Unpopular opinion: The best agencies don’t wear a Google badge.
Here’s why: The Google Partner badge comes with a set of requirements. One of those requirements is to have a minimum optimization score of 70%. That optimization score requires the agencies to apply Google’s recommendations in your account. (*) However, those recommendations are rarely in the best interests of the advertiser (you!).
The best PPC professionals don’t care what Google recommends.
They cut through Google’s BS, test all potential opportunities, and use what works for the advertiser instead of what works for Google.
– Nils
(*) Note: Google has removed this requirement from the program by allowing advertisers to dismiss recommendations while still keeping their optimization score. However, the fact that it was a requirement in the first place, along with Google still pushing these harmful recommendations in order to keep the optimization score, proves my point.