Google Apps Reseller Program Could Become Biggest Affiliate Program
Google is building a reseller program for its apps and training future affiliates to build up their market share of email, calendaring, project management and team site creation, as well as documents, video sharing and collaboration.
The program will give resellers 20% of each $50/user/year they sign up, as well as any other service fees they may charge for implementing them to a company’s specifications or continued maintenance or service. This could mean a large amount of money for people able to convert companies with large user bases.
After completing a test – not unlike the one for AdWords Professional – the resellers/affiliates will be able to use the Google Apps badge.
As the video below states: “You bill the customers and Google bills you… you, not Google, has the relationship with the customers. You keep the margins and the service and maintenance fees.”
This is a clever way for Google to build out their cloud technologies, as well as challenge many of Microsoft’s core products. They are building a sales force they will train and help implement their products.