Looks like the Overture Fast Track, except the upfront fee goes towards clicks.
Where does this fit with the 10k minimum for an account manager at Google, and the 5k minimum per agency client account required to have a CS rep at Google?
In order to be put a dent in the business of SEM firms who manage AdWords campaigns, Google would have to shift its focus from seeking increasing CTR and ad spend to delivering sales, leads & other high value tasks at an acceptable ROI.
Once a solid AdWords campaign is up and running, aside from a little refinement and keyword expansion here and there it is not that labor intensive and from our experience doesn't take that much management.
In any case, it should be a good way to get new customers to give AdWords a go which means more sales prospects for SEM folks and possibly less need to educate them from scratch.
In a word: Nope! ;)
Just thought I'd briefly respond to a couple of posts that caught my eye.
Is this available only for new adwords members, or will google work with your existing account?
TheVisitor was correct in saying:
We currently offer the Jumpstart service once, for new advertisers only.
Moving on:
Would this service be offered to an agency/consultant or would G refuse it to anyone other than a direct client?
The service will be offered to any new advertiser who wants to give it a try. It's worth noting, however, that Jumpstart is intended for advertisers who will manage their account themselves after the initial set up - which leads to the next quote:
Where does this fit with the 10k minimum for an account manager at Google, and the 5k minimum per agency client account required to have a CS rep at Google?
As noted above, these accounts will be managed by the advertiser after set up, rather than by Google. So, a very different thing, really.
To really get something like this off the ground, it might be to the benfit of Google and their target customers to kick out some of that IPO cash and hire some people who really know AdWords (& maybe they have already) from the advertisers perspective.
Consider it done, skibum. ;)
AWA
As for the idea of google using other accounts to drum up keywords and strategies, that scares the bejesus out of me. I think google should step up and add something to their privacy policy and user agreement to reassure clients they will not be doing this.
Any comment on this AWA?
Any comment on this AWA?
Sure.
The people working on the program are very experienced with AdWords, and so are equipped with a thorough knowledge of what works and what doesn't. This knowledge has come from working with AdWords and AdWords advertisers, daily, over an extended period of time.
However, that is the extent of it.
Using other accounts to drum up keywords and strategies? Nope. I can assure you that this won't be happening.
The point about including this in the Privacy Policy is well taken, and I'll pass it on to the right folks.
AWA
As noted above, these accounts will be managed by the advertiser after set up, rather than by Google. So, a very different thing, really.
Great news AWA! The stumbling point with AdWords is often getting reliable predictions out of the self serve tools.
If Google provides more assistance in that area and posting the initial campaigns there will be a lot more $$$ flowing into AdWords. :)
It's really easy to do biz with Overture because of that.
The visibility of PPC generally is at an all time high, and every day it will hit even higher highs (too many highs I think....)
We all know that $300 is not even dipping a toe into the water in terms of establishing long term ROI, but at least it's a no-risk toe, with a lot of the potential stumbling blocks removed/moved further down the line.
I wouldn't mind betting that this was put in place due to a lot of advertisers hitting the rocks with poor technique, getting the 3 strike emails and then heading over to Overture because Adwords doesn't work. Be interested to know the percentage of advertisers who left to their own devices get less than 0.5% first time round.
I'd love for us to be able to do less than half the job for the money, but if your going to put up some campaigns for a client, you don't do 100 keywords worth and then stop....We end up doing the whole nine yards, and it pays off in the long run.
At least this way, more advertisers will not end up washed up on the beach, but it's still quantum leaps away from strategic account management.
Is the difference the Google expertise?
You will pay U$299 but they will do the job very good right?
If you are thinkig in a U$299 investing you better sign up in Jumpstart because they will not commit your newbies mistakes...
Is that the concept?
(If it is... is very good I think)
The catch, we were already spending several thousand dollars a month with AdWords.
We were just yesterday told that "this is only available to new advertisers". (If I had of kept up with this thread I would have already known that)
Now I've got to tell the owner of our company that our great wonderful plan to see a "best practices" version of AdWords is a no go because we've been giving Google $$$.
I've always thought these type deals are just plain wrong-minded. I understand (from the vendors standpoint) the reasoning but it's just like the Sat TV and Cell Phone deals. "Hey, get this great wonderful new gadgety phone valued at $300 for just $19.95" unless you are a loyal customer.
The AdWords person that called me said she could get the "Optimizers" to do a one Ad Group sample for me instead.
I can hear the owner now, "well maybe we shouldn't be a Google AdWords customer for a while then"
Sigh...
Dave.
If you are in a hole you could always try a request in Commercial Exchange to see if you could get an eqivalent.
I think where the margin is..... your boss thinks this service costs $299 it does, but you get $299 of traffic as part of the deal. It might be that $300 could get yoy some serious advice and help.
We got some interesting keyword research for not a lot of money paid out as a result of that post. I also got lots of contacts from the post.
My "Plan B" I'm going to present to our owner is exactly what you suggest, spend approx. $300 for one of these contacts to "JumpStart" us.
The fact that the $300 will not be used for clicks is insignficant in the long run.
Regardless, the AdWords people called and basically said, JumpStart is only for new advertisers and you can't have two accounts (actually she went into more detail and said it would be bad if two ads from the same company appeared for the same search).
I have several accounts. I know it is against Google's policy, but we have several business areas to serve and the money must come out of several different bank accounts, so I don't feel bad about that.
If you have a second site on the same topic, that's the best way to get a second account open.
Alternatively shut your account and reopen it :)
