Google has re-announced the new partner program requirements after postponing the new requirements due to COVID and the huge backlash at the new rules. Now, Google said partners "have the flexibility to apply or dismiss performance recommendations based on your own assessment in order to meet a minimum optimization score of 70%."
Here are the requirements to get the Google Partner badge in Google Ads:
(1) Performance requirement: Google said "the new performance requirement helps ensure that you can effectively set up and optimally run Google Ads campaigns to achieve the greatest results for your clients. Your Google Partners registered Ads manager account needs to have a minimum optimization score of 70%." Now, agencies and partners have more control, Google has given partners "the ability to apply or dismiss recommendations based on your assessment and your clients' goals."
It is unclear exactly how this will work. Can they dismiss as many recommendations as they want? I'd love to see how this works.
Google did say that "if a recommendation doesn’t seem relevant to your ad campaign, you can dismiss the recommendation. To dismiss a recommendation, hover your cursor over the top-right corner of the recommendation, and then click the X to dismiss the recommendation. To dismiss all recommendations within a specific type, click the 3-dot icon 3 dot menu icon in the recommendation card, and then click Dismiss all. You can see the total score attributed to dismissed recommendations. A dismissed recommendation can reappear after a certain period if it becomes relevant then."
(2) Spend requirement: The spend requirement will remain the same at a 90-day ad spend of $10,000 USD across managed accounts. Google initially wanted to raise it to $20,000 before COVID, but now we live in a new world.
(3) Certification requirement: Your Google Partners registered Ads manager account needs to have a minimum of 50% of your account strategists certified in Google Ads (capped at 100 users), with at least one certification in each product area with campaign spend (e.g., Search, Display, Video, Shopping, or Apps).
Google documented the before and after changes with this program over here.
In June 2021, Partners who meet the new requirements will get access to the new Google Partner badge. But the new requirements go into affect in February 2022.
Here is some of the PPCer reaction:
Wait, this means that if you dismiss a recommendation, then it doesn't count, right @googleads?
— Greg Finn (@gregfinn) February 23, 2021
LOVE IT! LOVE GOOGLE ADS
— Greg Finn (@gregfinn) February 23, 2021
Wahoo! Wasn't that way it was written before 🥳
— Greg Finn (@gregfinn) February 23, 2021
Yes, very happy with the ability to dismiss or accept recommendations and both of those helping maintain Google badge status. Thanks!
— Kirk Williams 💬 (@PPCKirk) February 23, 2021
Thanks for listening. Seriously relieved we can dismiss recommendations without risking Partner status.
— Brett Dixon (@BrettDixon) February 23, 2021
Great you listen, worse you even started there ;) we all make mistakes, the important thing is to make the changes needed.
— Jacob (@webanalytiker) February 23, 2021
Correct. Confirmed with rep. Dismissing recommendation will no longer count against your score.
— Greg Finn (@gregfinn) February 23, 2021
There is a larger FAQ on this change over here.
Forum discussion at Twitter.
