“Safer at Home” ordinances and social distancing guidelines have caused an increase in people searching online for ways to support the causes they care about most, so it’s super important for your nonprofit to show up in Google results. This week on the Nonprofit Jenni Show, we talk about two ways to ensure new supporters can find you: the Google Ad Grant and Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
What’s the Difference Between Google Ads and Organic Search Results?
Most nonprofit organizations can show up in Google Ads and in organic search results for free, thanks to the Google Ad Grant and SEO.
There are two main differences:
Google ads show up at the top of search results pages. For example, if someone searches the term “childcare near me”, the first 2-4 results will be paid ads. After scrolling through the ads, the next results are called “organic” and are unpaid.
When you pay for Google ads, they typically start appearing in search results within a couple days. When you optimize your website to show up in organic search results, the payoff is delayed and longer term.
Fortunately for nonprofits, Google offers the Google Ad Grant, which gives your organization $10,000 of Google Ads credit every month until the end of time (as long as you maintain the standards Google requires for your website).
How Do You Get the Google Ad Grant?
My guest this week is Grant Hensel, Founder and CEO of Nonprofit Megaphone, a company which helps 501c3 organizations obtain the Google Ad Grant for free! Once you reach out to Nonprofit Megaphone, they can help you determine whether your nonprofit qualifies for the grant, and then walk you through the steps to obtain the grant.
Nonprofit Megaphone also offers ad management services for nonprofits which don’t have a Google Ads specialist on staff, and they host a podcast called the Nonprofit Growth Show.
What Do You Need on Your Website to be Successful with Google Ads?
You need several web pages with “promotable” content. Grant says a promotable web page must meet the following four requirements:
Focuses on a single, specific topic
Has sufficient content
Addresses something people would legitimately search for
Includes a “call to action” to start a relationship with the web page visitor
What Goals are Realistic for Nonprofit Google Ads?
Many nonprofits believe their Google Ads experience is successful if they can spend the entire $10,000 credit every single month. However, it’s more helpful to measure success in terms of results like:
How many new people become donors, volunteers, or another type of supporter, as a result of Google Ads
How many people click your “Call to Action” buttons to sign your petition, sign up for email newsletters, etc., as a result of Google Ads
How many people perform other actions on your website such as watching a video, clicking to see another webpage, etc., as a result of Google Ads
What Types of Calls to Action are the Most Effective for Nonprofit Websites?
Asking people to donate right away doesn’t make sense. It feels rushed to have someone click on an ad or organic search result and then immediately ask them for money. Instead, try to start a meaningful relationship with calls to action like:
Follow us on social media
Sign a petition
Sign up for a newsletter
Register for an event
Download a resource (like a checklist or ebook)
Creative Examples of Fundraising Calls to Action
Grant and I talked about how there are some cases when asking a first-time web visitor for a donation is appropriate… But you have to be creative! Here are some examples of creative fundraising calls to action we have seen on nonprofit websites:
Support relief efforts for a recent unexpected disaster
Purchase a greeting card designed by one of our clients
Make a gift in memory of/in honor of a loved one
“Adopt” a sea turtle (or other animal, plant, etc., which your nonprofit saves)
Have a dolphin wish you happy birthday (NOTE: You can obviously use another animal other than a dolphin, but do not use children in your website without written parental permission—and maybe not even then.)
Book a speaker from our nonprofit / Schedule a workshop
Why Do Some Nonprofits Choose Not to Get the Google Ad Grant?
There are two main reasons I’ve heard from nonprofit leaders who choose not to pursue the Google Ad Grant:
Some small and medium-sized nonprofits don’t get the grant because they just don’t have websites that are ready yet. Many SEO best practices are also Google Ad Grant best practices, and some nonprofit leaders haven’t had the chance to learn about SEO yet.
Some organizations can’t afford to hire a pay-per-click (PPC) or Google Ads specialist (like Nonprofit Megaphone) yet. This is important because Google has ever-changing requirements for nonprofits to keep their Google Ad Grant and Google Ads are very complicated. I highly recommend retaining Nonprofit Megaphone or an internal staff member who can keep up with your Google Ads account.
Fortunately, every nonprofit professional is able to learn the basics of SEO so your organization can start showing up in organic search results. You can do your own research, or use my affordable mini-course.
Get Professional Help Deciding Your Next Steps
I started this podcast series on the COVID-19 crisis because I’ve been hearing from so many nonprofit professionals who are unsure how it will impact their funding opportunities and relationships. I can’t wait to hear from you too! Schedule a free initial consultation call to chat with me about your idea for a new nonprofit, social enterprise, or other social sector organization. I would love to help you figure out the best next steps to take to protect your organization and mission. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to the Nonprofit Jenni Show for free so you won’t miss any new episodes about resilience through COVID-19!
Also, I want to thank Little Green Light for sponsoring this episode! Little Green Light is my favorite donor management system because it was built by nonprofit development professionals who know what features and metrics nonprofits really need for their fundraising and relationship building. LGL is also extremely affordable for small nonprofits and offers free fundraising resources for my podcast listeners! Visit www.littlegreenlight.com/jenni for free ebooks like “How to Retain Donors After Your Giving Day”, “Six Steps to a Successful Appeal”, and more.