Instant Insights

When Brunner welcomes a new client for search engine marketing, a first step is analyzing what’s already under the hood. 

That means the agency’s SEM team uses its expertise to evaluate how the client’s accounts are set up — and most importantly — how they are performing.  

The goal is ensuring every client gets the best possible return on their paid search spend.  

“As Michael Jordan — one of the greatest basketball players of all time — is quoted as saying, ‘Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.’ That is how Brunner approaches all search campaigns: You’re either first or you’re last,” says Brunner Partner Kevin Amos, who oversees the agency’s digital marketing team.  

Only the top 3 percent of Google partners made the Premier Partners list. For Brunner, being at the top in SEM is built on years of experience and a continuous commitment to rigorous training, strategic processes, and key partnerships. That approach led to Brunner earning Google Premier Partner status again for 2023.  

Delivering big results for clients 

“The Google Premier Partner badge is considered a big deal and we love the status,” Amos says. “But the most important thing is moving the needle for our clients and helping them achieve their goals.” 

For new SEM clients, the Brunner team’s work often delivers dramatic results. After an account is restructured, clients usually see performance improvements of 30-60 percent for key metrics including cost per click, cost per conversion, and click-through-rate. 

“We’ve always been cutting edge,” says Amos, citing the team’s long-time partnerships with Google, Bing, and other leading SEM platforms. Those relationships have allowed Brunner to provide input on innovations and get early access to new features and functions under development. 

“Through these partnerships, we can bring an extra level of sophistication and benefits that other agencies can’t bring to the table,” Amos explained. “We get first notice of new things our partners are doing, and we can take that to our clients as an exclusive.” 

Top 3 percent of Google partners 

Brunner’s SEM team has been working with Google for years and has been a Google Partner since 2016. Last year, Google launched the Premier Partners program to recognize and reward top performers. Earning Google Premier Partner status is based on three factors:

• Performance — Premier Partners must have an optimization score equal to or greater than 70% on their Google Partners manager account.
• Spend — Premier Partners must maintain a specified spend level through 90-day spend across their managed accounts. This level reflects their role in helping clients consistently identify new growth opportunities and sustain their success using Google Ads. 
• Certifications — At least 50% of account strategists must be certified in Google’s platforms and tools. At Brunner, that number is 100%.

The Google Premier Partner badge recognizes the Brunner team’s commitment to elite performance and impact, says Luke Navickas, Brunner’s associate director of paid search.

“We can put our expertise up against anyone,” Navickas said. “We have a ‘test, learn, optimize’ mentality.’  We train our teammates to understand what’s happening down to the granular level. We want to be the best.” 

Proven team expertise and certifications 

All members of Brunner’s SEM team earn Google Ads Search Certification each year. In addition, most team members have Google certifications in specialties including: 

• Google Ads App
• Google Ads Creative Certification 
• Google Ads Display 
• Google Ads Measurement 
• Google Ads Shopping 
• Google Ads Video 

In addition to Google certifications, SEM team members earn Bing Ads Accredited Professional Certification for search advertising, native and display advertising, and shopping advertising.

Taken together, these credentials demonstrate the Brunner team’s expertise in running paid search campaigns that reach each client’s target audiences, on the top search platforms those audiences are using.  

Google Premier Partner benefits for Brunner clients 

As a Google Premier Partner, Brunner gets exclusive Google benefits to extend to clients. Those benefits include: 

• Ongoing access to Google’s current product betas 
• Monthly Google insight reports on changing consumer behaviors and industry trends 
• Promotional offers that give Google Ads credits to client advertising budgets 
• Access to 24-hour advanced ads support to resolve any client account issues quickly and efficiently
• Strategic and sales support from dedicated Google representatives for assistance with Brunner client accounts 

World-class NPS scores from clients 

Clients have taken notice of outstanding SEM results, and they value the close working relationship with the SEM team. Brunner’s most recent overall net promoter score, which measures customer loyalty and satisfaction, is 75+. NPS scores can range from –100 to 100+, with anything above 50 considered excellent — and anything above 70 considered world-class. 

“Our clients know we are fully engaged in their accounts,” says Navickas. “When a client asks ‘why does this happen?’ we have the answer. Their goals are our goals.”

Note: This article was originally published on May 12, 2022 and has been updated with new information for 2023.