On the subject of bettering your nonprofit’s digital efforts, there are many nice instruments that may strengthen your internet presence. As an illustration, Mightycause gives all the things that you must create superior staff and peer-to-peer campaigns or arrange a year-round donation web page. Then, e-mail advertising and marketing software program might help you have interaction your constituents on an individualized degree. And by now, you might have additionally heard about all the nice that the Google Advert Grants program can do on your outreach.
Whether or not you’re employed for a small charity or a big worldwide nonprofit, the Google Advert Grants program might help you amplify your most essential pages and join with prospects looking key phrases associated to your mission. Looks like a no brainer, proper?
Not so quick! This system is extra helpful for some organizations than it’s for others. Google Advert Grants might help nonprofits professionalize their advertising and marketing, however they may also be time-consuming and cumbersome to handle.
Should you’re questioning if the Google Advert Grant is an efficient match on your group, you’ve come to the proper place! The fundraising specialists right here at Mightycause have pulled collectively some essential factors you’ll want to think about earlier than making use of. Right here’s what we’ll cowl:
- The Fundamentals of Google Advert Grants
- 7 Inquiries to Ask Earlier than Making use of for the Google Advert Grant
- What To Do if You’re Not Prepared for the Google Advert Grant But
By the tip of this text, we’re assured that you simply’ll be capable to decide if this system will match into your nonprofit’s present priorities. If not, we’ll additionally share actionable subsequent steps that may show you how to get there. Let’s get began!
The Fundamentals of Google Advert Grants
Earlier than we will get into whether or not Google Grants is true on your nonprofit, we’ll must go over some primary details about Google Advertisements. That method, you possibly can rapidly decide whether or not it looks as if a sensible choice on your group.
Google Advertisements 101
Previously generally known as Google AdWords, Google Advertisements is a paid search engine advertising and marketing (SEM) platform. Corporations create advertisements that hyperlink to pages on their web sites and bid on key phrases associated to their enterprise. Different firms (usually opponents) bid on those self same key phrases. From right here, Google makes use of a rating system known as Advert Rank to find out which advertisements are proven to customers and in what order.
Advert Rank takes a number of elements into consideration, together with:
- Your bid quantity
- The standard of your advert
- The competitiveness of the key phrase
- Your Advert Rank threshold, which can also be decided by a number of various factors
- The context of the individual’s search (e.g. location, gadget, and time of search)
- Your use of advert extensions and different advert codecs
When a person searches a key phrase, their outcomes can have advertisements combined in with natural (or unpaid) search outcomes. As an illustration, that is what it seems like once I Google “bow ties”:
Discover that the paid advertisements are labeled, so customers will clearly perceive that specific outcomes are ads. You’ll be able to see that Google has positioned the advertisements on the search engine outcomes web page (SERP) based mostly on Advert Rank. Google is aware of quite a bit about me, together with the subjects I search, the place I’m situated, and which pages I click on. Different customers would possibly see completely different advertisements in a distinct order once they search the identical time period.
After I click on on one of many advertisements, the corporate might be charged. Google Advertisements is pay-per-click (PPC) promoting, so that you’re not charged until somebody clicks in your advert. How a lot you pay will depend on your bid, what others have bid, your rank, and the standard of your advert.
If this sounds just a little difficult, that’s as a result of it completely is! Google Advertisements is likely one of the most advanced advertising and marketing instruments obtainable. And that is solely a fast overview of how paid search campaigns work.
To not point out, Google Advertisements additionally permits firms to create show community campaigns that present their advert everywhere in the Google Show Community, which incorporates over 35 million web sites and apps. Plus, it has highly effective focusing on instruments that assist advertisements attain the proper customers and use their advertising and marketing finances most successfully.
Sufficient about paid Google Advertisements, although. Let’s study just a little extra about Google Advert Grants.
What’s a Google Advert Grant?
Google created the Google Advert Grant to empower nonprofits to extend their visibility for worthwhile key phrases associated to their missions. It gives organizations with free (however barely restricted) entry to Google Advertisements.
Whereas Google implements eligibility necessities that nonprofits should meet, just about any group with a legitimate charity standing and promotable internet content material is eligible to use for the Google Advert Grant. Once you’re permitted, your nonprofit will obtain $10,000 in in-kind promoting every month.
The final word aim of this system is to attach nonprofits with folks looking for causes like theirs, appeal to donors, and recruit new volunteers via highly effective SEM.
Be aware that Google Advert Grants are just for search community campaigns, which implies your advertisements might be text-only and also you’ll have a most bid of $2.00 for every key phrase. Be aware that Google limits Advert Grants accounts to $329 USD per day.
7 Inquiries to Ask Earlier than Making use of for the Google Advert Grant
Making use of for Google Advert Grants is a prolonged course of. Particularly in the event you already don’t have sufficient hours in your day to get all the things performed, you don’t wish to waste your time making use of if it gained’t be worthwhile. To assist, we’ve put collectively 7 key questions that may assist gauge whether or not the Google Advert Grant might be helpful to your trigger.
1. Does my group meet the eligibility necessities?
Earlier than critically contemplating this system’s function in your fundraising and advertising and marketing efforts, decide in the event you’re eligible first. Google implements eligibility standards to guarantee that organizations will truly acquire worth from this system and have worthwhile content material to share.
A few of these necessities embody:
- Holding a present and legitimate charity standing in your nation. For nonprofits within the U.S., you’ll have to be registered as a 501(c)(3) group.
- Having a high-quality web site with promotable content material. This contains proudly owning the area, sharing enough particulars concerning the group, having HTTPS safety, and extra.
- Being registered with TechSoup and Google for Nonprofits earlier than making use of for Google Advert Grants.
Even in the event you meet their first spherical of necessities, sure forms of organizations are robotically ineligible to take part. These embody authorities organizations, healthcare organizations, and academic establishments. Though, there is a separate program particularly for faculties and different academic organizations generally known as Google for Schooling.
2. Do I’ve the know-how to handle a Google Grant account?
I gained’t deceive you: there’s a purpose Google Advertisements certification is a superb addition to a marketer’s résumé. Google Advertisements is likely one of the more durable promoting instruments to grasp. Even licensed professionals nonetheless study new issues about Google Advertisements daily!
The excellent news is that you simply don’t have to be Google Advertisements licensed to make use of a Google Grant. Plus, Google gives loads of free coaching that will help you learn to leverage its instruments.
The draw back is that there’s quite a bit to study in the event you’re a novice. Google Advertisements is an promoting platform that’s troublesome to study on the fly. And also you’ll want some primary information about PPC promoting, key phrases, web optimization, and the way search engines like google work. Should you’re inquisitive about what all goes into managing an account, Getting Consideration’s information to Google Advert Grant account optimization covers the important thing ideas you must take note.
If in case you have that background and are prepared to tackle the problem, the Google Advert Grant should still be excellent for you! Should you’re nonetheless struggling to determine find out how to use geotargeting instruments (or have by no means tried), chances are you’ll wish to maintain off till you get just a little extra snug with internet advertising first. Or, you possibly can all the time outsource the work to an expert!
3. Do I’ve the time to actively handle my campaigns?
Whereas the Google Advert Grants program can rework your advertising and marketing, it’s not a set-it-and-forget-it kind of promoting. You’ll must dedicate fairly a little bit of effort and time earlier than and after you’re permitted. You’ll must make time to:
- Carry your web site in control with Google’s tips and guarantee your content material is conversion-optimized.
- Register with TechSoup and create a Google for Nonprofits account, which might take fairly a number of weeks.
- Fill out the appliance kind and make changes in the event you’re not permitted.
- Arrange your advert campaigns, which requires researching key phrases, creating advert copy, and selecting a related touchdown web page.
- Monitor efficiency every day. Then, add and take away key phrases, modify your bids, tweak your advertisements, and so forth based mostly on marketing campaign outcomes.
So, assume realistically about your capability, and take into account whether or not it’s one thing you possibly can simply construct into your schedule. Should you’re undecided in the event you can handle it your self, it could be an incredible alternative to discover a skilled who might help you arrange your campaigns and handle them for you.
4. What are my targets for Google Advert Grants?
A giant indicator of whether or not the Google Advert Grant is true on your nonprofit is that if it aligns along with your nonprofit’s strategic route. Generally it’s tempting to use simply because it’s there. It’s not laborious to get permitted — and it’s the form of factor that may be nice to inform your board, proper? $10,000 per 30 days from Google! How superior is that?!
However until getting extra visitors to your web site is considered one of your nonprofit’s main targets, a Google Advert Grant might flip into an enormous time-suck that you simply aren’t in a position to leverage efficiently.
That’s partially why Google requires you to set particular conversion targets, whether or not they’re financial or not. Right here’s how they break down their advisable targets:
- Purchases and gross sales: Examples embody donations, purchases, membership gross sales, and ticket gross sales.
- Signal-ups: These may very well be volunteer sign-ups, e-mail sign-ups, new membership kind submissions, occasion sign-ups, or free account registrations.
- Leads: This would possibly embody the variety of downloads of knowledge, clicks-to-call, clicks-to-email, clicks to social accounts, or contact kind submissions.
- Views of a key web page: This might embody visits to your “Contact Us” web page, time spent on website, pages per session, or movies watched.
Decide whether or not these targets assist your total strategic goals earlier than making use of, then decide when you’ve got touchdown pages that may assist these targets (e.g. an optimized volunteer sign-up kind to spice up volunteer registrations).
Should you’d merely like to spice up your presence in search outcomes, there are methods you possibly can optimize your present web site to spice up natural visitors or make updates to your small business itemizing on Google that require much less effort and may enhance your visibility.
5. How sturdy is my web site?
Google has a number of necessities concerning web site high quality. They do that to make sure that you could have content material price selling that may truly be helpful to your nonprofit and customers who come throughout your advertisements.
When was the final time you up to date your nonprofit’s web site? If it’s been some time, you’ll wish to make certain your web site is in fine condition earlier than making use of for a Google Advert Grant. Right here are some things to think about when evaluating your website and figuring out this system’s usefulness to your nonprofit:
- Ensure your nonprofit owns its website’s area. Should you’re nonetheless utilizing your Mightycause web page as your web site, you’ll must construct your personal customized website earlier than even contemplating a Google Advert Grant. All you’ll must do is select a dependable area registrar (you possibly can even do that via Google) and buy your area via them.
- Embrace details about your nonprofit. Ensure it’s extremely clear what your nonprofit does. Google requires you to have a transparent description of your group, mission, and actions.
- Ensure your website is of top quality total. Google requires that your website options distinctive content material, masses rapidly, doesn’t include damaged hyperlinks, and is absolutely secured with HTTPS.
These are just some methods you possibly can analyze your present website. One ultimate factor you’ll wish to take into consideration is search engine marketing (web optimization). web optimization and Advertisements work hand-in-hand. So, in the event you’re undecided in the event you’re focusing on key phrases with any pages in your web site, chances are you’ll wish to work on bettering your web site’s web optimization first. This information from Moz is a superb place to begin if you wish to find out about web optimization.
6. Am I assured our nonprofits’ advertisements can carry out?
The Google Advert Grants program has some particular efficiency necessities for nonprofits. A few of these, like having two sitelink extensions, are straightforward. Others, like sustaining a 5% clickthrough fee (CTR), are tougher. Should you fail to fulfill these necessities, your account could be deactivated — and having an account reinstated could be a very difficult course of.
Should you’re a Google Advertisements neophyte, this system in all probability isn’t best for you. However, in the event you’re snug with PPC promoting, you possibly can write advert copy, and your group has an superior web site, an Advert Grant is perhaps excellent for you!
Even in the event you’re new to PPC promoting, there are loads of sources on the market that train you. In spite of everything, everybody has to begin someplace! Should you merely can’t allocate time to studying about Google Advertisements and associated instruments, you possibly can all the time search recommendation from an knowledgeable, which brings us to our subsequent query.
7. Will we want skilled assist?
Should you don’t have the time or information to handle your Google Grants account, take into account skilled assist. First, they might help decide how (and if) the Google Advert Grant will profit your staff. You’ll be able to share info concerning your strategic targets and chat about potential use instances and techniques on your account.
Past this, Double the Donation’s information to hiring a Google Grants company explains that specialists might help within the following methods:
- Making use of for the Google Advert Grant
- Establishing your campaigns, together with key phrase analysis and advert copy growth
- Optimizing your touchdown pages to drive conversions
- Monitoring efficiency and making changes to your advertisements based mostly on outcomes
- Sustaining month-to-month compliance with Google’s tips
Should you’re low on workers time, looking for skilled Google Advert Grant administration assist could be extremely helpful, however you must also examine the prices along with your finances earlier than making your resolution.
What To Do if You’re Not Prepared for the Google Advert Grant But
Should you’ve drawn the conclusion that an Advert Grant isn’t best for you at the moment, don’t sweat it! There are steps you possibly can take to enhance your search presence and get extra visitors to your web site within the meantime. Then, down the highway, chances are you’ll be prepared for that grant!
Right here’s what you are able to do proper now to assist put together you for the Google Advert Grant:
- Get your web site as much as code. Evaluate your web site with Google’s web site high quality tips and repair something that you simply flag.
- Study web optimization and optimize your web site. It’s a good suggestion to begin producing natural visitors, affiliate your website with related key phrases, and ensure your touchdown pages are geared up to drive conversions.
- Ensure your nonprofit’s enterprise data is updated on Google. It will assist supporters and potential beneficiaries discover primary details about your group.
- Chat with a Google Advert Grants knowledgeable. Consultants know all about this system and might help you determine whether or not this system can assist your group’s targets. Plus, they might help you prepare to use!
- Leverage free coaching sources. To get snug with Google’s instruments, you possibly can full some free coaching for the completely different merchandise that you simply’ll use, like Google Advertisements and Google Analytics.
It’s also possible to strive working a marketing campaign on Mightycause and utilizing it to check out completely different promoting methods to see what works greatest on your group! Attempt including on a PPC marketing campaign to a Giving Day like #GivingTuesday. The extra knowledge you possibly can collect about how efficient PPC promoting could be on your nonprofit, the higher it is possible for you to to evaluate whether or not a Google Advert Grant is worth it to pursue.
If the Google Advert Grant already seems like a great match on your staff, what are you ready for? Go on the market and apply for this system!
Attempt downloading The Final Information to Nonprofit Fundraising! It’s free and full of info that may show you how to increase more cash on your trigger.
