This article describes the requirements for earning the new Google Partner badge and shows a comparison of the current Google Partner badge requirements and the new Google Partner badge requirements. This article also includes a comparison of the current Premier Google Partner badge requirements and a preview of the 2022 Premier Google Partner requirements. You can also find out how to check your company's Partner status and get answers to common questions about Partner status.
Requirements for the new Google Partner badge
We’re launching the new Google Partners program in February 2022. In June 2021, Partners who meet the new requirements will get access to the new Google Partner badge.
There are three requirement categories: Performance, Spend, and Certifications. The Google Partner badge requirements are checked on a daily basis. The requirement categories and thresholds for each category are described in the table below.
| Performance |
The new performance requirement helps ensure that you can effectively set up and optimally run Google Ads campaigns to achieve the greatest results for your clients. Your Google Partners registered Ads manager account needs to have a minimum optimization score of 70% – you’re in control, with the ability to apply or dismiss recommendations based on your assessment and your clients' goals. |
| Spend | The spend requirement will remain the same at a 90-day ad spend of $10,000 USD across managed accounts. |
| Certification |
Your Google Partners registered Ads manager account needs to have a minimum of 50% of your account strategists certified in Google Ads (capped at 100 users), with at least one certification in each product area with campaign spend (e.g., Search, Display, Video, Shopping, or Apps). Account strategists are employees of your company who manage Google Ads campaigns on behalf of your clients. You can inform us of how many users in your company are account strategists and should be certified based on their day-to-day work by going to the Company details page from your Partners program tab and selecting from the drop-down menu. Learn more about how to make your certifications count toward your company's Partner badge status |
Comparison of current and new Google Partner badge requirements
| Criteria | Google Partner Badge [current] | Google Partner Badge [new] |
| Performance |
Meet the performance requirement by delivering solid overall ad revenue and growth, and maintaining and growing your customer base. Google Partners evaluates the client accounts linked to your manager account during an 18-month period. Google Partners requires at least 12 months of spend activity in your manager account. |
The new performance requirement helps ensure that you can effectively set up and optimally run Google Ads campaigns to achieve the greatest results for your clients. Your Google Partners registered Ads manager account needs to have a minimum optimization score of 70% – you’re in control, with the ability to apply or dismiss recommendations based on your own assessment and your clients' goals |
| Spend |
Meet a 90-day ad spend requirement of $10,000 USD across your managed accounts to show that your company has a healthy amount of activity. |
The spend requirement will remain the same at a 90-day ad spend of $10,000 USD across managed accounts. |
| Certification |
Your company needs 1 user certified in Google Ads who has admin or standard access to your company’s Google Ads manager account or any account linked to your company’s Google Partners registered Google Ads manager account. Learn more about making your certifications count toward your company’s Partner badge |
Your Google Partners registered Ads manager account needs to have a minimum of 50% of your account strategists certified in Google Ads (capped at 100 users), with at least one certification in each product area you have campaign spend (e.g., Search, Display, Video, Shopping, or Apps). Account strategists are employees of your company who manage Google Ads campaigns on behalf of your clients. You can inform us of how many users in your company are account strategists and should be certified based on their day-to-day work by going to the Company details page from your Partners program tab and selecting from the drop-down menu. Learn more about how to make your certifications count toward your company's Partner badge status |
Comparison of current and new Premier Google Partner badge requirements
Current Premier Google Partners will keep their status until February 2022. Please see the table below for the current requirements and a preview of the 2022 requirements.
| Criteria | Premier Google Partner Badge [current] | Premier Google Partner Badge [new] |
| Performance | Meet the performance requirement by delivering solid overall ad revenue and growth, and maintaining and growing your customer base. |
The Google Partners program grants Premier Google Partner status to the top 3% of the participating companies each calendar year. Starting in February 2022, your company will need to earn the new Google Partner badge and be granted Premier Google Partner status to be a Premier Google Partner. We grant Premier Google Partner status based on a number of factors, including but not limited to: annual ads spend across managed accounts, client growth, client retention, and other information. Evaluation is done on an annual basis and status may not be available in all markets. |
| Spend | Meet a higher spend requirement across your managed accounts to show that your company has a healthy amount of activity. | |
| Certification | 2 or more users certified in Google Ads who have admin or standard access to your company’s Google Ads manager account or sub-managers. |