Google Engage is a new program aimed at SEO professionals that offers tools and training to help them better run their clients Adwords programs. Amongst their stated weaponry are such diverse elements as:
- Free $100 Adwords coupons for new accounts
- Training to sharpen up your Adwords chops
- Materials to help you market your Adwords services
I can understand the need Google sees for such a service. The degree of difficulty and time required to run a successful Adwords campaign has greatly increased in the last few years.
Some of the requirements for becoming part of Google Engage are:
- You must be a web professionals such as a webmaster, search engine marketer/optimizer, or marketing consultant who wants to help their clients with AdWords.
- You must be able to answer your phone.
Well, I have both of those requirements down cold, so I signed up. The confirmation warned me to wait for a confirmation call from an 800 number, because I would need to complete the phone verification to participate in the program.
A few days later I received a call, and my caller id showed a toll free number (1-800-848-9251). I usually screen these numbers because they are almost always from telemarketers. Google told me to be waiting for this call though, so I picked it up. No one was on the other end. “Hello. Hello. Hello” was my greeting, but it was answered by silence.
A few minutes later I received the following email:
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Hello,
Thank you for your interest in the Google Engage program. Your application unfortunately does not qualify for this program. This program is specifically for web professionals such as webmasters, search engine marketers/optimizers, and marketing consultants who want to help their clients with AdWords.
If you would like free help in setting up an AdWords account, you can call 1-877-509-4292.
If you are interested in learning more about AdWords, please visit these resources:
Best,
Google Engage for Agencies team
I immediately called the phone number listed on the email and spoke to a living human being, something I am unaccustomed to when dealing with Google. He confirmed my eligibility for the program and said he would talk to the team and someone would take care of the problem.
About an hour later I received exactly the same rejection letter again. Whooot!
I searched for the Google 800 number that gave me the silent treatment, and turns out 1) it’s an Adwords number, and 2) other people get the same treatment:
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-800-848-9251
Here’s to hoping Google gets their phone verification act together. Google Engage looks to be a worthwhile program. I’d like to find out.