Google Scraps Agency Support

[AccuraCast]

Out here in the UK, Google is scrapping the agency support model.

Details can be seen on our news site: http://news.accuracast.com/google-74...gency-support/

Is the same happening in other countries too?

[AussieWebmaster]

thanks for the info - posted article about it on the news blog and is already getting comments

[Brian Sekerak]

My Rep told me this the other day. They are off-shoring most of their agency reps to India. All questions are filter to the appropriate teams, instead of just getting responses from your representative. The only way you will get to keep your reps is if you spend big money, is what I was told anyway.

[AccuraCast]

@Brian - let's really hope that isn't true. If Google does actually offshore agency support to India they would very quickly alienate a lot of people who hold some very big purse strings

The changes have affected agencies who spend £10k a year as well as those who manage over £1M per year!

[Brian Sekerak]

Well, I can tell you that in the U.S. it is happening. We have all account managers, except the main person in India. I was told the reason for the change is due to the level of support we needed as an agency, and that Google is moving toward doing this for everyone.

I quickly replied, I know that (agency x) has dedicated reps they can call at any time, and I was told well, "Google" is a business, and we do have to make money". Meaning if you don't have a client that spends over a 500K/month in ad spend, you're probably not going to get a hands on agency team.

[AccuraCast]

If you recall the Ad Age post that revealed a snapshot of what Google's biggest advertisers are spending...

http://adage.com/digital/article?article_id=145720

You'll see that only a handful of advertisers spend over 500k / month. Effectively, this could mean that Google is downsizing in Ireland and offshoring to India - most probably for cost-cutting reasons.

Bracing themselves for the Irish economic woes?
The timing of their announcement must be more than a coincidence!

[AussieWebmaster]

we may be reading a little more in to this than exists... but hopefully more clarification will be given as the date for the change gets closer

[searchengineman]

I was under the illusion that you need to have at least 1 million a year in spend before you even could as for a Google Rep.

If the Bar is being raised..thats too bad for Google. Facebook is going to start getting UBER aggressive, about getting more Ad Revenue. If anyones out there works for Facebook, you are looking at an opportunity..supporting your local agency means dollars moved to Facebook. I would like to believe that Google is not that stupid.

A former co-worker of mine at OMD Toronto, gets access to every BETA program Google releases. I'm really curious if those of you out there who have Google Reps..(What do they actually do for you..above and beyond fixing problems?)

Searchengineman

[AussieWebmaster]

They get you access to betas... they keep you up to date of changes and future changes and new offerings so you are ready for them - plus get you swag and take you to dinner

[AccuraCast]

They also help speed up editorial approval and troubleshoot issues (at times)

[Discovery]

We have had a Google account reps since the introduction of Adwords.

Initially reps were very important in dealing with many issues that we could not manage via the interface. Launching, editing, huge campaigns, Billing, Content publisher issues, fraud and so on.

With the advancements in the web interface and the addition of adwords editor the role of the account rep has deminished greatly.

A few times over the years we went to our Google team for advice on how to expand. The campaigns were doing great and we wanted to take them to an even higher level. BIG MISTAKE. No offense to the reps, it was our mistake. Nobody understands our advertising, our target audience and the trends we have seen over the years like we do. When we allowed them to drastically change this, the campaigns bombed.

I have always thought they did this back asswards.
They should provide support for the long tail. The SMBs and mom and pop operations that are flooding into the social space right now. Google can't find enough reps with enough experience and savvy to truly help larger or advanced advertisers - Would you work for Google as an account rep with the knowledge you have or do what you're doing and make some serious coin? So hire thousands of Yes men and women and help bring the long tail into the adwords fold.

[Brian Sekerak]

What I like is the support you get with BD, or even looking into certain vertical trends.

It was always nice to pick up the phone and get some immediate results too.