Google Ads Sales Teams Explained by an ex-Googler

By: Jyll Saskin Gales, Google Ads Coach & Ex-Googler

One of the most misunderstood things about working with Google is the job of the Google "rep."

Let's clear that up right now: a "Google rep" is not a support rep - they are a sales person. Seriously, go check out their job description!

As someone who used to work at Google on the Google Ads sales team, I'm not sure why this seems to strike such a negative chord with those in the PPC community. Every company has sales people who can also serve a support function, but are ultimately incentivized to drive more revenue.

Think about it: the sales associate at a shoe store helps you find the right size, makes recommendations, processes returns... but ultimately, their job is to get you to buy shoes. Lots of shoes.

Ordering a burger at McDonald's or a popcorn at a movie theatre, how often are you asked to upgrade to a combo? We don't begrudge these folks for trying to "sell" while taking our order.

Bringing it to B2B examples, think of any SaaS sales rep you've dealt with. They book a meeting with you, do product demos, answer your troubleshooting questions... and ultimately, are trying to sell you (and upsell you) on buying their product. They'll periodically email you to "just to check in" or "have you heard about this new feature" the way Google reps are all over broad match keywords and auto-apply recommendations and Performance Max.

Yes, Google employs a large, diversified sales team to work with businesses, agencies and marketers, help them achieve their goals, and in turn, help Google achieve its goals.

Whether you're interviewing for a job at Google, or you just got an introductory email from a rep and are wondering whether you'd like to reply, here's a breakdown of those various sales teams, and my opinion on what it means for YOU, as someone who works with Google or wants to work at Google.

This is based on my personal experience working at Google from 2015-2021.

GCS vs LCS at Google

The first distinction to understand the Google Ads sales organization is GCS vs LCS. The Google Ads Sales organization is split into two distinct orgs: Google Customer Solutions (GCS) and Large Customer Sales (LCS). 

I worked in LCS, where the top spenders reside. Because I know you're going to ask, no, there's no "threshold number" you need to hit in order to "get into" LCS. Those decisions are made annually, and are based on spend, yes, but also on growth potential and other factors. 

The rest of this post will focus on GCS, since that's where the largest volume of advertisers will interact with Google.

What is GCS at Google?

GCS is the scaled solutions part of Google Ads sales. Emphasis on scaled. Within GCS there are dozens of different teams, levels, programs, etc. but ultimately, when you're in GCS, you will be assigned to a Google team that oversees anywhere from dozens to hundreds clients.

Note that you're not guaranteed to have a dedicated Google team just because you spend money on Google Ads. If you do have a Google team, though, it will likely be part of GCS.

You may also receive emails sometimes from someone who works for company XXX "on behalf of Google" or whose email address is @xwf.google.com instead of @google.com. Is xwf.google.com a legitimate Google rep? This means that they are a contractor, part of the "extended workforce," not a Google employee. It doesn't necessarily mean they know less - Google Ads experience is not required to get a full-time or contract job at Google.

If you're applying to a job at Google right now and want to brush up on your Google Ads knowledge, my Google Ads for Beginners course will have you talking the talk and walking the walk in just 3 hours. Get 20% off with code INTERVIEW - and good luck!

In my experience, tenure in role matters more than Googler vs non-Googler. Personally, I treat conversations with contract reps like "let me Google that for you," because I assume that as non-Google employees, that's basically what they're doing to answer my questions - referencing the internal Google Ads Help Center. Yes, it does have more information and context than the external Google Ads Help Center we mere mortals can see.

So who works in GCS? These are Google employees who do not need ads experience to get the job, but do get trained on the job. Remember, this is a sales team. Yes, there are things they MUST pitch. Yes, they should still be focused on YOUR goals. The more you share with them, the more helpful they can be.

What is AGT at Google?

The Google Accelerated Growth Team (AGT) is one of the GCS teams that you may have heard about in the PPC community, or perhaps received an email from. I've interacted with this team both at Google and since leaving Google, and in general, I've had positive experiences.

AGT is exactly what it sounds like: accelerated growth. And how do we accelerate growth? More money! The way this team works is you make a (non-legally binding) commitment to spend a certain amount over 3-6 months and, in return, you get a higher level of service. Your AGT reps will provide you with an account plan to ensure alignment on what will happen during this growth period.

If AGT reaches out to you and you/your client don't want to spend more, just let them know. They'll move on.

So who's in charge? What do Google's job titles mean?

Googlers get leeway to put whatever job title they like in their email signature, their LinkedIn profile, etc. so it can be hard to decipher exactly what everyone does.

There are a few different roles on a Google Ads sales team team. Here's what they are and what they may be called so you know who you're speaking to (or what you're applying for):

1. Account Strategist: this is the junior role on a GCS team. Strategists are actually in your account, helping you achieve your goals. This is who you'll interact with the most. If you can do so without being rude, it may be helpful to ask how long they've been at Google and what they did before. Note that Google Ads experience is not required to get a job working in ad sales at Google. Remember, we were all beginners at one point. To understand more, I highly recommend going to the Google Careers page and looking at a job description for an Account Strategist in your region (Americas, EMEA or APAC). Fun fact: I've got dozens of Google Ads Account Strategists in my Inside Google Ads training course - they can use their education reimbursement to master Google Ads with me. If you get an Account Strategist who's one of my students, you're in good hands!

2. Account Manager: this is the junior role on an LCS team, and the mid-level role on a GCS team. Like an Account Strategist, your AM will be in your account, helping you achieve your goals. In LCS (and perhaps in GCS?), they will have a Campaign Manager (CM) based in India to support them, and their CM will have a vendor team to support them, and on and on and on. Account Managers do not need Google Ads experience to get hired, but do need to know Google Ads well to be effective at their jobs. This is one of the hardest roles to do, in my opinion, but also the one where you'll learn a TON.

3. Account Executive / Lead Strategist / Client Partner: this is the more senior sales role on a GCS or LCS team. I've seen titles vary widely, but they will generally have "Lead" or "Executive" in their title somewhere. More senior does NOT mean more Google Ads knowledge. They are supposed to help set the strategy and lead sales conversations across accounts, work with cross-functional partners like mobile specialists or video specialists, and then the Account Manager or Account Strategist will be your day-to-day execution partner. You do not need Google Ads in-platform experience to be an AE.

4. Sales Manager / Head of Industry: this person manages the Account Strategists, Account Managers, Account Executives - and manages up to sales leadership. It is primarily a people management role, but may have some client interaction as well, especially with newer team members. You do not need Google Ads in-platform experience to be a Sales Manager.

Another note on some fun Google insider baseball: if you see "Senior" as part of someone's title, it means they got promoted within the role. So a Senior Account Strategist has probably been on the job at least 2 years, a Senior Account Executive has probably been an AE for 2-4 years, etc. At least on the LCS side, this was an unofficial thing people did when they got promoted: add "Senior."

I hope this information helps you develop good relationships with your Google team. Perhaps it will help you decipher what kind of role you'd like to apply for. Google is a great place to work, and Google reps are generally great people to work with.

If you liked this post you may be interested in:

• Inside Google Ads course: my signature Google Ads training program. Learn Google Ads with an ex-Googler! With more than 100 in-platform tutorials and exclusive access to a live meeting with me every month, Inside Google Ads is what you need to get an edge in your Google Ads account

• Google Ads for Beginners course: learn everything you need to know to get started with Google Ads, explained by an ex-Googler in clear and simple language
• Google Ads coaching: book a call with me! I coach business owners, agencies and marketers who want to understand the mechanics of how Google Ads works, and how to drive the best results in your account.
• Inside Google Ads podcast: Your burning questions answered by a trusted Google Ads Expert. Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify Podcasts, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, or wherever you follow podcasts