If you manage a church or a church’s marketing/outreach department, you know how hard it can be to reach more people and impact your community. Times are changing fast, and now more than ever, churches need to advertise in the digital world. But how can they do this with limited expertise and budget? Enter the Google Ad Grant for churches.
Google Ad Grants is a program that offers eligible nonprofit organizations up to $10,000 per month in free advertising credits on Google’s search engine results page.
This can help churches increase their online visibility, drive more website traffic, and ultimately attract more visitors to their physical locations. However, qualifying for the Google Ad Grant can be challenging, as there are strict eligibility requirements that must be met.
Here, we will provide a comprehensive guide to help churches navigate the application process and meet the necessary criteria to qualify for the Google Ad Grant. We will also share best practices for managing a Google Ad Grant account to achieve your outreach goals.
Estimated reading time: 10 minutes
Table of contents
What is the Google Ad Grant?
Google Ad Grant is a program offered by Google to eligible nonprofit organizations. It provides them with up to $10,000 per month in free advertising credits on Google’s search engine results page.
Basics
In simple terms, what this means is that whenever someone looks up a question on Google that could be relevant to your church, such as “churches near me”, “looking for community”, “who is God?”, etc., your church appears at the very top. This is especially important because we know that the church is the best place for community, safety, and hope. Therefore, it should be the first place people find when searching.
As you can tell, the Google Ad Grant can be an incredibly powerful tool for your church to increase its online visibility and attract more visitors to its website and physical location. The program is designed to help nonprofits reach a wider audience and promote their mission through online advertising.
How it Works
Through the Google Ad Grants program, eligible nonprofit organizations can create and run Google ads on the search engine page. These ads appear when users search for relevant keywords related to the organization’s mission or cause. The goal of these ads is to attract clicks and drive traffic to your church’s website. There, users can learn more about your church’s mission, programs, and initiatives.
Eligibility
To be eligible for the Google Grants program, nonprofit organizations must meet several strict eligibility requirements. These include being registered as a nonprofit in their country, having an active website with sufficient content, and complying with Google’s Ad Grant policies. Additionally, nonprofits must maintain compliance with the program’s requirements to continue receiving advertising credits.
Overall, the Google Ad Grant program provides a unique opportunity for nonprofit organizations, like your church, to increase their online visibility and attract more visitors to their website and physical location.
How do I Qualify?
To qualify for the Google Ad Grants program, nonprofit organizations must meet several eligibility requirements. These requirements include:
Registering as a Nonprofit Organization
To meet the Google Grant requirements, organizations must be registered as a nonprofit in their country. This includes some churches, but does not include things like government institutions, healthcare providers, or schools. In the United States, your church must have filed with the IRS as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
If you are unsure if your church meets the requirements of a nonprofit charitable organization, you can register for TechSoup. Just visit the TechSoup registration page, select New Member, then Register, and agree to the terms and conditions. You should receive an email from TechSoup about validation in the next 30 days.
After receiving confirmation via email, log into your account to get your TechSoup Validation Token. It will have a code you can use for your Google for Nonprofits application and will expire after 60 days.
Maintaining an Active Website with Sufficient Content
Organizations must have a functioning website with relevant and up-to-date content that relates to their mission or cause. The website must be on your own separate domain. It also needs an SSL certificate installed to confirm that it is secure.
Complying with Google Ad Grants Policies
Organizations must comply with all of Google Ad Grants policies. This includes those related to ad content, website content, and program participation. Any time Google asks for you to accept terms and conditions, you should do so.
Applying and Being Approved for the Program
Organizations must submit an application for the Google Ad Grants program and receive approval from Google before they can begin using the advertising credits. The full details of this process are explained in the next section, “Applying for the Google Ad Grant”.
After Applying
Once your church has been approved for the Google Ad Grants program, you can begin creating and running ads on Google’s search engine results page. However, it is important to note that organizations must also maintain compliance with the program’s policies and requirements in order to continue receiving advertising credits.
Overall, qualifying for the Google Ad Grants program can be a lengthy and detailed process. However, it can provide significant benefits to nonprofit organizations, including churches, looking to increase their online visibility and attract more visitors to their website and physical location.
Applying for the Google Ad Grant
After making sure you are eligible for the Google Ad Grants program, the next step is to apply for the program. The application process is simple, but it does require careful attention to detail to ensure a successful application.
Create Account
To apply for the Google Ad Grants program, organizations must create a Google for Nonprofits account and submit an application. The application requires information about the organization’s mission, programs, and impact, as well as details about the organization’s website, including the URL and target audience.
You must also provide a brief description of your advertising goals and how your church plans to use the advertising credits to achieve those goals. In addition, the application requires information about the organization’s legal status, including proof of nonprofit registration, and financial transparency.
Approval
After submitting the application, organizations should expect to hear back from Google within a few weeks. If the application is approved, the organization will receive an email with instructions for setting up a Google Ad Grants account and creating ads.
It’s important to note that Google Ad Grants accounts have strict policies and requirements that must be adhered to. Organizations must continually monitor their account to ensure compliance with these policies and avoid account suspension.
Review
Applying for the Google Ad Grants program requires careful attention to detail and a clear understanding of the program’s requirements and policies.
However, successfully obtaining a Google Ad Grant can provide significant benefits to nonprofit organizations, including churches, looking to increase their online visibility and attract more visitors to their website and physical location.
Managing a Google Ad Grant Account
Managing a Google Ad Grants account can be a complex and time-consuming process. However, with the right strategies and practices in place, you can maximize the impact of their advertising campaigns. Here are some best practices for managing a Google Ad Grants account:
Specific Advertising Goals
Before creating ads, it’s important to establish clear advertising goals and a plan for achieving them. This can help organizations target their ads more effectively and measure the success of their campaigns.
For example, if the goal is to increase website traffic (the number of people visiting your website), you should create ads that specifically target users who are searching for related keywords (such as “church”, “community”, or “God”). Then, direct them to a landing page with relevant information. This landing page is described more in detail in a section below.
Keyword Research
To make sure ads are appearing to the right audience, you should do some keyword research to find relevant and effective keywords to use in your ad campaigns. This involves using tools like Google’s Keyword Planner to research the most relevant keywords for your church’s mission and cause. It’s important to choose keywords that have a high search volume and low competition to ensure the ads are being seen by the right users.
Targeted Ad Groups
Organizing ads into targeted ad groups based on themes or specific keywords is really important. This can help improve ad relevance and increase the chance of clicks. Some examples can include “families with young children” or “young adult singles”.
By grouping ads based on relevant keywords, you can make sure that your ads are appearing to the right users who are searching for those specific terms.
Strong Ad Copy
Ads should be designed to grab users’ attention and encourage them to click through to your church’s website. Compelling ad copy (“copy” meaning “text”) that is relevant and specific to the user’s search. This can vastly help improve click-through rates.
For example, using action-oriented language like “Donate Now” or “Get Involved” can encourage users to take action and click through to your church’s website.
Optimized Landing Pages
Once users click on an ad, they should be taken to an optimized landing page on your church’s website. “Landing page” is a fancy term for the website page that users first arrive at when clicking on your ad.
Landing pages should provide clear and concise information related to the ad and encourage users to take action. This can include making a donation or signing up for a newsletter. It’s important to ensure that the landing page is mobile-friendly and has a clear call to action to maximize conversion rates.
Monitored Campaigns
It’s important to continually monitor ad campaigns. This way, you can make sure they are performing well and adjust them as needed to improve effectiveness and avoid account suspension.
This typically involves regularly reviewing ad performance metrics like click-through rates and conversion rates. It could also involve making adjustments to ads or landing pages as needed. It’s also important to stay up-to-date with Google’s policies and guidelines to ensure compliance with the program’s requirements.
Review
By following these best practices, organizations can effectively manage their Google Ad Grants accounts and maximize the impact of their advertising campaigns. Managing a Google Ad Grants account requires significant time and effort. However, the potential benefits in terms of increased online visibility and website traffic can make it a valuable tool for nonprofit organizations, like your church, looking to grow their online presence.
The Google Ad Grant for Your Church Website
The Google Ad Grant program can provide your church with a valuable opportunity to increase its online visibility and reach new audiences through free advertising on Google. However, to qualify for the program and make the most of its benefits, you must meet specific requirements and implement best practices for managing your advertising campaigns.
By following the steps outlined in this article, including meeting eligibility requirements, creating effective advertising campaigns, and implementing best practices for managing Google Ad Grant accounts, churches can increase their online visibility, drive website traffic, and achieve their advertising goals. The world is becoming increasingly reliant on digital platforms for information and communication. That’s why taking dvantage of the Google Ad Grant program can help your church connect with its communities and advance its mission in an increasingly digital world.
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