• by Laurie Sullivan , Staff Writer @lauriesullivan, October 20, 2014

Transparency remains top of mind for Google. New rules coming to Google AdWords or AdWords Express in November will require agencies, as well as third-party companies and search experts who manage Google's advertising campaigns, to become more transparent. The engine updated its policies for advertisers earlier this year. Now it's time to adhere to the changes.

Third-party partners can expect a more concise and clearer picture of what Google expects, increased insight into why each part of the policy exists, more transparency around what happens when rules are violated, and two new requirements that will increase transparency and accountability of third-party partners.

Greater transparency requirements mean that Google wants third-party agencies and individuals who manage campaigns to detail any changes beyond management fees for AdWords or AdWords Express. The requirements include informing new customers in writing before each first sale and disclosing existing fees on customer invoices. Google also wants all clients to have access to their Google AdWords or AdWords Express account number in the event that advertisers need to contact Google directly.

The Customer ID number provides a unique identity per client. After signing into the account, the customer ID sits at the top corner of the AdWords page near the email address. Google Help instructions explain. It's similar for the AdWords Express customer ID. After signing in, click the gear icon.

In June, Google announced that the company would implement new policies, including providing a list of prohibited content. The company prohibits advertising counterfeit goods such as pharmaceuticals and knockoffs of designer apparel, products of services enabling dishonest behavior, offensive and inappropriate content, fireworks and firearms.

Google also lists the amount of encrypted mail sent at any given time, statistics on safe browsing, real-time availability of Google product traffic worldwide, requests for copyright owners to remove search results, information about users, and government requests.

In the past 30 days, about 61% of email messages from Gmail to other providers are encrypted and about 57% of messages from other providers to Gmail. Facebook, for instance, encrypts all emails from Facebookmail.com to Gmail, and Amazon.com via amazonses.com encrypts 1 in every 10,000 emails sent to Gmail.