Ambassador claims to be a "publisher" to popular search engines such as Yahoo and Google. They claim to have a unique relationship with these search providers, one that allows them to see who is searching on what terms and at what time and where the users are clicking too. Ambassador also claims that due to this unique relationship they do not charge their customers for running these PPC campaigns. Ambassador claims that the search engines pay them for bringing them the advertisers. Lastly, Ambassador claims to have a proprietary and patented software called "conversion-based optimization" which allows them to know which keyword on which search engine will provide the best traffic to a customers website.
As a former employee of Ambassador who now knows the truth I cannot keep this lie going.
First, after having spoken with both Google and Yahoo representatives they assured me that not only have they never heard of Ambassador Internet they would never give anyone inside the company (save for a select few) a view of the traffic on their search engines much less a third party outside company.
Second, Ambassador is not paid by the search engines as they claim.instead they take 35% - 40% off the budgets that they sign their customers too. This simple fact brings so many of Sergio Alvarez's Monday morning comments into sharp and clear focus. He continually reminded us that we were never to sign a customer for less than what our budgeting software spit out. Now that I know about the budget skimming this makes perfect sense. I am no positive that our budgets were over-bloated by at least 35%. If we signed a customer up for less than what this software told us it was obviously cutting into Ambassadors profits. This also brings into sharp focus why Ambassador suddenly removed the ability for the account executives to see how much of the budget was spent, how much of the budget was left and which keywords spent which amount.
Third, there simply is no "conversion-based optimization". There is no software. All Ambassador has is their own interface which allows them to open a Google AdWords or Yahoo Search Marketing account in the customers name and bid to a general position just like any other search agency.
In all, Ambassador Internet Promotions is a complete and utter fraud. I always felt like I was in a scene from the movie Boilerroom when I worked there. Now I know why.
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