The Google Ad Grants program has certain eligibility requirements for qualifying nonprofits. As long as a nonprofit continues to meet these eligibility requirements, there is no end to the period that they will receive the Google Ad Grant benefits and no maximum benefit that can be received. In addition to the eligibility requirements there are also rules and benchmarks around campaign performance that must be met and maintained to keep the account active. While eligible nonprofits will not lose their Google grant, it may be suspended or paused if campaign performance benchmarks and certain account rules are not followed. View Google’s full policy here.
>> If you think you qualify but need help navigating the process—or if you already have a Google Ad Grants account but aren’t sure if your nonprofit is getting the most out of it—JB Media is here to help with all your Ad Grants Management needs. Get expert help today!
Google Ad Grant Requirements
To use your Grant dollars, you’ll need to plan for Google Ad campaigns, ad groups, and ads. You’ll need to:
- Determine which keywords you want to focus on.
Note: you can’t target any single word or overly broad keywords. It is tempting to go broad, but Google strictly enforces their restriction on going too broad with keywords.
Also, keep in mind that you can’t target branded or trademarked keywords you don’t own, i.e., “Toyota Corolla.” - Create two ad groups per campaign.
- Create two ads per ad group.
Conversion tracking must be installed on your website before any of your campaigns will be approved by Google.
Keyword Quality Score
Your keywords must achieve a quality score of three or higher on a 10 point scale. In order to meet this requirement you’ll need to monitor the quality score vigilantly because if you do go below three, Google will pause your account. The quality score is based on Google’s analysis of your website, the landing pages, as well as your ads and your targeted keywords. The more that you keep your keywords tied to their ad groups, the higher the quality score.
Click Through Rate (CTR)
You will need to achieve a bi-monthly account 5% click through rate (CTR). Achieving a 5% CTR, or better, will not necessarily be easy. Keep in mind that the industry standard click through rate for Google Ads accounts is about 3%.
Achieving a 5% or better click through rate will require active monitoring of your account. Though 5% is not easy to hit, it is possible, especially if you have help from an expert. Many of JB Media’s Google Ad accounts that we run achieve 10% or more click through rate. Now these are high quality accounts–and that’s exactly what Google demands. They want any account that utilized the Google Ad Grant to be as high quality as possible because they are sending you free traffic.
Curious about utilizing Google Ad Grants for your nonprofit?
Nonprofits can either go through the application process on their own or they can hire an experienced Google Grants Consultant. Our digital marketing agency, JB Media, is one example of a service provider with expertise in helping nonprofits navigate the Google Grant application process, account optimization, and ongoing account management process. We are happy to answer any questions you have about whether or not hiring a Google Grant consultant is right for your organization. Contact us with your questions.
