A recent study by Blackbaud found that petitioning donors online can triple the amount of funds organizations receive. One of the most effective ways to reach potential donors online is through advertising platforms like Google AdWords. Fortunately for non-profits, the Google Grants program provides free advertising to qualified organizations.

1. Making the most out of your Google Grant
Adam Lewis
Principal Consultant
foghornlabs.com
Cody Damon
Director of Digital Strategy
commonsensenms.com
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2. Agenda
1 The Google Grants Program
2 Defining and Tracking Success
3 AdWords Architecture Explained
4 Elements of an Effective Campaign
5 Helpful Google Tools for Non-Profits
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3. Agenda
1 The Google Grants Program
2 Defining and Tracking Success
3 AdWords Architecture Explained
4 Elements of an Effective Campaign
5 Helpful Google Tools for Non-Profits
3

4. So, What Exactly Is A Google Grant?
 A Google Grant is an in-kind Grant from Google that gives your Non-
Profit $10,000 free-credit to spend each and every month on paid
search advertising (Google Adwords.) It is an evergreen Grant which
can increase to $40,000 a month if key benchmarks are consistently
met.
 This means more awareness, more visitors and more clicks.
Users type what they are looking for
1
Your search ads appear here and here
2 along side search results. Clicking an
ad takes you to that website.
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Confidential | © 2011 CommonSense New Media Strategies

5. Benefits and Limitations
Benefits Limitations
• $10,000 a month in in-kind • $1.00 CPC max
advertising • Competing against all
• Exposure on largest search Adwords users
engine. • Not as effective as a tactical
• Insight into market tool
interests. • Limited to just Google
• Strategic tool to drive new Search result pages.
users.
• Highly Targeted User
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Confidential | © 2011 CommonSense New Media Strategies

6. How Can I Use My Google Grant?
 For starters, driving interested visitors to many different parts of your web
site.
Learn about the Engage in a special Download an
organization campaign item
 Your Ads via Google’s Adwords platform can be targeted by geography,
interest, language so they are shown only to the audience you want to
see them.
 A Grant can provide 10,000+ highly-qualified visitors to your site each
month. (Last month, we drove over 250,000 visitors to our client sites.)
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Confidential | © 2011 CommonSense New Media Strategies

7. Google Grants And Your Digital Strategy
Visitors to Website
Capture In Communication Stream
Have a content strategy for Engage
each platform, layering in
Calls-To-Action
Create clear, measurable
goals that are easy for users Goal
to complete.
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Confidential | © 2011 CommonSense New Media Strategies

8. Google Dominates US Search Share
Google
Yahoo!
Microsoft (Bing)
Ask.com
15% AOL
65%
15%
3%
2%
Source: comScore Explicit Core Search Share Report September 2011
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9. Common Online Marketing Terms Defined
• SEM Search Engine Marketing
• SEO Search Engine Optimization
• CPC Cost per click
• Impression Each time an ad is displayed on a site or search results page
• CTR Click through rate = total clicks / total impressions
• CPA Cost per acquisition = ad spend / (total clicks * conversion rate) )

10. SEO vs. SEM
high speed internet
SEM
SEO
Organic Search Results Paid Search Advertising
Results generated Your message reaches customers
algorithmically – unpaid at the moment they demonstrate
interest in what you sell
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11. Agenda
1 The Google Grants Program
2 Defining and Tracking Success
3 AdWords Architecture Explained
4 Elements of an Effective Campaign
5 Helpful Google Tools for Non-Profits
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12. If you don't know where you are going, you
will probably end up somewhere else.
- Lawrence J. Peter
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13. Define the Goals of Your Campaign
Objectives Metrics
• Site visitors
Build Awareness • Time spent on site
• Pages viewed
• Volunteer applications
Generate • Online donations
“Transactions” • Merchandise purchases
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14. define conversion actions.
implement conversion tracking.
optimize to a target CPA.
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15. Agenda
1 The Google Grants Program
2 Defining and Tracking Success
3 AdWords Architecture Explained
4 Elements of an Effective Campaign
5 Helpful Google Tools for Non-Profits
15

16. Structure
Matters
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17. AdWords Account Structure
Account
Use Ad Groups within each
Campaign campaign to:
Campaign
• Set different maximum
CPCs
Ad Group Ad Group Ad Group Ad Group • Advertise multiple service
or product lines
• Create ad text specific to
Ads Ads Ads Ads
a group of relevant
keywords
Keywords Keywords Keywords Keywords
Use Campaigns when setting different:
• Daily budgets
• Location and language targets
• Syndication preferences
• Start and end dates

18. Account Structure Should Reflect the Website

19. Account Structure Should Reflect the Website
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
Donate Volunteer
Matching Legacy Team in Training Advocacy
Ads Ads Ads Ads
Keywords Keywords Keywords Keywords

20. Agenda
1 The Google Grants Program
2 Defining and Tracking Success
3 AdWords Architecture Explained
4 Elements of an Effective Campaign
5 Helpful Google Tools for Non-Profits
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21. Keywords
are the
Foundation
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22. Map Keywords to the Donation Cycle
volunteer bay area
charitable donations
tax deductable donation
volunteer opportunities in may
DISCOVERY
cancer research charities
team in training sponsorship
ENGAGEMENT
charitable gift annuity
corporate matching gifts
CONVERSION
leukemia lymphoma society
leukemia society donation
lls research foundation
donate to cancer research
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23. Getting the Right Traffic
DO DON’T
• Create a robust keyword list. • Start with a small keyword list
You never know what users and wait to expand it.
will respond to.
• Assume target users are
• Leverage all variations of familiar with your brand and
brand, product and service product names.
terms as keywords.
• Assume all target users have
• Include problem and solution- the same search tendencies.
oriented keywords.
• Assume all target users are in
• Use negative keywords to the same stage of the buying
filter out unwanted traffic cycle.

24. Focus on 2-4 Word Keyword Phrases
Average Global Search Phrase Length
58%of searches
use between2-4
words
SOURCE: Experian Hitwise – Oct 2009

25. Get Noticed
Ad Text
LOOK AT ME!
I have 0.16s to grab your attention
and convince you to CLICK HERE!
www.GetNoticed.com

26. cancer research donation
National Cancer Center Cancer Research Donation
Join the fight against cancer. Cutting-Edge Leukemia Research.
Your help could help save lives. Submit a Tax Deductible Gift Today!
www.nationalcancercenter.org NationalCancerCenter.org/Donate
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27. Specific and Relevant
5 Creative Best Practices Cancer Research Donation
Cutting-Edge Leukemia Research.
Submit a Tax Deductible Gift Today!
 Headline should be relevant NationalCancerCenter.org/Donate
to the query
 Highlight at least one clear 
benefit statement
 Include a direct call to action
National Cancer Center
 Display URL should reflect Join the fight against cancer.
the landing page Your help could help save lives.
www.nationalcancercenter.org
 Test 3-4 variations

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28. Digital Asset Optimization
Landing Pages
Drop users on the most
relevant page within your site
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29. Build the Bridge from Search to Conversion
No obvious call to
action, lead in or
value proposition.
Too much info for
a landing page
Where’s the
conversion
activity?
Overwhelming
options for the
user.

30. Build the Bridge from Search to Conversion
Clear value
proposition
Concise product
information
Short, obvious
conversion activity
Product and
customer images

31. Keep Forms as Short as Possible
Conversion Rate = 50% Conversion Rate = 74.6%
• Is all this information necessary at this point in the
relationship?
• Required fields are the kiss of death.
• Most users are reluctant to divulge personal
information

32. 10 Elements of a Successful AdWords
Campaign
1) Define conversion goals and optimize to a CPA
2) Use site architecture to guide account structure
3) Develop a robust but targeted keyword list
4) Group keywords thematically into ad groups
5) Leverage every variation of your brand terms
6) Include clear benefit statements and a call-to-action
7) Test 3-4 variations of ad copy to determine the winner
8) Keep forms as short as possible and above the fold
9) Send users to the most specific landing page available
10) Analyze, optimize, repeat.

33. Agenda
1 The Google Grants Program
2 Defining and Tracking Success
3 AdWords Architecture Explained
4 Elements of an Effective Campaign
5 Helpful Google Tools for Non-Profits
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34. Helpful Google Tools for Non-Profits
Metrics to Monitor
 Site traffic trends
 Changes is traffic sources
 Page bounce rate
 Top exit pages
 Visitor segmentation
 Conversion funnel
www.google.com/analytics

35. Helpful Google Tools for Non-Profits
Benefits to Non-Profits
 Free donation processing for
Google Grant recipients.
 Integration with Google Analytics
for better data visibility.
 Trust and recognition of using
Google.
checkout.google.com

36. Helpful Google Tools for Non-Profits
“See What the World is Searching For”
 Compare search volume patterns across
regions, categories and time frames
 Discover “hot” or trending searches for
your keyword list
 Understand regional differences in
language
 Anticipate demand with query forecasting
www.google.com/insights/search

37. Making the most out of your Google Grant
Questions?
Adam Lewis
Principal Consultant
adam@foghornlabs.com
Cody Damon
Director of Digital Strategy
cody.damon@commonsensenms.co
m
37

38. Free Keyword Research Tools
• AdWords Keyword Tool
https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal
• Google Insights for Search
http://www.google.com/insights/search
• Wordtracker
https://freekeywords.wordtracker.com
• Trellian Keyword Discovery
http://www.keyworddiscovery.com
• SEM Rush
http://www.semrush.com

39. Free SEO Tools
• SEO Quake Toolbar
http://www.seoquake.com
• Google Webmaster Tools
http://www.google.com/webmasters
• Yahoo! Site Explorer
http://siteexplorer.search.yahoo.com
• Open Site Explorer
http://www.opensiteexplorer.org
• SEO Moz
http://www.seomoz.org

40. Golden Rules for Landing Pages
1) Ad copy should match the content of the landing page
2) Keep registration under 7 fields and above the fold
3) Include a clear description of the product or offering
4) Eliminate page clutter; make it easy and to take action
5) Choose the most specific landing page available
6) Focus on benefits to the user rather than features

41. How are the Ad Positions Determined?
Max CPC (or Max CPM) x Quality Score = Rank Score
Rank Score is calculated per keyword
Quality Score is Comprised of the Following:
- CTR
- Quality of landing page
- Relevance of ad text
- Historical keyword performance
- Other relevancy factors
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