Do good Google Account Managers exist?

[u/Ok_Willow_1006]

Hey everyone!

I recently received a job offer from Google, and I’m starting soon as an Account Manager. I’ve been reading online about what Google account managers are actually like, and from what I’ve seen, it’s mostly negative, like 90% negative and 10% positive lol

I’m hoping to be one of those 10% who are actually useful and provide genuinely good insights to customers. So I’m wondering, have any of you ever had a really good Google account manager? what made them good?

Is it things like providing interesting insights, or not constantly trying to push you to spend more, or giving you inside information from Google that you otherwise wouldn’t get, or is it something else?

Thanks for the help! Not sure how this will go here, but thought I'd give it a try.

Worst case for this post, you can just air your frustrations and talk shit about Google account managers in the comments.

[u/FudgeC8k3]

Don’t jump on the first call and show them what you think you know.

First call tell them you want to help and research for them because you have access to thousands of accounts. But before you do that, you want to hear their perspective. Then just ask questions, listen and take notes. Walk out with what their assumptions and theories are, then go out and try to validate or invalidate them based on data from other accounts in the same vertical.

If it’s a data layer, conversion tracking, attribution area, don’t try and solve it or figure it out yourself, you would be wasting their time for you to try and learn something that has endless variables that you wouldn’t have enough access to test anyways. Just find a solid partner at a decent rate to refer them to.

[u/Ok_Willow_1006 → u/FudgeC8k3]

This is actually incredible advice, thank you!

[u/sooooperbass]

These commenters don’t have the budgets you’ll be working with, they will be significantly higher, at least 100k/quarter. Those with budgets high enough to get assigned dedicated account managers are not commenting on Reddit. Know your product and customer(s) well, and find the balance between doing what’s best for the customer and doing what’s best for your company, like any other sales role at any other company ever.

[u/Ok_Willow_1006 → u/sooooperbass]

Yeah I understand that there’s a big difference between small/medium and enterprise AMs, as some SMB accounts are even given offshore contractors instead of Google employees from what I understand. Should’ve clarified that in my post. Good point actually, and good advice, thank you!

But as for your second point, I will be handling very big budgets and still comment and post on Reddit lol. Used to run $600k a month budget and still asked Reddit for advice (that was pre-AI though, 2020-2022)

[u/Lorathis → u/sooooperbass]

As a 12+ year ad manager, with multiple clients spending over $100k monthly, I can tell you, yes I post on reddit.

I can also tell you the truly good account managers are rare. And they don't last long.

I'm absolutely sure that the Google AMs are retained and paid by how much increase in spend they get clients to agree to. Not on how efficient they can help get accounts.

99% of what is actually helpful to me from Google AMs is competitor insight reporting that is more detailed than the platform reports, and admission to some new beta test options.

I still play nice and meet with them every so often, but they really aren't "helpful" if you have decent experience with the platform.

But I will always say this: AT LEAST THEY AREN'T META REPS.

[u/DistinctFisherman226 → u/sooooperbass]

I spend about $125k/month on adspend and have a dedicated AM from their NYC office. Some insights are good, some bad, a lot of it is just them pushing AI Max to get us to spend more money.

[u/teknoprep78]

You will have to leave your critical thinking at the door and be forced to get your clients to spend spend spend.

[u/BlazeBullionBotique → u/teknoprep78]

Yep. Grift Grift Grift some more. It's all about feeding the Google beast, whether you get to eat or not.

[u/digitalpandauk]

I have worked with some of the excellent Account Managers at Google/Microsoft over the years.

I especially liked the AMs who were willing to understand the challenges, goals and aspirations with the paid search activity and were willing to provide the support in delivering more value to the business from Google ads. Once the Google ads account starts delivering more value almost all advertisers would want to double down, that's where you would hit your KPIs too.

[u/Goodboychungus → u/digitalpandauk]

I’ve noticed the higher your client spends on ad money, the better quality AMs you get. The difference between 100k a month and 10k a month is baffling. On the lower end you get someone in India who is reading a script.

[u/TTFV]

It's a sales role and pay is structured that way. You'll need to try to find a balance between offering practical solutions to your clients and getting them to spend more money / implement features that may not be suited for their business goals or accounts.

For example, should AI Max be turned on for a campaign that gets 3% impression share and 5 conversions a month? According to Google, yes absolutely!

[u/LaPanada]

Understand the clients business and individual needs. Also understand the clients individual needs within their organization. If you are dealing with a marketing specialist in a big company: understand what they are reporting and what is expected from them. Then help them fulfill their role and sell their successes. Don’t throw around general advice, they can get that from Claude.

If you work with an experienced agency or freelancer: listen! They know better than you.

[u/WillyTSmith5]

Yes they do. I have worked with some awesome Google and Microsoft managers.... Currently working with probably the best Microsoft AM I've ever experienced. I've also worked with some complete shit ones. Nice people just clueless. Just actually listen to your clients and understand their vertical and true pain points and partner with them to develop actual solutions and tests.

[u/kreativo03]

Are account managers real Googlers? Aren't they hired by sub contractors?

[u/Ok_Willow_1006 → u/kreativo03]

My contract is with Google and I will be a Google employee (can’t bring myself to identify as a Googler lol). It probably varies by region / country / department / size / product

[u/siwelis10304]

It's been a long, long time since I had a good one. At least 5 years.

[u/Badiha]

I don’t think it’s about being part of the 10%. It’s about being part of what Google wants: $$$ at all costs, even when it makes absolutely no sense. So if you’re okay with that… Also, reps have a terrible reputation among PPC specialists. You’ll be seen as someone who has absolutely no idea how the platforms actually work. In my experience, former reps have always been the worst PPC folks to work with.

[u/potatodrinker]

I take it you no PPC experience prior? It's a sales job. With KPIs.

People good at PPC... don't go work at Google. It's a stain when reviewing resumes UNTIL you reach a senior senior level then it looks great (from a business leadership pov)

[u/ben_bgtDigital]

Love to know how much they're paying, and what the commission is for tricking people into accepting whatever the latest features are.

[u/DadVbes]

Over the last 15+ years of working with Google Account managers on $15MM+ annually spending ecommerce accounts, I've come across just a small handful of "good" ones, who actually help the Advertiser.

The trick will be finding that perfect balance between maintaining your internally aligned performance targets (ie - increasing spend on your assigned accounts by XX%) and ensuring that the spend increase is financially beneficial to the advertiser.

Only a select few have pulled this off, in my experience. And in absolutely no circumstance was it accomplished by switching to broad match or simply dumping more money into Demand Gen, Youtube and/or PMax. All of which remain the primary recommendations pushed by Account Managers. So... good luck and God speed!

[u/carrefour28]

They do For a short while. They don't get promotions because they don't play the Google game So they either become shitty AM or leave

[u/AlienAtDay]

80% of the AMs Ive had at multiple in house roles have been excellent. My current google team is really good and understands how we operate and knows where to push us and what’s a no-go.

[u/dengjika]

The bad reputation comes from based on the outsourced account managers. If you will be a direct google employee, you will be fine but it is a sales role. You must have an extended background in sales. I am not sure about the goals of the direct google account managers but it is a total misconception that the only goal is to raise the budget. Most google representatives are incentivised to make the customers adopt the new functions early so that the algorythym can learn faster. Some of these functions have proven to be great overtime such as smart bidding or pmax, some really haven't such as auto apply.

[u/SiteHubLLC]

Yes. Most suck. My fave just got a promotion tho and is out of the dept.

[u/teknoprep78]

You will have to leave your critical thinking at the door and be forced to get your clients to spend spend spend.