We have had many experiences with Google Ads Reps over the years, some good, but many not so good. One of our most recent encounters has been very unpleasant with the Rep being “over-bearing” and even going behind our back and dealing directly with our mutual client, who retains us to manage their Google Ads campaign.
This leads me to question the motivation behind Google Ads Reps actions. For example, why do they want to conduct ongoing meetings or suggest changes that are not in line with client’s goals? Do they have quotas to fill or are they just trying to be helpful?
So I asked ChatGPT. This is what I discovered which is enlightening but not surprising.
Google Ads reps are often under performance expectations or quotas, and that largely explains their persistent outreach to advertisers.
Following is a breakdown of the motivations behind their behavior.
1. Quotas & KPIs (Key Performance Indicators)
Google Ads reps (especially outsourced reps from third-party agencies like Teleperformance, Accenture, or Cognizant) typically have monthly performance goals such as:
- Increasing advertiser spend (revenue for Google)
- Getting advertisers to adopt new features (e.g., Performance Max, broad match keywords, automated bidding)
- Securing a certain number of “optimization actions” per account
- Scheduling and conducting a target number of calls or meetings
They’re not just there to help — they’re being measured and incentivized on what you do after the call.
2. Pushing Automation
Google is heavily promoting automation, especially:
- Smart bidding
- Performance Max campaigns
- Broad match instead of exact match
- Auto-applied recommendations
Reps are pressured to push these tools, which help Google scale ad operations — but often reduce transparency and control for advertisers.
3. Outsourced & Scripted Roles
Many reps aren’t Googlers — they work for outsourced sales teams and follow strict scripts. They often don’t understand your business or goals deeply, because they’re not paid to.
They’re paid to:
- Get you on the phone
- Get you to make platform-approved changes
- Report success based on action taken, not outcome achieved
4. Revenue Growth
Google Ads is a major part of Alphabet’s revenue. Anything that drives increased ad spend, even marginally, is considered a win — and reps are the front line of that push.
Why It Feels Like Harassment
- They often ignore whether you’re already working with an agency or have deep campaign knowledge.
- They repeatedly call/email, sometimes with generic or misleading subject lines.
- The advice can conflict with what actually performs well for your account.
What You Can Do
- Ask to be removed from outreach — sometimes it works.
- Use the “opt out of recommendations contact” form (hard to find, but exists).
- Stick to evidence-based optimization and don’t feel pressured to adopt every suggestion.
- If you have an agency, direct reps to them instead.
So there you have it – very accurate in my personal experience.
Now I must say that even with the caveats above, I feel it is better to have a human contact within Google Ads than to not have one and be on your own. Just keep in mind that Google Ads Reps have their own motivations that may not always be good for your business. In my many, many years of working with clients and their Google Ads Reps, I can think of two… just two that were really helpful.
