Become a Google Trusted Tester - Beta Test New GMB & Ad Updates

[Linda Buquet]

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I've been telling the Google Local team for years that they really need to have a focus group of SMBs to test new products, features and updates before they are released. The group needs to include low tech mom & pops, all the way up to power users and everything in between. Almost every software company out there does Beta Testing. But as we've seen in many GMB updates, it seems like they like to roll out updates on the fly and then use the masses as Beta testers and THEN get it right after we've found all the problems.

So I'm happy to say they are finally building a team of beta testers, so that hopefully new updates and features will be tried and tested before launch.

Elizabeth, our GMB Community Manager made this announcement yesterday.

<a href="https://www.en.advertisercommunity.com/t5/News-Updates/Become-a-Trusted-Tester/m-p/514902#M127">Become a Trusted Tester</a>

Here?s an exciting opportunity for US based small and medium sized businesses! The Google My Business and Ads teams are working on several new product features in 2016 to improve overall merchant/advertiser engagement and value. Before releasing these product features to the general public, we want to beta test them with a group of trusted business testers who are willing to use these features and provide detailed feedback to our product team to help them improve the experience.

We are looking to build a group of Trusted business Testers based in the US (we are not looking for marketing agencies at this time).

Here are the specific requirements:

- Willing to test out early stage products and features, and use the products consistently

- Based on a business to customer model (not a marketing agency)

- Have less than 100 employees

- Willing to provide feedback to our product team

- Willing to sign a confidentiality agreement

- Preferred (not required) existing GMB or AdWords/AdWords Express user, a plus!


So again NOT open to agencies, but if you you are a business owner that's interested or a consultant that has a client that would be a good match please have them apply here.

If the business meets Google's requirements, they will explain next steps and and provide more info.

I hope they also use the testers to eval messaging and interface changes because these are areas where people outside of Google need to make sure it all makes sense, even to low tech users.

"The Google My Business and Ads teams are working on several new product features in 2016 to improve overall merchant/advertiser engagement and value."

We know Google is always working to improve GMB, but it's always nice to see that fact in writing and wait with anticipation to discover what these new updates will be.


Do you fit the bill and will you apply?

Do you have any clients in mind that you think would go for this?