Google’s New Search Program Targets Agencies

Google has launched Google Advertising Professionals, a new program for agencies that manage multiple keyword search accounts for their clients.

The new program will give agencies and search-engine marketing firms a single master account for managing multiple customers using Google’s AdWords keyword management program. It will also offer a learning center where ad and search professionals can take online training in Google’s advertising products and features, including sales and marketing modules, technical concepts and tutorials on special features.

Once through the training courses, which range from beginner to advanced, participants who meet certain volume requirements can earn a “Qualified Google AdWords Professional” logo for their marketing material. According to Google, those requirements include managing one or more accounts through the program for 90 days with a $1,000 total ad spend.

To become “Google qualified”, professionals must also pass a two-hour final online exam in the Google training content, administered by Thomson Prometric for a $50 non-refundable fee. The test can be repeated twice a month if necessary, for an additional fee.