Unlock maximum value from the Google Cloud Platform with a little help from a friend

Cloud platforms offer a vast array of tools that help you get the most out of your marketing efforts, with suites like Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Microsoft Azure providing unique ways to store, analyze, and transform your data.

Since GCP is up to 50% cheaper than these other platforms, it can be an enticing option for businesses. But with so many services on offer, knowing where to start and what to prioritize can be challenging.

For those who crack the code, GCP offers a treasure trove of marketing services. It empowers brands to not only build robust marketing campaigns but also to deploy and scale them with unparalleled agility. Through advanced AI-driven data management solutions, GCP can equip you with detailed insights into customer behaviors, letting you craft personalized experiences that deeply resonate across diverse digital channels, maximizing campaign effectiveness.

However, mastering GCP, or any other cloud platform for that matter, requires some strategic guidance. Finding a partner through the Google Cloud Partner Program (GCPP) is essential. These experts not only demystify the complexities of GCP but can tailor its solutions to align seamlessly with your business objectives. Choosing the right partner is vital, as they play a pivotal role in letting you extract maximum value from GCP, which, in turn, produces sustained growth and innovation.

Driving marketing efforts
Google Cloud partners know how to push GCP to its absolute limits because they understand its cloud solutions like the back of their hand. A partner can help improve your marketing efforts and grow your business directly by using the platform's technology to break down data silos, build predictive models, and optimize marketing spend – something that's especially useful when poor data quality and ineffective storage can cost brands time and money.

For example, after you've outlined your business objectives to your partner, they might recognize that to achieve them, you need a deeper understanding of the omnichannel customer. Gaining this understanding might involve creating personalized strategies and implementing them across various marketing channels. A partner will be able to determine that a GCP service, like BigQuery, can be used as a central data repository. And, along with components like Cloud Storage, TensorFlow, or Vertex AI, is the most effective way of storing, transforming, clustering, and modeling customer data. 

Whatever your wider business objectives, a partner can help identify which GCP solutions to target. This means you won't be unnecessarily spending money on solutions you don't need, which in turn helps to manage cloud costs - one of the biggest costs that enterprises face. But choosing the right partner is essential.

Selecting your Google Cloud partner
Over 20% of cloud marketplace orders are placed through partners on behalf of their customers, and this number is growing. It is becoming essential to procure your cloud solutions from a reseller or partner, but it's not as simple as picking at random from a list of companies. Since most GCP partners specialize in a specific aspect of the cloud, you'll need to choose a partner tailored to your marketing needs, which means assessing a few key factors.

Review local case studies to see their impact on businesses in your region, and if you're a medium to large brand, assess their global strength. Your ideal partner should demonstrate comprehensive knowledge in both marketing and creative areas, along with employing a data-driven approach. They should also excel in marketing activation, helping to translate the unique insights gained from the platform into effective campaigns that work for your business.

A good indicator of this capability is whether they have achieved a certification through GCPP. This shows they have demonstrated technical proficiency, innovation, and quality in implementation of cloud solutions, allowing them to focus on delivering a particular specialization, such as marketing analytics.

Avoiding the pitfalls 
With around 30% of spending on cloud wasted, a partner can help ensure the solutions you implement are cost-effective and efficient. But while an expert can streamline operations, allowing your team to focus on core activities without becoming overwhelmed by the complexities of cloud infrastructure, there are common pitfalls to look out for. 

It's crucial to choose partners with industry-specific expertise or you might end up with less effective strategies. Your industry has its own set of challenges and requirements, and your cloud solutions should reflect that to enhance your operations.

It is also important to consider the compatibility of new solutions with your existing systems. Overlooking this can lead to costly and time-consuming adjustments down the line. Similarly, alignment between your business objectives and the partner's approach is vital. If your goals are not in sync, the strategies developed may be ineffective, leading to wasted resources and missed opportunities.

Clear communication from the beginning along with a shared vision of business objectives are essential to ensuring a smoother, more effective collaboration that maximizes the benefits of your Google Cloud investment.

Unlock the full potential of GCP
Partnering with a certified Google Cloud partner is vital for brands aiming to unlock the full potential of Google Cloud Platform. By wielding their expertise, you can navigate the complexities of cloud technology, optimize campaign performance, and drive innovation in customer experiences. With the right partner, you can ensure that your investment in GCP translates into sustained growth, improved efficiency, and a significant competitive edge.