As one of the biggest companies in the world, Google provides various products and services, apart from being a search engine.
A Google product marketing manager is the person responsible for handling the marketing side of things in their product management department.
Product marketing at large-scale organizations like Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and LinkedIn works differently than it does at small-scale organizations. It’s just the scale of the operations that changes the processes, methods, and techniques of product marketing.
In this article, we’ll go over what a Google product marketing manager does, what a Google APMM is, and how you can become one.
Let’s dive right in.
What Does a Google Product Marketing Manager Do?
A Google product marketing manager is responsible for the promotion and marketing of Google’s products and services.
From product release to the final stages of the product lifecycle, a Google PM manager is responsible for developing and managing a product marketing strategy. Furthermore, the program manager is planning and executing those strategies to drive the growth of Google’s consumer products.
Depending on whether you’re working from Mountain View, New York, San Francisco, or any other Google office, the product marketing manager’s job changes. It’s not a role change; it’s more of a change in the go-to-market strategy because of different audiences, marketing teams, and even competitive tech companies.
Furthermore, a Google product marketing manager’s job also differentiates based on the product or service they’re responsible for. For example, Google PMMs for Android focus more on pushing the mobile OS into untapped markets.
Similarly, Google Chrome, Gmail, Google Play, Google Cloud, and Google Ads, all have their Googlers working on pushing the product or service.
Regardless of the product or service, Google PM managers have a few responsibilities and benefits that are present in all cases.
Roles and Responsibilities of a Google Product Marketing Manager
A Google product manager is often given the marketing role if they can manage the following:
1. Working on the Product Strategy and Marketing Strategy
Google product marketing managers have to deal with the development of product strategies and marketing strategies. To be more specific, they work on product strategy; a marketing strategy is considered to be a sub-category of product strategy.
Google PMMs work with existing Google products and services, so they don’t have to worry about a product launch or following a roadmap. However, product development is a large part of the product strategy that they work on, when it comes to consumer products.
Any great product requires a robust product strategy to help maintain its position against competitors.
Google PM managers have to take all that into account including the current market, competition, and any prospects before finalizing a product strategy.
If you’re looking to become a product marketing manager at Google, check out our certification courses to help you do just that.
2. Actively Promoting Google Products
If you look at any product manager interview questions, you’ll notice an emphasis on product promotion. That’s because product promotion is the one aspect of the product strategy that remains constant, regardless of where the product is on its lifecycle.
For example, Google Ads is one of the most known advertising tools today. Yet, Google continues its Google Ads marketing campaign.
That’s why Google product marketing managers also have to manage all product promotion efforts. That can include presentations, blog post, web apps, reports, social media campaigns, and video efforts.
3. Working with Cross-Functional Teams
Google product marketing managers have to be a part of a cross-functional team because they have to work with several other departments. For example, they need to work with the engineering teams to ensure all marketing efforts reflect on the products and services.
They collaborate with the product owners, finance department, and research department to maintain smooth communication. That is how they can work on new technological solutions, design features, and user experience enhancement projects.
Developing a two-way feedback system, in this case, is critical to the productivity of the Google ecosystem.
Any new features can be incorporated into the product marketing efforts. Alternatively, valuable market research and insights gained by product marketers can be used by other teams to develop and implement user-specific changes.
4. Tracking the Performance of the Google Product or Service
Google PMMs also have to track the performance of Google products, projects, or even individual features being introduced.
The metrics for tracking performance change depending on what needs to be tracked. For example, the performance of a single feature will be tracked based on how many people use it, how long they’ve been using it, and why they’re using it. Alternatively, a product/app may be tracked by its total downloads, reviews, and overall revenue.
5. Extrapolating New Market Trends
Google PMMs also have to be vigilant for any new market trends. They have to follow and analyze new trends to identify potential ways to reach customers.
It also helps them identify market gaps, potential marketing opportunities, and chances for introducing a new product in the market.
6. Reporting to Stakeholders
Every Google product marketing manager has to report to various stakeholders like senior management regarding any updates.
Those updates can be performance reports, strategy updates, consumer research, ROI, customer churn rates, and more.
The idea is to provide the necessary insights, reports, and data so that the upper management can make data-driven decisions.
7. Working on Go-to-Market Strategies
This particular responsibility is for Google APMMs which manage Google products that aren’t available globally. They’re responsible for creating go-to-market strategies when those products need to be introduced in a new market segment.
Google PMMs have to manage market research to develop advertising plans, pricing models, and marketing strategies.
8. Developing Insights
Google product marketing managers also have to develop insights and identify opportunities to feed existing product strategies.
These insights can be product-based, feature-based, or could even be related to any single aspect of service. They can also help Google PMMs plan out product updates, new features, and in rare cases, the launch of new products.
Becoming a Google Product Marketing Manager
Every Google product marketing manager needs to have the skill set of a product marketer and a product manager. Recruiters often look for experience in both fields when hiring a Google PMM.
Considering you have the necessary education and certifications, you can start your product career at a startup or an SME.
After you have some relevant product experience and as Google offers you an equal employment opportunity, you can apply at Google as a product or technical program manager or a product marketer. After that, you can continue on your career path to becoming a Google product marketing manager.
FAQs
Here are answers to the questions that aspiring Google product managers and marketing managers frequently ask:
How do I become a Google product manager and APMM?
To become an APMM, you need a few qualities such as a passion for tech, business, and marketing, regardless of your background.
You also need leadership qualities because APMMs are naturally motivated and self-starters. That means they also have to work well with cross-functional teams and thrive in collaborative environments.
You must have creative and analytical skills. Creative intuition and analytical aptitude are crucial for tackling various kinds of projects and new product issues.
What is a Google APMM?
The Google Associate Product Marketing Manager (APMM) program is for professionals who want to get into the field of marketing. It’s Google’s attempt at creating next-generation marketers who drive strategic projects.
Every APMM has two unique roles during the program management. These roles can be brand, product, or growth marketing, depending on your preferences. The main objective for all APMMs is to show how Google’s products and services help solve problems, including everyday issues or even rare ones.
The APMM program lets you become part of a close-knit community where you can meet mentors, former APMMs, Googlers, and more.
How much does a product marketing manager at Google make?
According to Glassdoor, the base salary for Google product marketing managers in the US is around $283k per year. That’s much higher than the average product marketing manager salary in the US which is $118,572 per year.
What is a product marketing manager?
A Product Marketing Manager (PMM) is responsible for the positioning, messaging, and promotion of a product. They analyze the market, identify customer needs, and create go-to-market strategies that increase product usage and sales.
How does Google’s DEI mission operate for a Product Marketing Manager role?
Google’s DEI mission is comprehensive, addressing various facets of diversity and inclusion to create a welcoming environment. The company actively seeks to hire and support individuals from diverse backgrounds, taking into account veteran status, national origin, gender identity, and sexual orientation, marital status, acknowledging and responsibly managing criminal histories, ensuring that everyone feels valued and respected. Google not only meets affirmative action employer standards but also strives to build a truly diverse and inclusive team.
If you are new to product management and are looking to break into your very first product manager role, we recommend taking our Product Manager Certification Courses, where you will learn the fundamentals of product management, launch your product, and get on the fast track toward landing your first product job.
