29 Nov From Visibility to Impact: Boost Nonprofit Marketing with Google Grants
’Tis the season of giving, from bright-colored packages under the tree to making year-end donations to your favorite charities. Did you know that Google also has a giving spirit via Google Grants? For eligible nonprofit organizations, the tech company offers free ads year-round, not just limited to this charitable season.
According to the company, Google Ad Grants help nonprofits expand online ad efforts to raise awareness, attract donors, increase donations and recruit volunteers with in-kind advertising on Google Search. Keep reading for an in-depth look at Google Grants and how your organization could benefit.
What are Google Grants and How Do They Work?
Google Grants is a charitable program that provides free advertising credits to eligible nonprofits, helping organizations increase their online visibility and attract more website visitors. Google Grants work by providing nonprofits with a monthly budget of up to $10,000, allowing them to reach a larger audience, promote their missions and gain support.
To utilize Google Grants, organizations need to create a Google Ads account, set up campaigns and define relevant keywords and target audiences. The Threadgill Agency can help you get started! Once approved, nonprofits can start running ads that appear in Google search results, helping them drive more traffic to their website.
From arts programs to aid initiatives, from the environment to kids’ programs, Google Grants allows nonprofits to work more efficiently, freeing up time to focus on their charitable mission instead of worrying about the ins and outs of online marketing.
For example, Google Ad Grants helped the Special Olympics World Games, which hosts training and competitions for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, generate 44% of new users to the Special Olympics site and drove half of their new subscriber signups. You can read theirs and other success stories here.
Greater Impact with Year-round Grant Allocation
One key advantage of Google Grants is an allocated budget spread throughout the year. This ensures organizations have a consistent presence in search results and can engage with their audience consistently. Eligible nonprofits have $10,000 each month (or $329 per day) to spend on Google search ads.
As a result, nonprofits can strategically plan their budget based on seasonal activities and important events. For instance, a nonprofit focused on hosting summer camps for underserved communities can direct more funds during the lead-up to summer, maximizing their impact for scholarship fundraising efforts.
Qualifying for Google Grants
To qualify for Google Grants, nonprofits must meet certain eligibility requirements including:
- A valid charity status and meeting the requirements of a nonprofit in its own country.
- Verified by Percent, Google’s nonprofit validation partner.
- Agreeing to Google’s nonprofit terms of service.
- A functioning website with relevant and original content.
Organizations that don’t qualify include governmental entities or organizations; hospitals or health care organizations (charitable arms or foundations associated with healthcare organizations are eligible); schools, academic institutions, or universities (philanthropic arms of educational organizations are eligible).
Once your Google nonprofit account is set up, you can activate Ad Grants and get started! See a step-by-step guide to setting up your account here.
Maximizing Google Ad Grants
Once eligible, nonprofits can make the most of Google Grants by leveraging the program’s benefits. This includes conducting thorough keyword research, creating compelling ad copy and optimizing landing pages. With these elements, organizations can ensure ads are highly relevant, attract the right audience and drive meaningful traffic to their website.
Donor Box Blog offers these 7 Best Practices for Google Ad Grants:
- Nail the keywords.
- Work out “negative keywords” — aka, keywords where you don’t want your ads displayed.
- Pay attention to campaigns and ad groups.
- Get landing pages right. Make sure they answer what’s communicated in the ad copy. See tips for your landing pages here.
- Make use of geo-targeting. Set a relevant target location if your organization isn’t global.
- Focus on conversions.
- Measure, analyze, repeat. Link your Google Ads to Google Analytics and use that data to inform your ads. Be strategic and wise with your (free) ad spend.
Integrating Google Grants with other digital marketing efforts such as search engine optimization (SEO), content marketing and social media, helps nonprofits create a comprehensive and cohesive online presence. Traffic generated via Google Grants can help organizations build their email subscriber list, engage with their audience through newsletters and foster long-term relationships.
Google Grants and Nonprofit Success
Google Grants offer a tremendous opportunity for nonprofits to expand their online presence, reach a larger audience and fulfill their missions. It’s not just about free advertising credits; it’s about empowering nonprofits to make a difference by utilizing the full potential of digital marketing.
If you’re interested in changing the world with your nonprofit by making the most of Google Grants, call The Threadgill Agency for a consultation today.