In the last couple of months our Google reps have been offering us far more help and advice with our client’s various campaigns. This proposed help and advice ranges from account optimisations to new account set ups.

Whilst it is always handy having them at the end of the phone (if I can’t get through to them directly, they will call me back within about 2 mins!) I am slightly concerned that they are moving ever closer toward becoming an in-house SEO agency. This poses all kinds of conflict of interest issues in my mind, as well as the fact that they may be trying to steal my job!

If we do choose to accept any of the services that Google are currently offering us, it will be interesting to note whether they apply their “best practise guidelines”. At my previous agency, I often found that account optimisations performed by Google actually went against the guidelines.

Whilst remaining greatful of their very “hands-on” approach, I will most definately be keeping them at arm’s length. Over the next couple of months I will be reporting on our Google reps’ level of engagement with our client’s campaign. I am interested in:

1. How far can they “help” our campaigns without “helping” themselves – at what point do their recommendations become detrimental to the workings of an optimal ROI campaign. Increased expenditure and visibility will very rarely increase the ROI of a campaign.
2. How far do their recommendations fall in line with their recommended best practises.

Tune in soon for futher musings on this very topical subject!