Google’s Partner Program recognizes and supports digital marketing agencies and consultants who excel in managing Google Ads campaigns and delivering results for their clients. The program offers different partnership tiers, the highest of which is Google Premier Partner status.
In the digital world, becoming a Google Premier Partner is highly coveted for validating a marketing agency’s expertise, experience and success in managing Google Ads campaigns.
So, what is the Google Partner Program? In this guide, we dive into the different membership tiers and the benefits of becoming a Premier Partner.
• What Is Google Partner Program?
• Achieving Premier Partner Status
• What Are the Google Premier Benefits?
• How To Find a Google Premier Near You: 5 Steps
• Drive Results With a Trusted Google Premier Partner
What Is Google Partner Program?
The Google Partners program has three membership levels: Members, Partners and Premier Partners. Each level offers its benefits and opportunities to strengthen your connection with Google.
Here are their main differences:
| A basic membership is available for new partners starting to build their Google Ads skills. This level provides access to various learning and development resources, including exams, study guides, etc. | |
| An advanced partnership for agencies with extensive experience and expertise in managing Google Ads campaigns. Partners enjoy access to a broader range of benefits, including the option to display the Google Partners badge on their website and marketing materials. | |
| The highest level of partnership is reserved for agencies with a proven track record of success managing Google Ads campaigns. This level provides the most comprehensive range of benefits, including exclusive training opportunities, event invitations and personalized support from Google. |
Partners can access various benefits, such as Education & Insights, Recognition & Rewards and Access & Support, which are all instrumental in providing data-driven marketing solutions.
Source: Google
Achieving Google Premier Partner Status
A Google Premier Partner is a highly qualified digital marketing agency or consultant that has met and maintained strict Google requirements. To attain Premier Partner status, companies must fulfill the Partner requirements and rank among the top 3% of participating companies in a given country, as assessed annually.
Key factors determining the top performers include:
1. Existing Client Growth: Partners’ ability to increase spending and acquire new clients among their existing Google Ads clientele year over year.
2. New Client Growth: Partners’ success in expanding their client base with new first-time Google Ads clients.
3. Client Retention: Demonstrated capacity to maintain client relationships, measured by the percentage of active Google Ads spending clients managed by the partner retained year over year.
4. Product Diversification: Investment in a diverse product mix, including YouTube, Display & Video 360, Display, Apps and Shopping.
5. Annual Ad Expenditure: The amount invested in Google Ads or Google Marketing Platform; evaluated based on spending across managed accounts within a given calendar year.
Identifying if a company qualifies as a Premier Partner depends on how well it performs compared to others in its country. This assessment happens once a year and might differ by country. Also, Premier Partner status might only be offered in some countries.
Companies who achieve the Premier Partner title will able to display this badge on their website and other digital platforms:
How Is It Different From a Google Partner?
A Google Partner is also a digital marketing agency or consultant who has fulfilled the requirements set by Google. However, compared to a Premier Partner, the requirements for becoming a Partner are less stringent.
Companies must meet basic criteria such as having at least one certified individual in Google Ads and meeting minimum spend requirements. Here are the qualifications for a Google Partner badge:
• Google Ads Certification: At least one team member must be certified in Google Ads and have administrative access to or frequently engage with the Google Ads account.
• Minimum Ad Spend: The agency must allocate a minimum of $10,000 to run Google Ads campaigns within 90 days. This spending demonstrates active campaign management.
• Demonstrable Performance: The agency must exhibit reliable performance in strategic digital marketing, including generating substantial ad revenue and achieving overall growth while effectively managing and expanding its client base.
Being a Google Partner is still commendable, but it comes with different benefits than being a Premier Partner. While Partners have access to some resources and support from Google, they do not have the same level of exclusivity as Premier Partners.
What Are the Google Premier Partner Benefits?
Partnering with a Google Premier Partner gives you a competitive edge in the digital marketing world. As a client, you can expect high-quality services and strategic digital marketing from companies that have achieved this status.
Some Google Premier Partner benefits include:
1. Access to Google Support
As a Premier Partner, they have priority access to Google’s support team. This means faster issue resolution and expert guidance.
2. Certifications and Skills
Google Premier Partners undergo rigorous training and certification by Google. They stay up-to-date with the latest trends and technologies in search engine marketing (SEM) and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising.
By working with a Google Partner agency, you can trust that they have consistently delivered results for their clients and are experts in managing Google Ads campaigns.
3. Early Access to New Features and Beta Programs
Premier Partners often have the opportunity to test new Google features and beta programs before they are released to the public. When you collaborate with a Google Partner agency, you gain access to these beta features.
Google Partner agencies can incorporate these features into your marketing strategy, giving you an advantage over competitors.
4. Speed-to-Market Advantage
Premier Partners benefit from direct communication channels with Google, which enables them to promptly address any issues that may arise during the campaign setup process. Whether troubleshooting technical issues or seeking clarification on campaign guidelines, Premier Partners can quickly get the support they need from Google’s team of experts.
5. Exceptional Services
Companies that receive the Premier Partner badge are expected to meet or exceed Google’s requirements continuously; otherwise, their status might be revoked. This helps ensure that only the best companies can be a Google Premier Partner.
That said, clients who choose to work with Google Partner agencies can have confidence in receiving top-tier, data-driven marketing.
How To Find a Google Premier Partner Near You: 5 Steps
Some companies may display counterfeit or falsely obtained Google Partner badges. Here’s how you can verify an agency’s partnership status and find Premier Partners near you:
Step 1: Search the Google Partners Directory
A quick search in the Google Partners Directory will tell you an agency’s Google Partnership status. Simply enter the Google Partner agency’s name; the directory will display their current partnership status.
You can also filter results by partner status, certifications and region.
Source: Google
Step 2: Search by Location
Use the search functionality on the Google Partners website to look for partners in your specific area. Simply enter your location (e.g., United States) to find agencies in your region.
Step 3: Evaluate Profiles
Explore the profiles of different agencies listed in the directory. Check their credentials, certifications, and expertise. Look for the Premier Partner badge, which indicates their high level of proficiency in managing Google Ads campaigns.
Step 4: Read Reviews and Case Studies
Read reviews and testimonials from other clients who have worked with these agencies. Case studies can provide insights into their performance and results.
Step 5: Contact Agencies
Once you’ve identified potential partners, reach out to them directly. Inquire about their services, pricing and how they can help you achieve your advertising goals.
Drive Results With a Trusted Google Premier Partner
The Premier Partnership badge is more than just a visual emblem; it signifies that an agency has met stringent criteria set by Google, such as performance benchmarks, certifications and adherence to best practices.
In addition, Google regularly assesses Premier Partners based on their performance, which means that agencies must maintain standards to retain their status. This ongoing evaluation benefits clients, ensuring their chosen partner remains at the forefront of the industry and delivers optimal results.
If your paid campaigns are not delivering the desired outcome, partner with Thrive Internet Marketing Agency, a trusted Google Premier Partner.
Our Google specialists employ data-driven marketing to refine targeting parameters, enhance ad creatives, finetune bidding strategies and more to maximize the effectiveness of your paid campaigns. We also specialize in other strategic digital marketing solutions, such as search engine marketing (SEM), search engine optimization (SEO), web design and content marketing.
See our Google partnership status here.
Partner with Thrive today to experience the difference of working with a certified Google Premier Partner.
