Increase reach with Google Ad Grants

In times of crisis, non-profit organizations face a double challenge: on the one hand, they need to make their missions and projects more visible than ever in order to gain urgently needed support. On the other hand, available resources are scarce and competition for attention is high. The cost of relevant keywords skyrockets, especially for current topics. Anyone who wants to react quickly to a disaster such as an earthquake or a refugee crisis will quickly notice that the click prices for key terms such as "donate earthquake relief" or "support refugees" are rising rapidly.

 

There's also the ethical question: should a nonprofit bid on other organizations' brand names to capture traffic? From a commercial perspective, this may seem sensible – for non-profit organizations, however, the focus is on the common goal, not competition.

 

Another hurdle: Google Ad Grants is subject to strict guidelines. Organizations must adhere to minimum click-through rates, are only allowed to use certain ad formats and are restricted to bidding on keywords. Those who do not know and adhere to these rules run the risk of ads not being displayed or budgets expiring.

Google Ad Grants offers non-profit organizations the opportunity to use up to 10,000 US dollars of free advertising budget in Google Search every month. This allows you to target supporters, generate new leads and get more people excited about your mission - at no additional cost.

 

However, there are restrictions: Google Ad Grants only allows text ads in the search network. Bids are usually limited to a maximum of 2 US dollars per click, and organizations must meet high quality standards. Therefore, relying on ad grants alone is often not enough.

 

 

The solution? Combine Ad Grants with classic Google Ads! While Ad Grants are mainly used to increase awareness and reach, classic Google Ads are used to generate targeted conversions such as donations or registrations.

 

 

Through this combination, nonprofits can:

 

• Realize small goals such as more website visits or awareness campaigns via Ad Grants.

 

• Target large goals such as fundraising or event registrations via classic Google Ads.

 

• React more flexibly to crisis situations by switching on paid ads at short notice when reach is particularly important.

 

• Use better bidding strategies, for example through conversion tracking, to avoid bid limits even with ad grants and place more relevant ads.

 

The key is to clearly separate the two programs and strategically interlink them. This allows organizations to maximize their impact and get the most out of their digital campaigns.

 

 

The proper use of Google Ad Grants requires careful planning and implementation. While Google provides non-profit organizations with a generous budget, the guidelines and limitations make a strategic approach essential.

 

1. Set up your Google Ad Grants account correctly

 

First, the organization must register for the Google for Nonprofits program and apply for Google Ad Grants. After successful activation, it is important to set up the account according to the current specifications:
Only search network campaigns with text ads may be placed.

 

• Each campaign must contain at least two ad groups.
• Each ad group requires at least two active ads.
• The landing pages must comply with the quality guidelines.

 

2. Select and adapt keywords specifically

 

Choosing the right keywords is crucial to the success of campaigns. It is not only about high search volumes, but above all about relevance and quality.
Keywords with a low quality factor (below 3) must be removed or optimized. Instead of focusing only on generic terms such as „donate“, the organization should choose specific combinations, such as „donate refugee aid“ or „support earthquake relief“.
The keyword strategy should be regularly reviewed and adjusted to ensure a consistently high click-through rate (CTR) of at least 5 percent.

 

3. Activate conversion tracking

 

Without conversion tracking, organizations are wasting a lot of potential. By recording target projects - such as a completed donation or a newsletter registration - the system can learn to automatically optimize bids so that the 2-dollar limit is exceeded. In this way, better positioning and higher visibility can be achieved.

 

4. Use Google Ads in a complementary way

 

For goals that Google Ad Grants alone cannot achieve - such as large donation campaigns or targeted event advertising - it is worthwhile placing supplementary paid ads. Important here:

 

• Maintain separate accounts for Ad Grants and Paid Ads.

• Use different keywords to avoid creating internal competition.

• Continuously improve performance through testing and monitoring.

 

5. Landingpages optimieren

 

The success of an ad depends largely on the landing page behind it. It should load quickly, be mobile-optimized and clearly reflect the content of the ad. Good landing pages improve the quality factor of the ads and increase the likelihood that users will take the desired action. With this approach, organizations can cleverly circumvent the restrictions of Google Ad Grants and take full advantage of the program.

When used correctly, Google Ad Grants can have an enormous impact. Many non-profit organizations that use the program consistently and strategically report impressive successes.

 

With a professional campaign structure and continuous monitoring, the following results can be achieved:

 

• Significant increase in website visits: More people learn about the organization's offers and projects.

 

• Higher visibility in Google search: Nonprofits are particularly prominent and can be found when it comes to important social issues.

 

• More leads and supporters: Targeted landing pages and conversion-optimized ads increase contact lists and willingness to donate.

 

• Increased donation income: Supplementary paid ads and a clever target group approach allow specific fundraising goals to be achieved more quickly.

 

• Increased brand awareness: Even if not every ad leads to a direct donation, the increased visibility pays off in the long term in terms of trust in the organization.
  
  

 

In practice, it is clear that those who view Google Ad Grants purely as a bonus program and only put minimal energy into it are wasting enormous opportunities. On the other hand, those who integrate and optimize the program as an integral part of their digital strategy can sustainably increase their reach and impact - even with limited budgets.

 

Google Ad Grants is much more than a nice extra for non-profit organizations. It's a real opportunity to make a big impact with a small budget. If you understand the rules, set up your campaigns strategically and use Google Ads intelligently as a supplement, you can sustainably improve the digital visibility of your organization.

 

Even in times of crisis, it is clear that organizations that communicate quickly, purposefully and convincingly gain supporters and thus the ability to take action.

Organizations that leave the possibilities of Google Ad Grants unused or use them half-heartedly lose valuable opportunities:

 

• potential donors are lost,

• reach potential remains unused,

• Our own mission is falling behind.

 

Therefore our recommendation: Don't just use Google Ad Grants anyhow – use it strategically. And if you would like support, we will be happy to accompany you on your way to greater digital visibility and fundraising success.