Google Ads Grants for Nonprofits

If your church or nonprofit isn’t currently utilizing Google Ads, read on to learn the benefits and how to do so for free. Google Ads are an effective tool to raise awareness of your church to those exploring the Christian faith or searching for a church home. And great news...Google is offering Google Ads Grants to nonprofits up to $10K per month making this easy method of promotion free for you.

One Auxilio client reports “Google ads have proven to be the most successful social media platform at generating visitors who stick. Facebook promotions will generate one-time visitors for the event being promoted, but typically those people don’t return for a worship service...Google is reaching those who are searching for a church and are motivated to go to one. People have said to me, ‘We did not know you were here until we googled.’”

Google keyword searches result in relevant Google Ads. Those ads link to your website which should have related information clearly and easily displayed. The church above has ads for search words such as church, presbyterian church, evangelical church, reformed church, and denominational and holiday-specific terms. Google gives guidance on how to make the most of your Google Ads in this video which recommends the following:

• Geo-target your campaign so that your ads show only to users searching near your location. Starting a new campaign will prompt you to set a location. Don’t skip this important step!

• Negative keywords help focus your campaigns on what users are actually searching for. By assigning words to exclude, you will reduce the number of people who come to your site but then abandon their exploration. 

• Active Ad Extensions to highlight specific pages right in your ad. Site links and call-out extensions can be very effective for nonprofits. These tools can increase your click-through rate by 10-15%.

• Activate Conversion Goals to track donations, event registrations, and website traffic. If you use Google Analytics, you can link it to your Ad Grants account and it will track this for you.

• Maximize Conversions by setting your bid strategy to ignore the $2 per click limit on high-performing keywords. 

How can you apply for the grants and get started? Google has simple instructions for this three-step process for securing Ad Grants:

1. Apply for Google for Nonprofits: If you’re an Auxilio client using Google for email, you are most likely already approved for Google for Nonprofits. If you’re using another email platform, the Auxilio tech team can apply for a Google account for you to get approved for Google Ad Grants.

2. Active Ad Grants: Sign in to Google for Nonprofits and click “Get Started” under Google Ad Grants. Fill out the simple application, which includes the video above and a series of questions to make sure you understand how best to utilize Google Ad Grants. 

3. Launch a Successful Ad Grants Campaign: Once you’re approved, set up a campaign. Google provides additional resources to help you learn this process. 

Auxilio recommends taking advantage of Google’s generous Ad Grants program. Talk with your Partner Strategist if you need help getting started. Our tech team can also help connect your conversion goals to the relevant parts of your website.