This document discusses how to maximize the value of Google Ad Grants for non-profits. It begins with an overview of what Google Ad Grants are and how they can provide $10,000 per month in free advertising. The rest of the document provides tips and strategies for non-profits to optimize their Google Ad Grants accounts, including focusing on keywords, ad text, account structure, and landing pages. It also provides a case study of how the Cornell Lab of Ornithology successfully used email marketing and community building to convert website traffic into new donors using their Google Ad Grants.

1. www.mediacause.org/blog | @MediaCause, @GoogleAdGrants
Google Ad Grants
Beginner to Pro in 60 minutes
Eric Facas @EricFacas
eric@mediacause.org

2. What is a Google Ad Grant?
 A Google Grant is a $10,000 in-kind grant
given to nonprofits EVERY MONTH for free
advertising on Google.com. Get started
IMMEDIATELY by signing up at
Google.com/nonprofits

3. Benefits and Limitations
• $10,000 a month in
free exposure on
worlds largest search
engine
• Strategic tool to drive
new highly targeted
supporter
• Insight into market
interests

• $2.00 Max CPC
• Ads shown below
paying Adwords
advertisers, if
applicable
• It’s not easy -
Adwords takes time
and expertise!


4. What’s your average monthly
Google Ad Grants spend?

5. The average Google Ad Grants
account spends approximately
$330 a month
96.3 %

6. $40K/mo - Free Google.com Ads
 Existing Google Ad Grants
recipients
 Spent $9900/mo in at least 2 of
the last 6 months
 Account level click through-rate
(CTR) of 1% or higher for the last
6 months
 Must have Google Analytics
conversion tracking installed
 Someone managing the account
on a bi-weekly basis
Grantspro is Back!

7. Roadmap
1. Beginner – Adwords/Grants Fundamentals
2. Intermediate – How to Spend Your Grant
3. Advanced – How to Get the Most Value
4. Case Study

8. 8
Getting Started: The Fundamentals

9. How are the Ad Positions Determined?
 Max CPC x Quality Score = Rank Score
 Rank Score is calculated per keyword
 Quality Score is Comprised of the Following:
- Click through rate (CTR)
- Quality of landing page
- Relevance of ad text
- Historical keyword performance
- Other relevancy factors (machine learning)
 You only pay the CPC necessary to have a rank score
higher than that of the advertiser below you
 Minimum CPC can be as low as $0.01

10. Relevancy is EVERYTHING!
Bad News
 You can’t run on keywords if
you don’t have the precise
content the user is looking
for
Good News
 You can build content to
make yourself relevant for
anything

11. Search Is Only As Effective As Your Website
If your website doesn’t have a ton of content, inspire
action, and give people an easy way to get involved,
don’t bother investing in Google Ad Grants.
Vs

12. Your #1 Goal is Donation Acquisition…
There are two exceptions:
Brand terms & Disaster relief
…but
No one is searching
for a place to give
their money away.

13. What Are People Searching For?
Monthly Google Search
Volume
“About The Rainforest” –
5,000,000
“Deforestation” – 457,000
“Save the Rainforest” – 33,000
“Rainforest Charities” - 880
Interest
Intent
Donation
Awareness
Information!

14. Information based searches
- Email capture strategies
About the Rainforest
Deforestation
Save the Rainforest
Charities
Match Ads & Landing Pages to Mindset
Sign an online petition
- Get email, social engagement
Get Involved, volunteer, share
Donations, membership

15. Optimization 101 – 3 Levels to Pull
Keywords
 Create a robust
keyword list. You never
know what users will
respond to
 Leverage all variations
of your organizations
brand, services,
programs, missions,
etc., as keywords
 Include issue and
solution-oriented
keywords
Ad Copy
 Always run 3 variants
at a time
 Remove the poorest
performer each month
(lowest CTR &
conversion rate)
 Keep ads fresh, test
test test.
Landing Pages
 Send traffic to the most
relevant pages on your
website
 Install Google Analytics
and obsess of what
people do when they
land on your site
 Test sending traffic to
different pages, A/B
test different messages
and designs

16. INTERMEDIATE: 5 Account Optimization Tips for
Unlocking Google Ad Grants’ Potential

17. 58% of
searches use
between 2-4
words
Average Global Search Phrase Length
SOURCE: Experian Hitwise – Oct 2009
Tip #1: Build Your Keyword List w/ the Long Tail

18. Use a Google suggestions and a
thesaurus to find keywords similar to the
ones that are performing well
Add Keywords Without Hurting Relevancy
Quality score is calculated at the keyword level. Use all 4 match type
options: broad match, “phrase match”, [exact match] & - negative to
grow keyword list and increase precision.

19. Test different combinations of ad copy and
landing pages if you think keywords with low
quality score are relevant. If that doesn’t work,
remove them.
Tip #2: Relevancy is Everything

20. Ad Groups should have 15-30 similar keywords that
align to a specific page on the website. The more
focused the ad group, the better the ad targeting.
Campaigns
should align with
goals: donations,
volunteers,
events, email
collection
Tip 3: Account Structure Matters

21. Get Noticed
LOOK AT ME!
I have 1.26s to grab your attention
and convince you to CLICK HERE!
www.GetNoticed.com
Tip #4: Ad Text

22. Family Abuse Facts
22
Family Violence
Learn More - Get the latest family
violence facts here.
www.futureswithoutviolence.org
3.32% CTR
Family Abuse
Get the facts on family abuse here &
learn how you can help stop it.
FuturesWithoutViolence.org
5.56% CTR

23. 23
 Headline should be hyper
relevant to the query – include
the exact keyword
 Include an informative and
empowering call to action
 Test 3-4 variations at all times
 Remove the worst performer
every month


3.32% CTR
5.56% CTR
Family Abuse
Get the facts on family abuse here &
learn how you can help stop it.
FuturesWithoutViolence.org
Family Violence
Learn More - Get the latest family
violence facts here.
www.futureswithoutviolence.org
How to Write Effective Creative

24. Digital Asset Optimization
24
Tip #5: Drop users on the most relevant
& effectives page on your site
Landing Pages

25. Conversion Rate = 0%
0 emails collected
Conversion Rate = 12.59%
1,000 + email address / mo
Homepage Vs Targeted Landing Page

26.  Is all this information necessary at this point in the
relationship?
 Most users are reluctant to divulge personal
information
 4 fields is the ideal length
Conversion Rate = 50% Conversion Rate = 74.6%
Keep Forms as Short as Possible

27. 25% of Clicks
75% of
Clicks
25% of Clicks
75% of
Clicks
 Official Google Adwords Certification
(http://gcptransition.appspot.com/)
 Google Ad Grants Help Forum
(http://productforums.google.com/forum/#!forum/grants)
 Google Ad Grants Whitepaper by Media Cause
(http://help.mediacause.org/google-grants)
Great Resources for DIY SEM
Want More? You’re Not Alone

28. Building
Strong
Relationships
28
Pro
Tips
PRO LEVEL TIPS: Email Capture and
Community Building Techniques Transform
Website Traffic Into New Donors

29. What is an Email Worth?
www.frogloop.com/care2blog/2009/11/11/whats-an-email-address-worth-just-calculate-it.html

30. Prominent Placement for Newsletter Signups
Tip: highly visible, above the fold; test different call-to-
action messages and button colors

31. Footer Signups / Messaging Matters
Tip: Test alternative messaging for “newsletter signup”

32. Promote Petitions and Pledges Throughout
Tip: Encourage participation/email capture from your
most trafficked pages.

33. Slide-Ins / Pop-ups for Engaging Content
Tip: Foster sense of community with email capture on
your most engaging content pages (blog).

34. Tip: Use Adwords and
Google Analytics to
determine what content
is the most popular.
Email Gate for Best Digital Content

35. Advanced Email List Building
Tip: Segmentation
and precision
targeting lead to
greater success.

36. Case Study
#DoingItRight

37. Case Study – Cornell Lab of
Ornithology

38. Previous Strategy
Googled “screech owl” and landed on the AllAboutBirds.org species account
Saw a picture, maybe listened to the owl call, then left

39. Community Building Strategy
Web Visitors Leads w/ email Donors
• It’s all about email capture and turning anonymous traffic into
supporters
• Create lead capture opportunities based on what visitors are
looking for… pull them in for more information

40. Create Targeted/Segmented Offers
Landing Page
Download Page

41. Nurture New Supporters (Leads)
A “Welcome Series” triggered by filling out a form:
• Immediate - thank you email, acknowledging their love for Owls
• 3 days later – More Owl Sounds, Macaulay Library “Voices of
North American Owls”
• 6 days later – NestWatch Build an Owl Nest Box, YouTube
Eastern Screech Owl and Barred Owl videos
• 12 days later – Invitation to Join the Lab
Monthly communication:
• New leads are added to monthly eNewsletter
• Fundraising campaign appeals and membership drives (periodic)

42. Community Building Strategy in Action
Google “screech owl” and land on the AllAboutBirds.org species account
Donate/Join for the first time via email
Begin receiving monthly eNews and email
solicitations
Learn more about the Lab through triggered emails
See offer to download owl sounds in exchange for email address
Don’t forget to say THANK YOU!

43. Year One Results
• Increased email capture rate from
0.2% to 5.98%.
• Increased our email file by 56%
(522k as of 4/1)
• Doubled online fundraising over prior
year
• 60% of first-time donors are coming
from online
• 54% of online revenue was in
response to email solicitations
• Average “sales” cycle – 78 days
from lead to donor

44. Eric Facas
eric@mediacause.org
@EricFacas
Thank You! Questions?
Media Cause
Mediacause.org/blog
@MediaCause
@GoogleAdGrants