Updated Partner program delayed launch due to COVID-19. Changes to the Partner program were initially announced in February 2020 and slated to go live in June of that year. However, the pandemic shifted the focus for many Google Ads users and Google Partners, so Google changed the due date to meet the new requirements to 2021. In February of 2021, Google sent an email to Partners announcing the official date of the change to February 2022.

Optimization, spend, and certification. In order to earn the new badge, Partners will need to meet updated requirements around performance, spend, and certifications. Advertisers will need to maintain a 70% optimization score but have the option to apply or dismiss recommendations to achieve that score. This change was popular amongst advertisers after Search Engine Land’s original article launched. “The changes were made based on the feedback of our partners,” a Google spokesperson told us. “Our partners know their clients better than we do. So we can make recommendations, but they can decide if it’s the right move.”

Partners will also need to maintain the existing spend requirements, which is $10k across managed accounts for 90 days, and ensure that 50% of the account strategists identified are certified in Google Ads.

Why we care. If you’ve been working hard on meeting these Partner requirements early or you’ve already met them in your everyday workflow, you’ll be able to display that you’re up-to-date by the end of June (even though the deadline is not until February 2022). Google also has resources and training available to help Partners meet the new requirements.