A WebmasterWorld thread has AdWords advertisers complaining that they received emails from Google pitching the services of an AdWords reseller named Yellowbook.
The email reads:
Hello from Google!For a limited time, Yellowbook will set up a new AdWords account just for you and build your online advertising campaigns at no charge.* And even better, you get a $100 Google AdWords credit to get started. This is a great opportunity for you to have Yellowbook professionally manage your AdWords campaigns.
- Professionally managed AdWords campaigns created and built by Yellowbook
- Pay only if you exhaust your $100 credit and choose to continue with Yellowbook*
- No up-front costs and cancel at anytime
- Offer expires July 31, 2011
Just call Yellowbook at 866-306-9060 or visit [webreach....] yellowbook com/tryus to take advantage of this offer right away. Hurry because this offer expires July 31, 2011!
Note: If you prefer managing your AdWords account on your own, you can redeem your $100 credit in your existing AdWords account instead.
Sincerely,
Your Google AdWords Team
At first, people were suspicious if Google really sent this email but now everyone seems to be convinced that Google did indeed send out this email.
Why would you be upset. Well, these emails may be going to your clients! Google may send your client an email telling them to stop using your services and consider using Yellowbook.
One AdWords professional said:
As a small business that only manages a few clients, I am blown away by the fact that Google is trying to steal our hard earned business by soliciting our customers for Yellowbook. Yes, some of our Client Adwords accounts are temporary dormant, but that doesn't mean we're not still working with them or actively trying to get them back on Google. To try sending them away from us is a disgrace.
I have never seen Google recommend other companies in the past, at least via emails. I have seen rumors of Google stealing AdWords clients and PPC agencies not trusting Google AdWords to not steal from them and even cartoons on the topic.
Yes, Yellowbook is an AdWords partner but how did they convince Google to send this out to some of the advertisers in their network? Was it really from Google? Did it cost Yellowbook anything?
Other AdWords resellers and professionals want answers.
Forum discussion at WebmasterWorld.
