If you’ve ever sold Google Ads services, or have worked with a company to manage your Google Ads account, you’ll know that Google frequently likes to chime in and upsell. It always starts off with a call from a friendly Google representative. They explain how they’re your dedicated specialist and they’re reviewed your account for problems and improvements. And then, without failure, the call turns into some form of discussion about what you’re not doing. And subsequently- what you should be doing.
In other words, Google, even when an account is being managed by an agency, steps in and tries to increase spend. From a sales perspective this makes perfect sense. In this model though, it has always felt odd. To most businesses there’s just no face to Google. They’re never going to have a Google representative show up and sit down with them. For that matter, they may never speak with a Google representative who’s from, or even been to, their country. Let alone been in their community and gotten to know how business is done, and where the company fits in.
They aren’t so passive anymore…
This has been a way of life for
Well, simply put. they’re stepping up their game and proactively making changes to accounts now without client or agency involvement. That’s right- they’ll modify your keywords, ad texts, turning features on and off, etc. And all without consulting you first. Thankfully they say this will never result in a budget increase… until they come calling the next time.
This puts Google into a weird situation. Yes they have more insight into what’s working than anyone else. And I am sure some of this automation will be great. But it’s scary because it takes control out of the clients hands. And for agencies, it means Google can truthfully call the next time and say how they made A, B, or C changes, it resulted in X, and they think if they were to spend Y more, the client will see so much more in results.
This call won’t necessarily go through the agency. And it won’t even necessarily happen with someone in-store that is actually knowledgeable on what’s being discussed. Google will effectively put themselves in a position where they can sell ketchup to a woman wearing white gloves, and it won’t even be real ketchup. Will the results be meaningful? Almost certainly not; they’ll be minuscule status updates, an errant link here or there, that sort stuff. Useful, yes. But actually warranting a budget increase? Maybe now.
Google will make meaningful changes at least, right?
This is the email many of our clients are receiving. Fortunately Google does allow them to opt out. Problem is this is going right to the clients, and how many of us have clients that see free and pass up on it? Of course not… the majority are either going to think this is great, or they’re going to miss this email entirely.
Google isn’t even backing up the efficacy of these changes! This is the worse part of it all, in my opinion. In the disclaimer they go on to state:
“Google doesn’t guarantee or promise any particular results from implementing these changes, including impact on your campaign performance or spend.”
Google
PUMP THE FUCKING BRAKES! Not guaranteeing results? I get that. But in the fine
Seriously, how can this be seen as anything but a way to slowly increase ad spends in an automated manner? How is that good for the clients?
Google: embrace your partners and let them sell. Let them peddle your Ads product, as neccessary, when necessary. Stop going after the little guys directly, and beating your chest like the guerilla you are. And don’t roll out a change that will create stealth changes, potentially to budget too, that is opt-in by default. This is all bad business. And you’re going to get away with it.
Because you’re Google.