Their title may reek of late 90′s dot.com whimsy, but the work is anything but frivolous fun. The job of a Creative Maximizer is to help Google advertisers get the best possible results from their campaigns. This can mean anything from making landing page suggestions to generating keyword lists to writing ad copy.
Despite the recruitment copy, which calls for “persuasive, inventive writers” the job of a Maximizer focuses much more on data than words.
I should know – I spent just over a year in the trenches and left when the thought of staring down another Excel spreadsheet became more than I could bear. The job calls for a unique blend of language and mathematical chops. The words I had down. The math? Not so much. Despite the long hours and tedious nature of the work, the perks were amazing and I’d recommend the job to anyone who can sit down with the Sunday newspaper and conquer the crossword and Sudoku with equal aplomb.
Maximizers are the focus of an article in the LA Times, one which I wish I had on hand a year or so back to show all the friends and relatives who remained puzzled by my title, despite my repeated explanations (Grandma, you know those little ads when you do a Google search? OK, Grandma – you know what the Internet is, right?). Author Chris Gaither talks to some California Google Maximizers and gives readers a great day-in-the-life look at what the Maximizers do all day. Reprise Media’s own Josh Stylman is quoted later on in the piece, talking about the disconnect between the online and offline efforts of big brand advertisers.
Here’s a quick snip:
“It’s great that they’re building websites, but if you can’t find them from a search engine, what’s the point?”
Gaither’s article concludes with the mention of a essay called Haiku Hell, by an anonymous individual named ‘Abby Reynolds’ who claims to be a maximizer. “Creative it is not,” she says. I can’t say I disagree, though maybe creativity takes a backseat to the buckets and buckets of money most Maximizers are raking in.
I don’t envy you spending time in the Creative Maximizer trenches. I’d always heard the more dull and bland the ads were, the better they did.
That’s certainly my experience. But maybe the creativity was as much in the quant side of things as the words…
Hi, I’ve just applied for a Creative Maximizer position and I’m having an interview next week. Could you help me to pass it with success? What they want to hear from me? Why don’t you like the role? Thanks ! (inthen@yahoo.es)
Hey Alberto,
Be prepared for lots and lots of interviews over an extended period of time. Google has a rigorous hiring process.
The actual interview questions themselves aren’t all that different than other job interviews, though I’m told it’s different for engineers.
They’ll have you do some “hands on” practice exercises that resemble actual work you’d do as a mazimizer. I would read up on creative and keyword list development, ad grouping, and pay-per-click advertising in general before you go in.
I liked the role but felt it was much more data and numbers-oriented than Google made it out to be when I hired in. There’s a big focus on numbers and stats and less focus on the writing itself. I can’t say too much (I believe I’m still under NDA), but hope that helps.
hi-I searched for “maximizer” under google’s job openings and didn’t come up with anything. Are the listings for maximizers filed under a different name? i.e. are they called advertising copywriters, etc. Let me know because I’d like to apply if a position opens up.
-RG
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