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Google Partner

Google Partner is a status Google gives to agencies and other companies that run Google Ads for clients and meet its performance, spend and certification requirements.

How it works

The Google Partners programme is for agencies and other companies that manage Google Ads for other businesses. Joining is free, and there are three tiers:

TierHow a company gets it
MemberSigns up with its Google Ads manager account
PartnerMeets the requirements in three categories: performance, spend and certifications, checked daily
Premier PartnerMeets the Partner requirements and is in the top 3% of participating companies in its country, judged once a year

Partners and Premier Partners get the badge, a directory listing and promotional offers of Google Ads credits for new clients. A Partner needs an optimization score of at least 70% on its manager account, USD 10,000 spent in 90 days across managed accounts, and at least half of its account strategists certified. Whether the badge should decide your choice of contractor: Google Partner and Premier Partner badges.

Where you see it

  • Google Partners Directory: Partners and Premier Partners, filtered by certification, country and Premier status.

Example

Example store, not client data.

The tableware shop compares two agencies, a Partner and a Premier Partner. If 1,000 companies take part in the programme in its country, about 1,000 × 3% = 30 of them are Premier Partners. Neither badge says what return either agency got on a store like this one, so the shop asks both for results on similar accounts.

Not to be confused with

  • PPC agency — the company that runs your ads. Google Partner is a status some agencies hold.
  • Comparison Shopping Service — often called a “CSS partner”: a comparison site that places Shopping ads in the EEA, the UK and Switzerland under a separate Google programme.

Right and wrong readings

  • Wrong: “A Premier Partner gets the best results for every client.” Right: the top 3% is judged on measures such as clients’ ad spend growth and retention. It describes the agency, not your account.
  • Wrong: “A directory listing means Google vouches for the agency.” Right: the companies provide the details, Google runs checks such as malware and trademark reviews, and a listing is not an endorsement.

Sources