New Google Program - Google Engage for Agencies

Google has recently rolled out a new program for SEM professionals; Google Engage. The program offers training for marketing consultants and coupons for new AdWords advertisers. The training materials are more of an introduction to AdWords and less comprehensive than those available at their Agencyland site, but there are some valuable guides for selling AdWords to small and midsized businesses.

Back when Google was courting Groupon, there was speculation that one of Groupon's more attractive assets was their local sales force. With Engage, Google may be extending the reach of their sales organization by enlisting freelancers to actively promote AdWords. It will be interesting to see how the SEM and online marketing community 'engage' with this new program.