What It’s Really Like Inside Google
By Anonymous
As Gooqle celebrates its 10th anniversary this month, what is the main marketing challenge you face? Measurability. We want to be able to gauge the success of our campaigns, not just in terms of the brand, but also the influence our marketing activity has on perceptions of Google, its effectiveness and, ultimately, its ROI.
Describe the marketing team in three words.
Driven, talented, smart.
What are the perks of the job?
A free restaurant, an annual ski trip and summer conferences abroad. We work with fantastic people and get pizza and beers on a Friday afternoon.
What are the hours like?
We are almost always really busy, but a typical day would probably be from 9.30am to about 7pm.
Is there a dress code?
One of Google’s ’10 commandments’ is that we must be serious without a suit.
What is the company like for training and career progression?
Incredible. HR makes a real effort to ensure that we get any training we need, ranging from language classes to business qualifications and educational leave.
What about the salary and benefits package?
In employment surveys we often get rated as one of the top companies to work for and have all the traditional benefits. We also have some more quirky perks, such as on-site massages, a yoga and pilates room, ice-cream fridges and a games room.
Are there any downsides?
In a fast-moving environment, it can be challenging to focus and prioritise our marketing efforts in terms of providing value to the business.
Does the marketing team socialise outside office hours?
The Plumbers in Victoria, London, is a favourite haunt.
Is there anything else readers may find Interesting about the company as a place to work?
Bean bags, sofas, lava lamps and big, red telephone boxes all make it look cool. This is also a dog-friendly company, so you may see a puppy asleep next to someone’s desk.
Company facts
* Google’s UK headquarters are at Belgrave House, 76 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 9TO.
* The company has about 500 UK employees, of whom 15 are marketers. Key brands they can work on include Google search, AdWords and AdSense, YouTube, Google Earth and Google Maps.
* Its annual revenue was about $16.6bn in 2007.
* Google was founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin as students at Stanford University, and incorporated as a privately held company in 1998. Matt Brittin and Mark Howe are managing directors of Google UK; Dan Cobley is director of marketing.
Copyright Haymarket Business Publications Ltd. Sep 3, 2008
(c) 2008 Marketing. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.