Google Ad Grants: Grow Your Nonprofit Affordably

by Libby Foster | Dec 5, 2022

Almost 20% of nonprofits have no allocated budget for marketing. In a field that’s so focused on giving back, many nonprofits forget the importance of promoting their missions for sustained growth. Google Ad Grants are a perfect place to start for nonprofits new to digital marketing. We’ll outline how to get a Google Grant and grow with it.

What is a Google Ad Grant?

Let’s start with the basics: a Google Ad Grant provides up to $10,000 a month ($329 a day) in search page advertising to qualified 501(c)(3) nonprofits. Your organization can only use this budget for search ads on Google.com. Hospitals, schools, and governmental organizations are not eligible for Google Grants.

Once a nonprofit is approved for a Google grant, there is no end to the period that they can receive funding. To continuously receive funding, though, a nonprofit must keep their account active and reach advertisement engagement benchmarks. Nonprofit organizations often juggle many responsibilities with a small staff, so it may be best to hire a qualified marketing agency to handle the grant application and implementation. While you may pay the agency for its services, the advertising budget should more than compensate for that cost. 

How Can it Benefit Your Nonprofit?

Google Grants allow your nonprofit to appear highly in results for targeted search terms. This can benefit your organization in many ways:

• Encouraging donations
• Educating the public about your mission
• Reaching target audiences for your nonprofit’s services
• Recruiting volunteers

How to Apply for a Grant

1. Start by applying through Google for Nonprofits.
   1. Your application to be a Google-verified nonprofit will go more quickly if you have a TechSoup account.
   2. If not, make sure to have a 501(c)(3) verification letter and your EIN number ready. 
2. Once your application is approved, sign in to Google for Nonprofits. 
3. Click “Activate Products” then “Get Started” under “Google Ad Grants.” 
4. Build out your Google Ads account with appropriate campaigns and keywords.
   1. Select keywords that are relevant to your audience.
5. Build multiple campaigns with numerous ad groups to optimize performance.

These steps seem very simple at first, but Google holds you accountable to your ads’ performance….

Google Grants Benchmarks

Here are some of the key benchmarks Google uses to determine if your campaigns can keep running: 

• 5% click through rate
  • Failing to reach this for two months results in account deactivation
• One meaningful conversion per month 
• Campaign structure
  • 2 ad groups per campaign 
  • 2 individual ads per ad group
  • Specific links of your website on each ad campaign
• Keywords
  • Quality score higher than 2
  • No single-word keywords
• Activity
  • Monthly account login 
  • Changes to account every 90 days 

To achieve Google’s 5% click through rate, compelling copywriting is key. In addition, a carefully crafted capture page helps track and optimize your conversions. Finally, keyword tracking software can help you select search phrases that align with your target audiences. Here at Purplegator, we have proven experience with search page advertising. If your nonprofit is considering a Google Grants campaign, reach out to us today. We’d love to help you make even more of a difference. 

Libby Foster is a Marketing Specialist at Purplegator. She’s also an Advertising and Public Relations master’s student at the University of Alabama.

Cannabis Dispensary Digital Marketing

by Wally Gator | Apr 26, 2021

What

Programmatic Cannabis Advertising refers to digital marketing on behalf of legal businesses
operating in the cannabis industry. While the targeting options and available products
continue to expand, any and all campaigns will include a mandatory 21+ age restriction, and
target locations will be limited to states/countries where legislation has been passed to allow
for this type of advertising. Due to the ongoing legalization of cannabis at the state level
across the United States, more publishers and technology partners are opening the doors for
these businesses to take advantage of the powerful tools already available to other
businesses.

Do you have a Cannabis-related client that is asking for the newest advertising technology to
launch their brand even further than before? Purplegator is excited to announce an
expansion of available products and targeting options for cannabis advertisers. These include:

• Targeted Display Banners
• Targeted Pre-Roll Video
• Device ID Pre-Roll Video
• Streaming TV
• Streaming Radio

Why

2020 was a year that had a catastrophic impact on many state economies. With a new administration in place, states are
seriously considering the legalization of recreational/medical cannabis use to help rebound
economies from the substantial hit they took last year. Digital cannabis advertising has
traditionally been very limited due to the sensitive nature of the products being sold, and the
patchwork of legality between states and the federal government. These limits ad
restrictions affected available inventory, platforms, reporting, and everything
in between. However, the programmatic industry is increasingly embracing the value of
supporting cannabis businesses, and the stigma tied to the products being sold is giving way
to greater acceptance across all touch points in the digital journey from business to its target
audience.

The nationwide easement of lockdown measures and travel restrictions, coupled with the
emergence from winter into the warmer months of spring and summer signal an amazing
opportunity to get in front of these businesses and help them take advantage of the powerful
tools that help them bring business through the front door.

How

Purplegator’s Cannabis network is expanding beyond what has traditionally been limited to
geo-targeting and/or device ID targeting due to the increased scale in available inventory and
technology partnerships. Notably, this includes enhanced targeting options (behaviors,
demos, etc), video placements, Streaming Radio (including podcasts), and Streaming TV.

Metrics & Reporting

At Purplegator, we provide weekly statistical updates for most programs. On a monthly basis, we provide in-depth statistical reviews usually during a personal meeting with the client. As we obtain more data, we use that information to enhance your marketing program by continually tweaking the creative, the mediums and the target markets.

Pricing & Forecasting

Contact Purplegator if you are interested in reaching new highs with your cannabis store marketing.

Cannabis Statistics

• Recreational marijuana use is legal in 19 states. Medical marijuana use is legal in 35 states. Business Insider
• Colorado saw more than $2 billion in recreational marijuana sales in 2020. Marijuana Moment
• Dispensaries have been considered essential businesses during the CoronaVirus Pandemic. Forbes

Google Recommends Moving Your Website to HTTPS

by Robert Bentz | Sep 7, 2017