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A 10-Point Plan for the Average Joe or Jane Who Wants to Make a Difference but Isn't Tech Savvy

As the charitable arm of Google Ads, Google Adgrants is committed to helping organizations of all kinds succeed online. Online advertising to the tune of $329 per day, or $10,000 per month, is on the house. That's what you'd call a good time, right? It must be said that Google is being quite kind by doing this.

You may do the following after you know how to create a Google Ad Grants account:

1. Sign-ups for your email list will skyrocket if you do this.
2. Get more people to visit your site without spending any money on ads.
3. Boost financial aid contributions.
4. Encourage more people to take part as volunteers.
5. Increasing your global influence

However, before applying for Google Ad Grants, you should ask whether your organization is ready to take use of them.

If this appeals to you, then you should seriously think about applying for Google Ad Grants. However, I want to stress the need to give advertising grants serious thought since your organization may not be prepared to benefit from them just yet. And if you sign up for it before you're ready, they'll probably deactivate your account.

Establishing a Google Ad Grants account is like the Hulk soaring over skyscrapers. Due to updates made in 2018, Google has made it around one hundred times more difficult to maintain an active account. A good comparison would be a high school hurdler in comparison to the situation prior to 2018. It's like the Incredible Hulk hopping between buildings after 2018. I'm not trying to overstate anything at all.

This is because Google mandates a minimum CTR of 5% across all Ad Grants accounts.

That's not easy. tough as nails. However, it is possible. And yet-

Ad Grants are not right for your organization if it has a website that looks bad and has little to no content.

You are not prepared for Ad Grants if you do not have the resources to create and manage an Ad Grants account. (At a minimum, you'll need four hours every month.)

You may think you're ready, but if you don't know how Google Ads work, you'll need some guidance.

If you've never learned how to swim in a pool, the ocean is not the place to start.

It's simple to create an account with Google Ad Grants

I understand how frustrating it is when technology doesn't work as easily as we were told it would.

Because it's produced by other IT experts who presume everyone is like them, 90% of tech support information is useless. They are too familiar with their stuff, so they leave out details that regular people like you and me would never think to look up.

For this reason, I'll explain how to get started with Google Ad Grants by first mentioning

This is a terrible procedure. I won't lie and say it's simple or something you can accomplish "in minutes."

Unfortunately, you cannot.

To my knowledge, no one can. Anyone who says they didn't work hard at it is either lying or has done it so often they've forgotten how challenging it was. The process of creating an ad grant is quite tedious. Even though I had some background knowledge going in, it took me hours to figure out and go through all the processes.

The following are necessary to set up Google Ad Grants:

1. Insight into the inner workings of websites
2. Insight into coding fundamentals (or knowing someone who knows basic coding)
3. Learning the ins and outs of Google Ads (Google's commercial advertising platform).
4. I have to remember several login credentials across various services.

If, after this short introduction and warning, you still think your charity organization is ready to use Google Ad Grants, here is the best advice I can give to help you do so.

Nonetheless, a disclaimer is in order: I cannot promise that all of the links will remain active or that the screenshots will remain current. We can be certain that technology will never live up to its hype since we know one thing for sure: it will always be updated.

I'm on your side; I've already stated that. If you're interested in using Google Ad Grants, here's a quick primer.

Starting an Account for Google Ad Grants

Find out what to anticipate before you dive in. Ad Grants' account creation process is more of a maze than the high school I taught at in terms of the number of steps required to complete it.

Please be patient and realize that this won't happen overnight. You should save this website to your bookmarks so you can simply return to it.

Setting up Google Ad Grants is difficult, like winding through a labyrinth of circular lunacy. Here is the big picture of the journey we are going to take, so you can keep your chin up.

You need a Google for Nonprofits account before you can sign up for Adgrants.

A "validation token" from Techsoup is required to sign up for Google for Nonprofits.

You must be a "qualifying nonprofit" in order to join Techsoup.

BUT!!!

The Ad Grants account you're seeking to create is a prerequisite for using Google for Nonprofits. This is just a never-ending cycle of insanity!

You probably think I'm kidding, but I can assure you that this is the truth. Therefore, let's get right into the first stage.

First, find out whether your organization qualifies.

In other words, there's some good news! The first process is straightforward.

Most of the time, the country in which you work will determine whether or not your nonprofit can use Google Ad Grants. Make sure you're operating legally in the country you choose.

Check these two links to be sure:

1. Confirm Eligibility as Nonprofit

2. Confirm Eligibility for Grants

Both of these sites include a plethora of additional "useful" information if you scroll down far enough. But please don't!

Just double-check that you can fulfill the needs stated, and then return. One reason this took so long to figure out was that I spent so much time getting lost in all these pages. Avoid the unnecessary hassle. To the next stage!

 

The second step is to join Techsoup.

Techsoup? What on earth is that? I'll admit that I'm just as confused as before, and that their website does nothing to assist. Similarly, I don't understand why Google has partnered with what seems to be a completely unrelated group in order to ensure that charities are who they claim to be. But they did, and now look at us!

The purpose of visiting Techsoup is to register for a membership and get a "validation token." There is no cost.

However, the sign-up page provides no more information, so use caution (as of this writing).

I would suggest, in particular, that your organization have its own distinct email address that is not associated with any one individual. You should use admin@yournonprofit.org. This makes sure that someone from your charity organization can always get into the account.

The remainder of these names, though, are up for grabs. The last time I did this for a charitable organization, I used Admin Istrator as both my first and last name.

If your organization's headquarters are located outside of the United States, you may switch to the local version of this site by selecting your country from the menu in the upper left, as seen in the screenshot to the right.

Get your validation token on Techsoup to facilitate the setup of Google Ad Grants.

Obtain a Validation Token (Step 3)

I won't be using a screenshot since Techsoup is constantly updating their layout.

You will need to wait for approval after registering. This won't happen right away, so find something else to do in the meantime. Once accepted, you may get your validation token from the TechSoup homepage (https://www.techsoup.org/) by logging in on the top right.

In order to get accepted by Google so that you can be approved by Google again so that you may get approved by Google yet again, you will need this token. See? We have made some headway.

 

The Fourth Step: Join "Google for Nonprofits"

This is when the "fun" begins, at least if your idea of fun is squandering countless hours and becoming more annoyed. To put it another way, we've arrived at Google.

Sign up for Google for Nonprofits on this page.

This page includes much too much fluff that you may safely disregard.

The "Get Started" link is buried at the bottom of the page. That link will lead you to Google's typical sign-in page.

Remember to take caution while signing up using an email address. Because of the ebb and flow of staff at nonprofits, I can't stress enough the need for using a standard email address. You'd want all of your employees to have access to this account. If possible, re-use the same one you entered into Techsoup.

To do so, visit the "Create Account" page and input the email address associated with your company.

After you have signed in, you will be able to proceed.

 

Fifth, put in your token of validation.

After signing into Google for Nonprofits, you should get the welcome screen shown below. For the second time, please accept my apologies if Google has made any more modifications. If this is out of date, please let me know. (While you're there, snap a snapshot!)

Your Techsoup validation token may now be used. Place it at the very bottom.

When you click "Continue," you'll be asked to give some information about your charity organization, including a short mission statement.

Do not let this consume a large portion of your day. I understand that non-profits might spend years refining their mission statements, but this is not the appropriate forum for such reflection. Nothing like this will ever be seen in public. Google simply wants to know that you're out there and doing something.

I would suggest allocating no more than 2 minutes. You'll be glad you saved the time...

After clicking "Submit" and "Go to your account home," the following page should appear, and you may proceed to the next step:

The Sixth Action: Join Google Ads (Google Ad Grants)

The meaning of "G Suite for Nonprofits" in the aforementioned screenshot is still a mystery to me. I imagine it's a nice spot to go if you're looking for a time-sucking black hole to fall into. However, you can sign up for Google Ad Grants right now and forget about the other three. Never lose sight of why you're doing this!

You will now get a page like this when you click the Enroll button for Ad Grants:

 

We may assume that you are now experiencing a state of relative happiness. You must think that the end is in sight.

Wrong.

This insanity is just getting started.

AdWords Express and "AdWords Classic" are the two options shown initially (again – this may have changed since I took the screenshot. Hopefully you can figure it out from this.

Your account editing options are restricted while using Adwords Express. So, you're really giving Google complete control over your advertising budget. It might be the best choice if you don't have the resources (time, people) to put it up and run it on your own.

In my opinion, you shouldn't let bots and scripts written by individuals on the other side of the globe who aren't familiar with your organization's goals or donor base dictate the tone and content of your communications. But that's just me. I wouldn't choose Adwords Express, but the final choice is entirely up to you.

Is it possible to modify this in the future? Having Google provide such information would be quite beneficial, right? I gave up seeking a solution since I don't think it's worth it and instead advise you to avoid using Express.

Google Ads is the new name for Adwords, so choose that and then examine the settings. See an example of the screenshot here:

Your "Adwords Customer ID" is required in the circled area. To put it simply: what is that?

However, in order to get it, a different registration process is required.

Now things are becoming more threatening. and it's so annoying!

You've finally reached this screen. Unfortunately, you must now exit this window in order to create an account with Ad Grants. You're probably thinking, "That's exactly what I was going to do."

Again, I'm not being illogical when I make claims like this:

Before you can sign up for Ad Grants, you must first establish an account.

Clint Eastwood would undoubtedly respond with, "Are you trying to be funny?

Moreover, nothing he did after that would end well for you.

But this is exactly what Google is requesting. Before you can join, you must first make one. Does anybody in their right mind find this to be true? NoBut at the Google labs, where these petty torments are developed, the logic holds.

Therefore, we must temporarily bypass step 6 and go on to step 6a. Step 6 requires an Adwords Customer ID, which you may get in the following section.

But FIRST: copy the URL at the top of the page so you know how to return back here when you've finished step 6. (This is the kind of "real world" useful information that IT experts seldom give you.) It might be a while before you return to this page to input your customer ID.

 

Step 6a: Create an Ad Grants Account and Prepare!

There hasn't been anything like this before.

If you want Google's exact instructions on how to create an Ad Grants account, you should visit the VERY important website linked below. This is the single most crucial image or hyperlink in this whole set of instructions. (I can't believe Google hasn't already moved it!)

https://support.google.com/grants/answer/1689506?hl=en

This section of the instructions is rather lengthy and thorough. If this is your first trip, plan on spending at least 60 minutes there. Perhaps two. There might be as many as four possibilities. It's OK if you don't know why.

If you don't have everything you need to accomplish in this section before you begin, you may have to abandon it in the middle and start again.

Planning this section with you would involve planning a whole advertising campaign, which is outside the scope of my assistance. However, here are a few things that you will need to know:

 

1. Once Ad Grants goes live, what will be your priority in terms of advertising? Inquiring minds want to know: (Why?)
2. Where exactly will the ad connect to on your website, if anywhere? (VASTLY IMPORTANT)
3. If so, do you have a list of keywords for your campaign?
4. I was wondering whether you'd done any ad copywriting before. (There are strict character counts to adhere to.)
5. In what way do you plan to monitor sales?

The more of these questions you can answer ahead of time, the easier the setup procedure will be.

Once again, this is why it's so challenging to perform all this on your own if you have no background knowledge of how Google Ads operate. Quite simply, there is an overwhelming amount of information to absorb. In the beginning, I did forewarn you of this...

ProActive Content can assist you in this area if you need it, saving you significant time and effort in the process. And it's worth it; the free advertisements that await you at the conclusion of this epic adventure are more than worth the sacrifices you're making now to put it up in the form of contributions, exposure, and list growth for your organization.

 

It's free for the first hour.

When you log into Google Ad Grants, take this quick quiz to see whether you'll require assistance from other sources:

 

The difference between an ad group and an ad campaign: a quick quiz.

If not, assistance will be required. You're playing with fire by ignoring my warnings. This is a warning.

Click the "Get Started" button on the VERY IMPORTANT link I provided earlier to begin setting up your Ad Grants account. Again, here's that link:

 

https://support.google.com/grants/answer/1689506?hl=en

 

Continue Configuring Ad Grants (Step 6b)

You may begin the Ad Grants account creation process in its entirety after you click "Get Started" on the aforementioned page. So, to sum up, what you're doing is:

Your initial series of advertisements is your primary focus.

By placing your first ad, you've completed the registration process. Creating advertising before signing up for the ad-creation platform seems counterintuitive, but that's how it works.

You'll need some background knowledge to make your ads and follow these procedures successfully.

1. Ad Campaigns and Groups

An advertising campaign is the main branch of the tree. Ad Groups are the equivalent of locations within a larger ad campaign. This means that your campaign will have many sub-groups, or "branches," all of which will share a common "trunk."

You'll likely be asked, "What must we call this campaign?" So here's one example.

As you’re going through step 2 on Google’s help page, call your campaign something like "sponsorship," or "blog traffic," or "volunteer," or "donations." In a general sense, anything connected to the outcome you anticipate from this advertising campaign. That's why I recommend planning your campaign around your objectives. Don't try to figure it out as you go along. Campaign B is NOT the same as Campaign A.

So, you've decided to fund your campaign via donations.

You may divide up the advertising for that campaign into several ad groups, one for regular donors and another for one-time givers, or vice versa. They'll be tailored more toward your organization's mission.

As a result, these advertising subsets will be grouped within the bigger "Donations" initiative. After segmenting your audience, you may create targeted advertisements and direct them to relevant areas of your website.

Do you get it?

This is a snapshot of the advertisement creation page. The URL of the page on your site to which the ad will link must be entered in the 'Final URL' column. To be successful with online advertising, you need a high-quality website.

It's also possible that a keyword input field may appear here. Worrying too much isn't going to help. You need to just adopt a few of their recommendations, or at least make an effort to catalog your own. Don't separate them with commas; instead, list them one per line.

You may save your work and return to it at a later time to make changes or additions. You should utilize some of these keywords in your advertisements, and they should be relevant to the website your first set of advertisements is pointing to. This section, which includes your advertisements, is easily editable in the future.

You should be wrapping up step 3 of Google's instructions right about now.

Conversion tracking, which they refer to as "Step 4" on their website, was optional as recently as 2018 and may be implemented in a number of different ways.

This is now Step 6c since it requires its own special processes.

Step 6c: Conversion Tracking and Recurring Advertising Grants

Step 4 of Google's Ad Grants setup page.

Conversion tracking is something they'd want you to set up for them.

In a nutshell, this implies that you'll get notifications whenever individuals who view your Google Ads execute the activities you specify. Visits to your site, newsletter subscriptions, monetary donations, and so on are all examples of possible actions.

Conversion monitoring is a simple way to measure the efficacy of your efforts.

There are many other configurations for this that would be beyond the scope of this post. Understanding programming and how websites work will be helpful here.

Check out Google's instructions for implementing conversion monitoring here:

It's a long, hard process. (I warned you, this is not simple.) The data you get from it, though, is significantly more insightful than what you've been seeing from your previous marketing and fundraising efforts, so it's important to have it after you're done.

 

Finally, the seventh!

You are not finished yet. The sixth stage has just ended.

After completing the last instruction on Google's Ad Grants support page, you will have your first set of advertisements ready to run (which you can, of course, immediately remove and replace with something better).

Your account has not been activated just yet, but you may access it and should do so right now.

Hopefully you can recall the context of this whole ordeal. Obtaining a Client ID for Google AdWords Alright, so here it is. You'll find it under the account settings for Ad Grants, up in the top right (see screenshot).

(To be clear, your account will be labeled "Google Ads" rather than "Ad Grants," but the two are essentially the same.)

Return to the URL In Step 6, I instructed you to copy and paste; however, this time there should be a blank space where your Adwords Customer ID should be entered.

Once you've finished with it, go on to step 8.