Nonprofit Paid Search

Nonprofit Paid Search
Crucial Digital Marketing for Nonprofits

How Paid Search Helps Your Nonprofit

Most nonprofits limit their digital marketing strategy to just their website. Now a great website can help engage donors and showcase your cause, but without doing more, you’re only reaching the people who already know about your cause. Running multiple digital campaigns allows each effort to enhance the other, creating a more successful digital marketing strategy.

Increasing your donors and volunteers means increasing awareness of your cause by spreading your mission or vision. Paid search is a great way to do this using digital marketing.

 

Google Grants: Nonprofit PPC Made Affordable

Concerned about the cost of paid search ads to benefit your nonprofit? The Google Grant is the answer to your dilemma.

What Is Google Grants and How Does it Work?

What is it?

Google Grants allow eligible nonprofits $10,000/month of ad spend to share their cause on Google’s search engine. That means that every month your nonprofit could use up to $10,000 worth of FREE Google ads.

How does it work?

Once Google approves your nonprofit, it allows your nonprofit Adwords account to spend up to $10,000 each month, at a max Cost-Per-Click (CPC) of $2.00. Once you hit $10,000 in ad spend, your ads automatically stop showing for the month. Then, ads automatically start running again at the beginning of the next cycle, so there’s no worrying about extra charges once you pass your $10,000 spend cap.

The Perks of Google Grants for Nonprofits

Large Network of Users

More than 60% of all online searches happen on Google, making it the most popular search engine online. Google’s large user network can help you quickly spread your cause, and with a maximum CPC of $2.00/click, your site could receive up to 5,000 more visitors each month, for FREE.

Reach Your Target Audience

Another benefit of Google is its diverse audience. You can set target demographics, locations, and keywords to pinpoint the users who could be interested in your cause.

Increase Online Visibility

If your nonprofit is new or not showing up for keywords related to your cause, Google Grants can help you show up at the top of those keyword search results. Placing at the top of a Google search helps give your cause awareness while your site increases its organic rankings. Even if your nonprofit ranks well in organic search results now, search ads let you show up more than once on a page and increase the chances of a visitor clicking through to your site.

Google Grants Nonprofit Qualifications

Qualify for Google Grants

Google accepts applications from nonprofits that meet the following criteria:

• Valid 501(c) nonprofit
• Have a website with enough good content
• Headquartered in the United States or eligible country

Maintain Your Google Grant

If your application is successful, you must do the following to keep the Grant:

• Link ads to only one website
• Do not link to a page where a majority of content hyperlinks to other websites
• Log into Adwords at least once a month
• Update your ads at least every 90 days
• Only promote products, services, and events where 100% of proceeds go directly towards supporting your program

 

Apply for Google Grants

One of the biggest hurdles to winning a Google Grant is the application. The application includes writing a section of how you will use the grant and creating Google Ad examples for your nonprofit. It can take anywhere from 4 to 6 hours to complete, and not all applicants are accepted. Repeatedly rejected applicants must wait months before re-applying.

 

Manage Your Google Grant

Managing a Google Grant on your own is possible, but requires a lot of work to really benefit your nonprofit.

Google Grants Hurdles

Some common hurdles to Google Grant management are:

1. Difficult Entry: Applying for and maintaining the grant is time-consuming.
2. Use it or Lose it:
   If your account doesn’t spend the full amount allocated each month the remaining balance doesn’t rollover. A great strategy is important to make most out of your grant.
3. Cap on Click Spend:
   Google sets a max CPC of $2.00 and shows Google Grant ads after paying advertisers. Creating compelling, optimized, and targeted ads is crucial to seeing a high impact from your paid search efforts.
4. High Standards: You must keep improving your ads and maintain at least a 1% click-through-rate to continue receiving the grant.

 

Google Ad Grants Management

Gray Digital Group specializes in non-profit Google Grant management. We help nonprofit clients manage Google Grants from start to finish – from applying to receive their Google Grant, to setting up and optimizing the campaign for the long-term.