gets Certified Partner status. Both the designations are based on merit and from my experience I can say, Certified Partners do not enjoy any better support.
Apart from Qualified Individuals & Certified Partners, Google has also floated, many other designations, which are purely discretionary. Google also designates some of its partners, not to be confused with Certified Partners discussed earlier, with some fancy and confusing designations like “Google Authorized” or SME Premier Partners …. etc. On the first look they do look like better qualified & connected with Google. Google’s crafty language sufficiently confuses you too.
However, their qualification is not based on merit! They neither need to take any exam, nor prove any other kind of competence in terms of managing skills. The only merit they have is being tied to a company which Google has chosen to be their sales agent and to help them in selling decided to call them so. Some of them even have google.com email id, and they are disingenuously boastful about it. Perk does not stop here. These people also get access to your Google Adwords account without any need of password. This is not a rumor but an experienced fact. After knowing this I am ready to accept that people who reported unknown agency managers inside their accounts and mails and calls from people claiming they have seen their account and can manage better, were not a hoax.
But this is dirty! If you are a serious advertiser, you should completely skip these people. Google’s Toll-free number is picked by them only. Google should also see to it that any outside access to the account should be reported, even if it was by a Google Staff. I’ve seen one of my successful campaign being completely copied by an insurance company, and so I purposely keep some of my accounts out of MCC.
Nowadays it is possible to display your exam marks online. If you are hiring someone for the managing task, the best thing to look for is their mark sheet, and not some badges and pages hosted on google.com. Badges & Pages have lost their relevance. If you receive Phishing Warning while visiting the exam record link please retweet the below.
@google @adwords Are you so uncomfortable w/ facts that you mark your own partner site as phishing site. pic.twitter.com/sDIozxbtZO
— Ramesh (@netargument) November 6, 2013
