Google Pushing Advertisers To Use Agencies & Third Party Resellers

Digiday reported that with the mass Google layoffs, Google advertisers are being encouraged to work with third-party resellers, like agencies, directly as it seeks to reduce its overheads related to advertising services.

“Meanwhile, separate sources within the media industry told Digiday that Google has been increasingly encouraging advertisers to engage with its network of approved resellers over the past number of years,” Digiday wrote.

This is a big change from Google representatives poaching clients from the same agencies that help feed them. I mean, the poaching has been going on for many many years and now, will it stop?

I asked some PPCers what they thought of this and here are some responses:

I only have one word: pic.twitter.com/xVuCsFxe1H

— Joe Youngblood (@YoungbloodJoe) January 20, 2023

Based on the requirement that Google Partners have to meet (large) minimum spends AND continually increase them for “rewards”, I’d say they just want us to be the ones pushing ppc clients to spend more.

— YNot Web (@ynotweb) January 20, 2023

It’s a small list of large agencies, that honestly aren’t necessarily “better” than any other experienced agency. But they are big and have large client center spends. I’m fine w/ Google stepping away from strategy advice more.

— Tad Miller (@jstatad) January 21, 2023

Agreed. It’s been like that for awhile for SA360/Google Marketing Platform.

— Clippers N’ Tech (@clippersntech) January 20, 2023

Previously Google wanted to work directly with accounts and was accused of stealing them. Now it needs its partner/vendor ecosystem more than ever.

— Greg Sterling 🇺🇦 (@gsterling) January 20, 2023

Interesting – it has felt for a long time that Google was fighting agencies. Now it seems they’ve done an about-face and are referring clients to agencies? I mean, good for those of us at agencies I guess #ppcchat

— Melissa L Mackey (@beyondthepaid) January 20, 2023

Considering that even before today’s news, Google’s Ad support team has been under-staffed, under-communicative, and in many ways under-skilled, my true reaction is unfortunately unprintable. #ppcchat

— Gil Gildner (@gilgildner) January 20, 2023

The current system of contracting unqualified individuals to hassle Google Ads users provides little to no value as compared to professional service providers who have direct incentives to helping advertisers get the most out of the platform.

— Wesley Banks III (@Wesseldezzel) January 21, 2023

The thing is it’s exceedingly hard to become a GMP reseller. There is a raft of reqs and you need to be certified across the full suite. These are not trivial certs but require lengthy, technical papers that are closely scrutinized. 1/n

— Mike Ryan (@mikeryanretail) January 20, 2023

2- spend on search partners and display network would greatly reduce as there’d be less advertisers unknowingly running ads there.

— Greg (@PPCGreg) January 23, 2023

Forum discussion at Twitter.