Archive for the ‘Google Adwords Professionals’ Category

Google Advertising Professionals Search

November 22, 2009

Preparing to take my Google Advertising Professionals exam, I have had to spend a lot of time poking around in the Google Advertising Professionals section of Google Adwords.

From within the Pro Center in my Google Adwords Client Center, I discovered Google Professionals Search.

According to Google Adverting Professionals Search:

Google Professionals Search is a way to find a list of agencies that are Google Advertising Professionals. Advertisers might use it to look for agencies to help them manage their AdWords campaigns, or they may be just starting out and looking for help getting started.

One of the drivers for agencies or consultants to become qualified and badged is to support their new business activity. Many agencies and Google Advertising Professionals have asked for additional visibility of their certified status, so we’re adding another way for advertisers to find our agency partners.

We’ll direct advertisers looking for help through information in help centers and other appropriate places.

To be included, you’ll need to opt in to the Professionals Search; you won’t be included without your express permission. If you opt in, we’ll ask you to provide additional information to match you with advertisers you’re willing to help. We’ll ask you to choose a minimum budget range you’re willing to work with, the type of services you offer, as well as provide your website and company name so interested advertisers can contact you. Note, if you opt in, but don’t provide this information, you will not show up for any searches (since parameters will not be set). We think this helps match suitable professionals, and we’ll test and refine as we learn more about the success of the Professionals Search.

Search For Google Advertising Professionals

Search For Google Advertising Professionals

I am not sure whether Google Advertising Professionals Search is a new or old feature in Google Adwords, but the search function isn’t enabled or active.

Google Advertising Professionals Search 404

Google Advertising Professionals Search 404

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Google Adwords Professional Status Post Mortem

October 21, 2009

I received the following email today from Google regarding the expiration of my Google Adwords Professional status.

Email Notice

Email Notice

We are writing to alert you that your Company’s Qualified status in the Google Advertising Professionals Program has lapsed. This has happened for one of the following reasons:

At least one required exam for a Professional associated with your program has expired

Your spend for client accounts has dropped below the 90-day requirement

Log into your Google Advertising Professionals account here to learn more.

Your Company account pages at the Google Advertising Professionals Program site have also been updated to reflect this information. Please log into your account to learn more about how you can correct this problem as soon as possible.

Your authorization to use the Qualified logo has been revoked, and you may not link to it or use it in your promotional materials until you have regained your Qualified status.

To learn more about program qualification requirements, please visit the Help Center.

Sincerely,

Google Advertising Professionals Team

You have received this email because you are an Administrator of a Company account in the Google Advertising Professionals program. As such, we send you alerts and notifications when critical events take place that require your attention.

_________________________________________________________________________

Indeed, my Google Adwords Company summary page has had my portion of its account’s history scraped, however the number of days since I created my first Adwords account and my 90 managed spend data are still visible.

As I wrote about previously, I actually created my first Adwords account in March of 2002. I don’t know why this isn’t correct within my account’s data.

Qualified Status

Qualified Status

As mentioned in their email, Google has disabled the link to the Professional status badge I previously linked to.

For those of you keeping track – Google does this on the 30th day after an individual’s status expires.

Adwords Professional Lapse

Adwords Professional Lapse

I was one of the first 25 people in the world to pass the Google Adwords Professional Exam – a long time ago.

When the Adwords Professional program was launched, there was no mention of having to retake an exam every two years to remain qualified.

Being asked to retake their exam isn’t unreasonable – its just inconvenient.

I am not sure when or if Google ever officially announced Adwords Professionals had to take an exam every two years to remain qualified but for those of you who weren’t aware of this requirement – in addition to the Google Adwords minimum spend requirements – you do.

Yes, I did receive notice from Google in My Client Center account about my Adwords Professional status expiring – fourteen days before it expired!

Adwords Pro Messages

Adwords Pro Messages

Maybe its just me, but I need more than 14 days advance notice to plan for, schedule, take and pass a test – particularly one I hadn’t planned on taking.

How about this Google Advertising Professionals team: Can Adwords Professionals get 30 days notice prior to an Adwords Professional status lapsing instead of fourteen?

I am sure a majority of the other 1,000+ Google Advertising Professionals in the world would second and ratify my motion.

This would surely help those of us who spend all of our time managing Google Adwords accounts instead of spending our time taking tests to prove we know how to manage Adwords accounts.

Sample Adwords My Client Center User Interface and API Access Request

August 20, 2009

Anytime a Google Adwords Professional or Adwords Management firm begins the Adwords account management process, its highly likely they will initiate either User Interface or API access to manage the account – or both.

Google Adwords API Access and Management

Google Adwords API Access and Management

Once initiated, the Google Adwords account holder will receive a message like the one above in their Adwords account where they can either accept or reject the account management request.

Once the request is accepted, the Adwords account manager will then see the new account in their My Client Center along with all of the other accounts they manage.

Adding an account to the manager’s My Client Center lets an Adwords Professional manage all of their client’s accounts from a single User Interface – their My Client Center.

Include Your Twitter Address in YouTube Videos

February 3, 2009

Danny Sullivan tweeted his plans for placing his Twitter address on his business cards.

Great idea.

I too have been considering ways to cross promote some of my content from one platform to another.

His tweet prompted me to follow through with several ideas I have had for extending my Twitter account’s reach.

I have added my Twitter address to my Google Adwords Professional video on YouTube.

YouTube Twitter

YouTube Twitter

To me, it seems only natural for YouTube producers to add their Twitter contact details to their videos.

I am surprised YouTube hasn’t yet added Twitter as one of their sharing options.

Share YouTube with Twitter

Share YouTube with Twitter

Its not an option on YouTube yet…

Surely adding Twitter to YouTube’s share options would help both properties further develop and deepen their respective shares audience attention.

Connecting YouTube’s  and Twitter’s audiences may provide further monetization opportunities as well.

Linkedin Applications: Add A WordPress Blog To Your Linkedin.com Profile

October 29, 2008

Several years ago Christian Mayaud invited me to join Linkedin.

When I created my account, little did I know Linkedin.com would go on to become the defacto online business networking site – the Myspace and Facebook for working adults.

As with most new technology tools, I was slow to fully embrace Linkedin’s potential power simply because I wanted to make sure my use of Linkedin would produce results I couldn’t otherwise produce for myself.

With time as the ultimate proving ground, the Linkedin network has increasingly become worth further investment.

In a previous post, I wrote about how to join and initiate a Linkedin Groups discussion.

The Linkedin Groups tool has helped me reach and connect with Google Adwords Professionals worldwide – a group I wouldn’t have had access to otherwise.

The ability to have discussions about Google Adwords with other practitioners around the globe has more than justified the time required to learn and use Linkedin’s tools.

Today nearly a year after seeking collaboration with outside developers, Mountain View, CA based Linked has announced eight external applications have been integrated for use within Linkedin.com

From the new Linkedin Applications page:

“LinkedIn Applications enable you to enrich your profile, share and collaborate with your network, and get the key insights that help you be more effective. Applications are added to your homepage and profile enabling you to control who gets access to what information.”

The eight Linkedin Applications are: Reading List by Amazon, Box.net Files, Company Buzz, Google Presentation, Blog Link, SlideShare Presentations, My Travel and of course – WordPress, hence this blog post.

I have added my blog Cohn.Wordpress.com to my Linkedin.com profile.

Adding a WordPress blog to a Linkedin account is easy to do and can be done in just four simple steps:

1. Click on the Linkedin Applications page and click on the WordPress icon.

Linkedin WordPress

Linkedin WordPress

2. Click add application and check whether or not you would like your WordPress blog displayed on your profile page and homepage.

Linkedin Cohn.Wordpress.com

Linkedin Cohn.Wordpress.com

3. Enter your WordPress blog address. Check whether you want all of your recent posts displayed or just posts tagged with Linkedin.

Linkedin Cohn.Wordpress.com Blog Posts

Linkedin Cohn.Wordpress.com Blog Posts

4. Save your settings and you will see your WordPress.com blog feed displayed with your previous selections featured.

Linkedin Profile

Linkedin Profile

Upon completion of these steps, visitors who view your Linkedin profile and home page (if selected) will see your WordPress blog posts.

Adding any one of these external applications to your Linkedin account can only help expand the network effects Linkedin delivers to its still growing community.