Direct Online Marketing Visits the Googleplex!
Being certified certainly has its perks. It also means that we know what we’re doing.
While any agency can run a Google AdWords account, only a select few can become a certified Google Partner. The team at Direct Online Marketing is proud to say we’ve been a certified with Google since 2007.
This predates the current Partner program by six years. More specifically, we’re in their Managed Agency Program—an even higher tier reserved for the most trusted Google Partners worldwide. DOM is a certified PPC expert with Bing Ads, too.
The Contest
In attempts to add a bit of a competitive flair, Google challenged agencies to a contest of sorts revolving around new AdWords clients. Winning agencies would be awarded two tickets to an all-expenses paid trip to the Googleplex in Mountain View, California.
Unlike the iconic episode of Seinfeld, the PPC team at DOM got the job done.
We were one of the few agencies selected to be flown out to the Google campus. Representing the team was our president, Justin, and myself. We were told we would be treated to a day of insightful presentations, direct from some of the top minds at Google, plus a tour of the Googleplex.
I’d’ve been happy just to tag along on this journey. However, with the help of a few folks at Google, our trip—and my experience—was even better than anticipated.
Our Own Personal Tour Guides
When Justin and I landed in San Jose, I was jittery. I was in Silicon Valley, the tech capital of the world, enjoying beautiful weather and about to learn about a company I’ve been fascinated with since I first got online in the days of dial-up.
Being a Google Partner can sometimes grant you access to a talented pool of account representatives to coordinate and get the most out of Google AdWords. If you attended our event in Morgantown back in February 2015, you’ll surely recognize Michael as one of our presenters (although sadly he did not present from the inside of a giant ball pit).
These Are Some of my Favorite Things…on the Googleplex
One of the first things to note about the Googleplex is that it’s not some kind of fortress of solitude. The campus is quite open with easy access to cars and pedestrians. Unfortunately, due to the release of movies like The Internship and general concerns for liability, the Googleplex is generally not intended for the public. Which is fair, seeing as how it is ultimately a workspace and not a tourist destination.
Still, I blame Vince Vaughn personally for presenting my first truth about the Googleplex.
Bikes, Bikes, Bikes Everywhere
You’ve probably read about the hundreds of fixed-gear bicycles lying around the Googleplex. Burnished in the classic Google color-scheme, the urge to swing a leg over and ride is irresistible.
As a mode of transport reserved for employees, these bikes are generally off-limits to the general public. Fortunately for us, we had a couple Googlers on our side to go on a brief joy ride. We absolutely did not take them on our own…and it wasn’t a blast.
Nap pods are real. And they are awesome.
Life working in tech can be exhausting. Luckily, offices around the Googleplex are equipped with nap pods to help you catch up on shuteye.
The Android Garden
The Android Garden has a sculpture dedicated to every version of Google’s mobile operating system.
The gang’s all here.
This is a must-see if you’re an Android geek. Probably one of the more tourist-centered spots on the Googleplex, it will take a level of determination to find since its location changed away from the main campus after the release of The Internship. Although climbing on the sculptures is probably not a good idea, everything from Froyo to Lollipop is represented here.
Stanley the T-Rex: A Disputed History
The Googleplex is where visitors will more than likely encounter their fair share of the interesting and weird. Located smack dab in the center of the original Google campus is the best example of this: Stanley, the T-Rex.
As the story goes, no one is really sure why this intimidating, full-scale model of a Tyrannosaurus-Rex is here. According to our exclusive Google tour guide, there are two possible stories floating around.
The first posits that when the Googleplex was first being constructed, a fossil was discovered and later donated to a museum. In this scenario, Stanley is a replica. The second suggests that Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin placed it here to serve as a permanent reminder to Google employees that if you don’t adapt and evolve, you’ll go the way of the dinosaur. For us, the second story seemed much more poetic. More than likely, Stanley’s origin will continue to be shrouded in mystery.
Google Partner All-Stars 2015
Again, we are immensely grateful for the time Michael and Ivana took to show us around the Googleplex. Without them, we probably wouldn’t have had such a great experience.
And sure the Googleplex was great to visit, but more was still to come. In our next post, we’ll give a summary of all the great presentations given during the Google Partner All-Stars event.
