The first thing you think of when it comes to using ads for your church is the cost. That’s not surprising, but what if there was a free way to boost your church marketing?
Google ad grants for churches and other nonprofits are designed to help you benefit from the power of Google without hurting church finances.
Before you apply, it’s important to know how the grants work and whether they’re the right choice for your church.
The Basics Of Ad Grants For Churches
Google provides churches and other nonprofits with $10,000 worth of AdWords advertising every month. Of course, there are some rules and requirements. However, the basics are if you’re eligible, Google gives out ad grants for churches to help you market your church. The main rule is you have to use the money to support your church and church programs.
If that’s not a problem, you can’t go wrong by at least applying for the grant. Every church could use that extra visibility in search results, especially those looking to grow their membership and donations.
Eligibility And Applying
Everyone isn’t eligible for Google ad grants. In fact, Google is rather strict as to who qualifies. This is to ensure only those who are legitimate nonprofits and who will use the money the right way join the program. Some of the requirements include:
- Meet country-specific nonprofit eligibility requirements
- Apply and be accepted by the Google for Nonprofits program
- Hold a valid charity status
- Agree to Google’s terms on nondiscrimination and donation use
- Maintain a website filled with useful and relevant content
If you meet all those requirements, you’re eligible to apply. Google will then verify your church and ensure you meet all the requirements. If so, you’ll receive further instructions on how to start using ad grants for churches.
Why Google Ads Matter
With people use ad blockers, it might not seem like Google ads matter anymore, but they actually still reach millions of users every day. Take a look at some of the success stories of nonprofits that are using ad grants currently. They’ve increased funding, boosted their charity’s visibility and reputation, gained more members and much more.
Businesses use Google ads to increase their customers. Why not take the same approach as major businesses use to help your church grow and help the local community?
Staying Eligible
Just because you’ve been accepted doesn’t mean you stay eligible. Google has a few criteria in place that your church must meet every month to keep receiving the grant. You must continue to meet all the original eligibility requirements, only use the money for your church and church programs and log in to your AdWords account regularly to maintain an active status.
Rules And Restrictions
When it comes to setting up your AdWords account, there are few things to keep in mind. These rules and restrictions are in place to help you get the most from the program without abusing it. Some of the top rules include:
- All ads are text-based only
- You must have keyword-targeted campaigns
- You must set up conversion tracking to measure your results
- Your daily budget must be ~$329 per day (which equals $10,000 per month)
In January 2018, Google made a few changes to this program. The most important is ads for nonprofits must maintain a 5% click through rate, but the $2.00 cap has been lifted to make it easier to buy more competitive keywords. Google does provide a list of tips to help you meet the 5% CTR.
Making The Most Of Your Free Ads
It’s important to make the absolute most of your free ads. For instance, use geo-targeting to ensure your ads are appearing when people search from or for specific locations. Get creative with your ad copy so it attracts more clicks. Of course, make sure your ad links are linking to relevant and useful content.
Ready to start using ad grants for churches? Let us help you create the best AdWords strategy to take full advantage of your $10,000.
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