Partnering for Business Growth with Google Ads | Daniel Rubio from Google

Ernesto Quezada: Pathmonk is the intelligent tool for website lead generation. With increasing online competition, over 98% of website visitors don’t convert. The ability to successfully show your value proposition and support visitors in their buying journey separates you from the competition online. Pathmonk qualifies and converts leads on your website by figuring out where they are in the buying journey and influencing them in key decision moments. With relevant micro experiences like case studies, intro videos, and much more, stay relevant to your visitors and increase conversions by 50%. Add Pathmonk to your website in seconds. Let the AI do all the work and get access to 50% more qualified leads while you keep doing marketing and sales as usual. Check us on pathmonk.com. Welcome to today’s episode. Let’s talk about today’s guest. We have Daniel from Google, senior growth manager with them. I’ll talk about it a little bit more, but how are you doing today, Daniel?

Daniel Rubio: Very excited to be talking with you and to share a little bit about our app business with the rest of our listeners.

Ernesto: Definitely. Well, I’m excited too. Let’s focus on that. In your own words, can you tell us a little bit more about what you’re doing there as a senior growth manager?

Daniel: Yeah, exactly. At Google, there’s a lot of different businesses that we have. A lot of people have heard about our advertising business. We also have businesses like Google Pixel devices, cloud, and even the self-driving cars, which are taking off really quickly. Specifically, I work in our advertising business, which is still a big share of our growth and revenue. I work with new customers, helping them onboard our platform. Google Ads can be a really great tool for a lot of small and medium advertisers, but it can also be challenging to find the right way to scale and grow, especially when you’re just starting. Our team partners with advertisers to create strategies and help them find success on Google.

Ernesto: That’s awesome to hear. All right, so that way, our listeners can get a good understanding of your part of Google. Daniel, what are the key problems you’re looking to solve for your clients?

Daniel: Yeah, there are a lot of challenges, right? And you know this well when it comes to growing online. The first one is streamlining priorities. Especially when starting a business, a lot of partners are thinking about growth, but they also need to put numbers behind that and ensure their metrics align with their goals. Sometimes just having that conversation is crucial: Do you want to grow profits? Volume? Market share? Different strategies are needed for each. Once we understand their marketing objectives, we work on a plan for the next six to nine months to ensure their Google Ads investment aligns with their goals.

Ernesto: Definitely. Great to hear that. Is there a certain vertical segment or ideal ICP you usually work with?

Daniel: It really varies. Many companies advertise with Google. Retail is a big part of our business—fashion, beauty, lead gen, insurance, finance, education, legal, you name it. I also work with app advertisers, which include not just gaming but also utility apps, finance apps, and more. It’s really cross-cutting—Google Ads can fit almost anywhere.

Ernesto: That’s a wide range. So, how would someone typically find out about you and start their advertising journey? Is there a top acquisition channel?

Daniel: We’re lucky in that sense—it’s usually part of a company’s marketing strategy already. However, there’s still huge potential, especially in the SMB segment. Most advertisers open their first Google Ads account on their own by searching online. We also have dedicated new business teams that reach out to new companies, explaining how Google Ads can work for their business. It’s a mix of organic interest and outreach.

Ernesto: Definitely important. On that note, are there any tools, tips, or strategies you’d recommend to our listeners?

Daniel: It depends on what they want to achieve. Google used to be seen as a very performance-focused channel because of the high intent behind search queries. But now we combine that intent with platforms like Chrome, Maps, Gmail, YouTube, and more. Google isn’t just a lower-funnel channel anymore. You can target the mid and upper funnel to create awareness and then close the deal through search. It’s a full-funnel solution.

Ernesto: Great insights! Let’s switch gears a little, Daniel, and talk about you as a leader. What are some key tasks you focus on in your day-to-day work?

Daniel: There’s what I do and what I like to do—sometimes they’re not the same! But I enjoy building strategies and plans with partners. This includes providing industry benchmarks and insights. For example, helping app advertisers understand cost-per-install benchmarks or competitive spend trends. Marketing is critical for growth, but it has to align with solving real problems for customers. Sometimes we also discuss product fit—if marketing isn’t scaling, it might be a product issue. These conversations can be tough but are necessary.

Ernesto: Sounds impactful. How do you stay up to date with marketing news and trends?

Daniel: We’re lucky at Google to have great internal training. But beyond that, staying updated on industry news is crucial—especially around privacy regulations like GDPR or COPPA. Marketing evolves rapidly, and you have to stay on top of it to support clients effectively.

Ernesto: Absolutely. Well, let’s move into our rapid-fire questions. Are you ready?

Daniel: Let’s go for it!

Ernesto: First off, what’s the last book you read?

Daniel: I’m finishing Obama’s A Promised Land. Since I moved to the US recently, it’s been important to understand the country’s history and politics.

Ernesto: Definitely. Next, if there were no boundaries in technology, what’s one thing you’d want to fix for your role as a marketer?

Daniel: An AI assistant to help me focus on what truly matters. Meetings, emails, and prioritization take up a lot of time, so an AI that could streamline that would be fantastic.

Ernesto: That’s a good one. If there’s one repetitive task you could automate, what would it be?

Daniel: Managing my inbox and prioritizing responses. It’s a simple task but eats up a lot of time.

Ernesto: Lastly, with all your experience, what’s one piece of advice you’d give your younger self as a marketer?

Daniel: Be kind to yourself and others. Marketing is hard, and you’re often accountable for results you can only influence. Build trust with your clients—it’s better to take one step back now to build a stronger relationship that pays off in the future.

Ernesto: Great advice. Well, Daniel, as we wrap up, what’s one thing listeners should remember about your company?

Daniel: Google is a partner to scale your business, no matter your size. Understand your goals, leverage the platform’s capabilities, and use tools like AI to drive results.

Ernesto: Perfect. Thank you so much for being on with us today, Daniel. To our listeners, thank you for tuning in, and I look forward to our next episode at Pathmonk Presents.

Daniel: Thank you for having me.