Google Ad Grants and PPC Strategies – The Change Affect

Google Ad Grants are innovative advertising grants that Google offers to non-profit organizations.

With the Ad Grants, organizations can receive up to $10,000 per month in paid AdWords optimization funds. However, there are eligibility criteria to qualify for the grant.

Although this fund is generous, advertisers have a hard time spending it.

Why so? That is because, until January 2018, Ad Grants were capped at $2 cost-per-click bids, which has been removed.

While some of the changes are impressive, others may lead to new pay per search challenges.

Changes in Google Ad Grants Program

Innumerable changes affected the Google Ad Grants program. Noted below are some of the highlights:

• The $2 cap was lifted A minimum of 5 percent click-through rate (CTR) to be maintained
• Keywords must have at least 3 quality scores or higher
• Best PPC services ensures that Adwords campaigns must have two active ad groups, at least, with two ads running in each group
• Non-profit organizations cannot bid on any branded keyword they do not own
• Accounts should have at least 2 sitelink ad extensions
• Accounts should also have geo-targeting
• Most one-word keywords are strictly prohibited

The only welcome change, as per PPC campaign companies, is the exclusion of a $2 bid limit.

It was, indeed, an issue of contention for quite some time.

Google introduced the bid limit in January 2013. Since then, there has been a significant rise in the costs per click.

As such, staying within the $2 bid limit was difficult initially. It was not easy to come close to spending the entire amount of grant.

However, with the latest change and the removal of the bid limit, the average position of the PPC Ad internet received the much-needed boost.

The 5 Percent CTR Rule

Experts predict that the 5 percent CTR requirement could lead to several challenges.

Theoretically, this rule encourages the omission of generic keywords, which is good! Nevertheless, it also encourages account management.

However, when the highly competitive markets are concerned, the new CT rule might lead to problems.

For instance, if a non-profit foundation client in the medical field were facing tough competition in the market, the CTR of around 2 to 3 percent with relevant traffic would give him/her a respectable position.

However, that won’t be good enough, and it would be imperative to make the necessary adjustments to increase traffic.

So, is it not possible to work with the new Google Ad Grants rules? How is PPC Adwords media affected?

Here are your options:

Create a Paid Account:

Set up a new paid AdWords account besides Google Grants account.

This is a highly advocated strategy to run smooth and fine. There would always be limitations in a free account.

However, when you use a paid account, even with a restricted budget, it is possible to leverage both the accounts. Use the paid account for building the brand.

Use the Google Display Network (GDN), as clicks become much cheaper. You can also use the free account for running Search Network campaigns.

Choose Custom Affinities:

Custom Affinities are an excellent option. With your audiences, PPC management companies can even create more audiences tailored to their respective brands with assistance from Adwords specialist.

You can combine keyword phrases of interests and URLs for creating interest categories based on the website content.

Run Search Network Campaigns:

Use the free account to run search network campaigns. As you have to adhere to that 5 percent CTR in your free account, you have to be very specific with the use of keywords and phrases.

Using long-tail keywords can maintain higher CTR. To make this approach granular, use Google’s household income that targets bigger donations.

This combined effort is effective in most non-profit organizations.

Apply a Targeted Approach:

To avoid overspending your budget, start layering with more targeting methods like interests.

You can even add additional layers through topic targeting and keyword targeting.

When life goes through changes, people often perform too much online research. You just have to cash that.

Landing Pages and Ads are Crucial:

If you wish to start Google remarketing or GDN, consider the landing pages and PPC ad campaigns very carefully under the guidance of PPC marketing company.

The ads you display is the first exposure to your non-profit organization, so be watchful.

Create your landing pages and ads campaign in such a way so that it leaves a long-lasting impression in the minds of people.

Consider Remarketing Campaigns:

Remarketing is a different ballgame for which you need a unique set of landing pages and ads.

Nonetheless, it is a brilliant way of reconnecting with visitors who did not donate or sign up for newsletters on their very first visit to your page.

Final Word

Like any other ad program, Google Ad Grants is subject to change.

However, you can always find your unique way to make things work for your non-profit organization.

Be creative and make the change favorable. If required, seek expert advice.