Over the years there has been a lot of hush hush about Google and Yahoo! (Overture) giving large advertising agencies discounts for their PPC campaigns. The other day, a thread named Agency Discount for AdWords was started over at Search Engine Watch Forums. Member, GuyFromChicago, who said;
I've heard rumors (for quite some time actually) that agencies get (or at some point got) a discount on their AdWords spend. I spoke with my rep this morning and was told flat out - no - agencies do not get a discount. I've had others tell me they have spoken with rep who confirmed that agencies do get a discount.
He links to a past thread at SEW Forums where people tend to discuss that they do give discounts to some. However, at 08-02-2004, 02:07 AM (EST), Danny Sullivan received word back from both Google and Yahoo that "in the US, they aren't offering any type of agency commission payments to anyone." Note, in the US.
Shor quotes an SEW blog entry from September named Google Changing Agency Commission Payments In Europe.
Many search marketers in the US are unaware that in Europe, both Google and Yahoo offer agency commissions. Today, Google has announced plans to restructure that practice. ... Google does NOT consider the new program to be paying commission but rather having a "best practice funding element."
Moderator, AussieWebmaster, said that "Yes, Europe and Asia have them now and though Europe seems to potentially lose them from Google."
Let's see what MSN adCenter brings to the table.
Forum discussion at Search Engine Watch Forums.