We have a short roundup of important pointers you need to know to get started with Google Ads Grant . We’ll cover the basics; from what the Google Ads Grant is to setting up your account correctly, so check out our tips below. Our most recent webinar covered this awesome grant opportunity in more detail, so if you missed it, watch it here!
First of all, why should you care about the Google Ads Grant?
Because it’s FREE ads and the benefits are great: connecting with new website visitors and people who might have not found your mission, building a subscriber list, increasing volunteers, and ultimately inspiring donations. Google offers $10,000 of in-kind advertising every month to nonprofits and is designed to help you flourish. It increases your ad budget by nearly $120K per year without costing you a dime, so every nonprofit should take advantage of this opportunity.
Sounds pretty great, right? Let’s dig in to getting started.
Google is changing the game with its grant application process. Unlike the process for other grants, it only takes about one week to get approved. To qualify for the grant you must have a valid 501c3 charity status, a website, and be part of the Google for Nonprofits program (easy to apply ). Please note that government entities are not eligible (i.e. schools, universities, medical groups).
Get started in five steps:
- Register as a nonprofit on TechSoup
- Sign up for a Google for Nonprofits account
- Set up your Ads account
- Enroll in Google Ad Grants
- Submit account for review
Once you get approval, there are a few things to consider to make sure your account is set up correctly.
Here’s a list of eight things to keep in mind as you set up your account:
- Text ads only on Google’s Search Network
- You must maintain a minimum of 5% Click Through Rate, so start small.
- Keywords Must Not Have A Quality Score of 2 or less
- No Single Word Keywords, instead use long-tailed keywords like “donate to military vets”
- Must Have Valid Conversion Tracking – link to your Google Analytics account for easy tracking and less setup
- Must Have 2 Ads per Ad Group
- Must Have 2 Ad Groups per Campaign
- Must Have 2 Site Link Extensions Per Ad
Of course, if you get stuck or have any questions, please contact us. Our team would be more than happy to help you succeed with the Google Ads Grant. In fact, we’re offering a FREE Ads Grant Opportunity Assessment ($500 value!) for a limited time, so let us know if you’re interested.
Our team of experts has been running ads on Google since 2004, so we’ve got experience and years of learning under our belt. We’d love to consult with your team or manage your campaigns for you.