The Google AdWords Professionals programme was launched in 2004 in response to the growing need for consultants to help manage the increasing number of campaigns. 'Why would anyone need help, its easy isn't it? You just need a website, a credit card and fifteen minutes to set it up?' (Hmm...running with that philosophy we'd all be mending our own car and cutting our own hair.) It is ever changing, time consuming, potentially costly & labour intensive so clients hire in Google Advertising Professionals for many reasons:
- They want to learn from an expert so their campaign can reach maximum potential quickly
- They need some TLC on an adhoc basis, improving & refining their campaigns
- Clients want to focus on business development
- It is less expensive to hire a GAP than to hire an employee
- Clients are often dissatisfied with their existing results
- Clients often outsource specialist areas of their business
In April 2010 the GAP programme was retired and replaced with the Google AdWords Certified Partner Program. Google AdWords Certified Partners are online marketing professionals who manage multiple AdWords accounts. We have to sign up for the program, have an active AdWords Client Centre with a pre-defined spend and pass multiple exams, demonstrating our in-depth knowledge of AdWords and its benefits to clients. Because achieving Qualified Company status is no easy feat, good old Google reward us with an official program logo and Professional Status page. Click on the logo to the left to check out our credentials are genuine. Go on, you cynic.....
Right now* there are just 70 Certified Partners in the UK that work with clients with less than £700 a month to spend. (*August 2010)
