Posted by Jessica, Google Grants Team

If you've already set up Google Analytics for your Google Grants account, you're ready to set goals and track the performance of your campaigns. If not, you can go through the setup steps in ...Read More

Posted by Jessica, Google Grants Team

If you've already set up Google Analytics for your Google Grants account, you're ready to set goals and track the performance of your campaigns. If not, you can go through the setup steps in part 1 of this series to get up to speed.

A crucial part of using Google Analytics is to determine and set goals that can track the impact of your marketing efforts. While tracking traffic to your site is useful and eye-opening, setting goals lets you monitor the most crucial initiatives of your organization and make changes to improve their performance. You'll also get insight into your site's design and how you can improve it to suit your visitors' needs.

A first step in choosing goals for your Google Grants account is to think about what you're trying to achieve with your website. If your goal is for visitors to sign up for your newsletter or donate to your organization, you should set up corresponding goals in Google Analytics so that you can track the changes around these efforts.

As we discussed in a previous post, non-profits use analytics in interesting ways and track metrics that are unique to the non-profit market. Some goals that we often see non-profits track are:

• Volunteer sign-ups
• Newsletter sign-ups
• Research or report downloads
• Donations
• Information inquiries
  

Once you've determined your goals, set them up! A step-by-step guide for this process can be found in our Google Grants Analytics Guide (pg. 19).

To set up goals:

1. Login to your AdWords account and select the Analytics tab
   
2. Click the Edit link under Settings next to the profile for which you want to create a goal
3. Under "Conversion Goals and Funnel," select one of the four goal slots available for that profile, and click Edit
   
   
4. In the Goal URL field, type the web address that marks a successful goal completion when reached. This address can be the "Thank you" page that donors see after they've charged a donation or a confirmation page that visitors see once they've signed up for your newsletter.
   
5. In the Goal name field, name the goal as you want it to appear in your Goal and Funnel reports. The name should be one you will easily recognize, such as "Newsletter Sign-Up" or "Donation."
   
6. Turn on the goal by selecting the "On" radio button
7. Define your funnel path. The funnel path is the path of pages that visitors click through on the way toward the goal you've set. If you're tracking donations, for instance, enter the series of pages visitors would visit before donating; this path could include the URLs for your homepage, your donation page, the shopping cart page, and your goal page
   
8. Configure your settings by choosing "Case Sensitive," if your URLs are case-sensitive, and setting Goal Values if you've assigned dollar values to your goals. More details about this step are on pages 23 and 45 of the Google Grants Analytics Guide.

If you have any trouble, consult the guide's section on creating goals and funnels (pg. 15) or refer to the Analytics Help Center section on Goals and Funnels.

Next time we'll explain how data is divided in Google Analytics and how you can view this data in reports to better understand and improve your account's performance. Once your account is up and running, you'll get a wealth of valuable insights!

Posted by German, Google Grants Team

We hope that our Beginner's Guide, Help Center and other resources make Google Grants and Google AdWords easy to manage on your own. But we've also learned that people like choice, and we've gotten some requests lately from grant recipients wanting help managing their accounts and from search-engine marketing companies (SEMs) wanting to help non-profits.Read More

Posted by German, Google Grants Team

We hope that our Beginner's Guide, Help Center and other resources make Google Grants and Google AdWords easy to manage on your own. But we've also learned that people like choice, and we've gotten some requests lately from grant recipients wanting help managing their accounts and from search-engine marketing companies (SEMs) wanting to help non-profits.

These 3rd party resources can now help you manage your Google Grants account. Some of the SEMs will take on accounts free of charge, and others can help at reduced fees, at cost or at regular market rates.

SEM Cares uses search-engine optimization and search-engine marketing to generate awareness and aid for disasters and worthy causes, by delivering search-engine visitors to deserving organizations' websites.

SEMPO is a global non-profit that serves the search-engine marketing industry and marketing professionals. They provide a foundation for industry growth through relationships, education, promotion, research, and creating a better understanding of search and its role in marketing.

Please note: We're providing this information as a supplemental resource to our own, and we aren't involved in transactions beyond this point. We don't endorse any particular company, and we ask that you always exercise best judgment if you decide to hire a 3rd party company to manage your Google Grants account.

Posted by Jessica, Google Grants Team

After our recent post covering ways that some of our Grants recipients are using analytics, we'd like to walk through the basics of Google Analytics: how to implement it and how to make the most of it as a non-profit, so that you can take advantage of the program and make sure your campaigns are as effective as possible.Read More

Posted by Jessica, Google Grants Team

After our recent post covering ways that some of our Grants recipients are using analytics, we'd like to walk through the basics of Google Analytics: how to implement it and how to make the most of it as a non-profit, so that you can take advantage of the program and make sure your campaigns are as effective as possible.

This post is the first in a multi-part series that explains how to install Google Analytics and run meaningful reports as a non-profit. We have also created a Google Analytics Guide specifically for Google Grants recipients which can be downloaded for future reference.

What is Google Analytics?

Google Analytics is a free hosted web-analytics service that enables website owners to better understand and respond to visitor behavior while generating a higher ROI on marketing and advertising initiatives. ROI can measure many things, including donations, volunteer recruitment, newsletter downloads, website traffic, and so on.

It works by using a first-party cookie and a snippet of JavaScript code to collect information about your website traffic and track your advertising campaign data.

Anyone can sign up for a free Google Analytics account by visiting the analytics homepage or Google's Webmaster Central page. As a Google Grant recipient, it's even easier to access via your Google Grants AdWords account, as an "Analytics" tab automatically appears in your AdWords interface to get you started.

How do I install Google Analytics with my Google Grants account?

1. Login to your AdWords account and select the "Analytics" tab. You'll be asked to fill out basic information and agree to the Terms of Service.


2. Insert the Google Analytics tracking-code snippet into your website code -- the most important step. Every Analytics user is given a unique piece of JavaScript to insert in all of their website's pages immediately before the tag. The snippet looks like this:

SAMPLE CODE


Your "UA-#######-#" number will be unique to you. It's important to insert the code on all of your site's pages, or Analytics won't work properly.

You don't have to insert it immediately, though; you can continue through the signup process until you get to the administrative page. The administrative page automatically detects whether you've installed the code, and if you haven't yet, it'll let you know by showing you the message below when you visit the Analytics tab in your AdWords account.

You can retrieve your code snippet at any time; we'll explain how next. (Detailed instructions for this step can be found in the Google Grants Analytics Guide on page 14.)

3. The most important part of the administrative page is the "Website Profiles" box.

If you've signed up for the first time, you probably only have one website profile. The components of the profile are the 'Name', which is whatever you named it during sign up, and 'Reports', which you can view by following the 'View Reports' link.

You can also edit your settings and check the status of your tracking code. The 'Check Status' link is where you can get your code snippet again if you haven't finished installing it. Your administrative page will tell you when installation is complete.

It's important to note, however, that it takes anywhere from a few hours to a full day after you install your code for your reports to start showing information.

You'll now start receiving reports in your account with a wealth of valuable information about your website.

If you'd like to have a step-by-step guide on hand for the process, feel free to download a copy of our Google Grants Analytics Guide for reference. You can also skip ahead by visiting the Analytics Help Center for information about the tool and its capabilities.

Next time we'll review setting up goals for your account. Goals are different for non-profits than for traditional businesses, so we'll share some metrics to represent success in this industry and how to set up corresponding goals.

Posted by Jessica, Google Grants Team

I think Analytics is a great tool for all advertisers, not just those with shopping carts or e-commerce, and as non-profits there are ways you can make analytics work for you and your organization.Read More

Posted by Jessica, Google Grants Team

I think Analytics is a great tool for all advertisers, not just those with shopping carts or e-commerce, and as non-profits there are ways you can make analytics work for you and your organization.

But what is analytics? Analytics is a service that helps you understand the way visitors interact with your website by tracking traffic as it comes into your site, moves through your content and eventually exits to other pages. Analytics can help you understand and respond to visitor behavior while generating a higher ROI on marketing and advertising initiatives.

Some of our savvy Google Grant recipients are using analytics right now and they've given us some insight into ways that analytics can be used specifically for non-profits.

Objectives
From what I've seen, organizations in our program have one or more of three main objectives for their site:

1. Raise awareness
   
2. Increase donations
   and/or
   
3. Generate interest/participation

Goals
To measure these goals, grant recipients have developed some creative metrics and methods for tracking success through analytics.

The most common metrics used to track awareness are new user registration, info-sheet downloads and page-specific site traffic (like initiatives or About Us pages).

Among organizations raising donations through online transactions, tracking "Thank You" pages for both donations and purchases is the key measurement metric.

Of the organizations whose goals are to generate interest around their cause and increase participation in cause-specific activities, event and activity sign-ups are effective metrics, as are service and information requests and online volunteer sign-ups.

Measurement
Setting up goals in analytics is the key to getting insight into the important activity on your site. Once you've set up tracking for your goals, you'll be able to see how your goals are performing and where you need to make changes to improve performance.

We'll cover measurement as well as installation, goal setting and reporting in our upcoming blog series, "Analytics Demystified", so stay tuned!

If you'd like to get a head start, you can download our Analytics Guide and start a discussion in the Google Grants Help Group.

Posted by Taylor, AdWords Team

If it’s your first time managing a Google Grants account, a little bit of exploration will make it easier to navigate all the components of AdWords ...Read More

Posted by Taylor, AdWords Team

If it’s your first time managing a Google Grants account, a little bit of exploration will make it easier to navigate all the components of AdWords. So let’s quickly tour the Google AdWords Campaign Management tab, your account's creative center. From here, you can click on the Campaign Summary link to find your campaign(s).

The campaign is the highest level of structure in a Grants account. Campaigns have settings that affect the way your ads perform. Daily budget and geographic targeting, for instance, are campaign settings you may want to adjust according to your goals. Since the budget controls the delivery of your ads, you can change the allocation of your budget between campaigns depending on your current focus. And if your organization only operates in certain cities or states, you can target your ads exclusively to those locations.

Ad groups, the level of structure below campaigns, thematically organize the creative aspects of your account. They have two essential parts: the ad text and the keywords. Ad text is the message that runs alongside Google.com search results and directs people to your website. Keywords are the search terms that trigger search results and your ads. The keywords in an ad group should therefore match the ad text and because keywords will show in bold in your ads, it's advantageous to include them in your ad text to enhance visibility.

The AdWords Help Center is a great guide to use as you explore your Grants AdWords account. There you’ll find a glossary and information on how to edit your keyword list or ad text, or how to add additional ad groups. And be sure to read our previous post on AdWords in Plain English for definitions of other terms you'll notice in your Grants account.

Posted by Jessica, Google Grants Team

When we discussed getting started with Google Grants back in February, we got a lot of great response from grant recipients looking for details about managing their Google Grants accounts.Read More

Posted by Jessica, Google Grants Team

When we discussed getting started with Google Grants back in February, we got a lot of great response from grant recipients looking for details about managing their Google Grants accounts.

With this feedback, we compiled information, tips and tools into a master guide, The Beginner's Guide, which you can use as a reference to make the most of your grant. Of course, if you've had a grant for a while and want a Google Grants handbook or an AdWords refresher, this guide can also help you.

The guide has four sections that focus on the nitty gritty details of each topic:

AdWords & Google Grants - Important program guidelines explains account restrictions specific to your Google Grants account, cost and budgeting details and key Google Grants terms.

Managing your account - Useful tools & navigating your account goes through the AdWords interface tab by tab and describes how to change keywords and ad text, work with AdWords Editor, generate keywords with the Keyword Tool and preview your ads on Google.com.

Making the most of your campaigns suggests how to run an effective campaign and optimize your ad performance.

Additional resources & support links to more information and contact details for our team.

We hope this guide helps you set up and manage your Google Grants account. Look for a future post in which Taylor, an AdWords team member and Google Grants volunteer, will take you through the Campaign Management tab in AdWords.

If you have suggestions for other materials or information you'd like, feel free to contact us and let us know.

Posted by Jessica, Google Grants Team

Many of the non-profits in the Google Grants program are taking part in the relief efforts in the wake of Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar (Burma).Read More

Posted by Jessica, Google Grants Team

Many of the non-profits in the Google Grants program are taking part in the relief efforts in the wake of Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar (Burma).

We'd like to call attention to some of those organizations here so that you can get involved, provide support and learn more about the disaster affecting the people of Myanmar.

• Direct Relief is lending support to regional humanitarian assistance groups. Read more or donate to help.
  
  
• Doctors Without Borders has been assessing the needs of residents throughout the affected townships and is setting up first emergency response teams. Read more or donate to help.
  
  
• The International Rescue Committee is sending emergency teams to Myanmar to provide assistance to those left homeless by the disaster. Read more or donate to help.

• Oxfam America has already committed $800,000 to help non-governmental organizations meet immediate needs in Myanmar, through a mixture of funding, technical expertise and equipment where required. Read more or donate to help.
  
  
• Save the Children is collecting donations for the immediate and long-term needs of children and families impacted. Read more or donate to help.
  

• UNICEF's Myanmar field staff have begun delivering emergency supplies to Myanmar’s Irrawaddy delta. Read more or donate to help.
  
  
• World Vision is seeking $3M in global donations to provide aid to devastated children and families. Read more or donate to help.
  

If you are a Google Grant recipient providing relief to those affected by Cyclone Nargis and have questions about managing your AdWords account efficiently to scale with the traffic generated by the disaster, please contact our team so that we can make sure your information reaches those in need and those who can help.

Update 5/9/08:
Action Against Hunger's response to the cyclone's devastation includes distribution of rice, water purification tablets, and shelters. The team of 300+ national staff and 21 expats also plan to rehabilitate water distribution systems and promote basic hygiene. Read more or donate to help.

AmeriCares has assembled medical and other life-saving humanitarian supplies at their Stamford, CT and Amsterdam warehouses to be shipped immediately to their partners on the ground in Myanmar. Read more or donate to help.

Foundation for the People of Burma's immediate response to the disaster will focus on organizing and funding emergency services and supplies. Read more or donate to help.

Update 5/13/08:
CARE's staff in Myanmar is providing food, water and other emergency relief to cyclone survivors. CARE is requesting donations to the Myanmar Cyclone Response Fund, which will raise $10 million for emergency services and longer-term efforts to rebuild lives in the
affected communities. Read more or donate to help.

Posted by Kristie, Google Grants Team

As you may have read in previous posts, we now have over 4,000 non-profit organizations participating in the Google Grants program. From the beginning, our team’s main focus was to keep growing our recipient base so that more and more organizations could benefit from Google Grants.

Read More

Posted by Kristie, Google Grants Team

As you may have read in previous posts, we now have over 4,000 non-profit organizations participating in the Google Grants program. From the beginning, our team’s main focus was to keep growing our recipient base so that more and more organizations could benefit from Google Grants.

But as we've grown in size, we’ve realized that an organization benefits most from a Google Grant when they really understand how to use it to meet their goals. Just being approved for a Google Grant isn’t enough. And the “set it and forget it” approach doesn’t work well for your account either. By making the effort to understand AdWords and be engaged in your account, your organization can really maximize your advertising grant.

This might sound like a lot of work, especially if your organization is resource constrained. But don’t worry: the Google Grants team is here to help! One of our major initiatives this year is to add education resources geared specifically to you, the recipient. We will be adding considerable new content to our program website, including trainings, guides, FAQs, and more. And knowing that there are different learning styles out there, we will be experimenting with different formats for our new education materials so that visual learners can read text, while audio and visual learners can listen to and watch online trainings. If you have suggestions for materials or information, please drop us a note.

Look out for new educational content coming soon to our site. We encourage you to review these materials and use what you learn to succeed. We want to ensure that the more than 4,000 organizations receiving a Google Grant are actively involved and making the most of their grants. With your effort, you can help us get one recipient closer to this goal!