For Nonprofits Blog
You're changing the world. We want to help.
Getting your non-profit listed on Google Maps
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Posted by German, Google Grants Team
Did you know that you can add or edit your organization's information in Google Maps at any time for free?
Google Maps provides powerful mapping technology and local business information, including business locations, contact information, and driving directions to users that are searching for business locations in their local area. This is ideal for non-profits that offer services on location, such as medical treatment or after-school programs.
If you're interested in adding your non-profits to Google Maps, here's what to do:
Make sure your non-profit is currently listed on
Google Maps
. (Do a search for your organization.)
If you're not listed, you can add your office location at our
Local Business Center
. (
Learn more about adding your non-profit.
)
Once your new listing is verified, your listing should appear on Google Maps.
If you have more than ten office locations, please submit your information as a bulk upload through the Local Business Center. For more on creating bulk uploads, choose 'Upload a Data File' in your Local Business Center account, and then follow our
bulk upload instructions
.
This is just something to think about as you expand your organization to serve new areas or offer new services.
New Google for Non-Profits Site
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Posted by Kristie, Google Grants Team
We work every day to help non-profits use the power of online advertising to reach their target audience and meet their organizational goals. But we know that organizations can use additional help beyond the
Google Grants
program.
You may have heard our announcements that
Google Apps
and
Google Checkout
are free for non-profits. And that
Google.org
has launched major initiatives in public health, global development
and climate change. But you may not know about the full array of resources we have to help you further
your cause in a smart, cost-efficient way.
To give non-profits a one-stop shop of Google tools, we recently launched
Google For Non-Profits
. Here's a taste of what it's about:
Google Checkout
Collect online donations and process them for free
Google Grants
Reach and engage your supporters with free online advertising
Blogger
Create a blog, an easy-to-use website, where you can quickly post news and keep your supporters up to date
Analytics
Understand how donors and the public interact with your website
Gmail
Cut costs with Google-hosted email accounts
Calendar
Organize schedules and publicize events with shared calendars
We hope this central place shows you something new to help you meet your goals more easily and effectively. Enjoy!
What makes people give?
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Posted by German, Google Grants Team
From time to time we'll be noting articles we think would be useful to our readers
. We thought we'd start with a recent article entitled
"What Makes People Give?"
, by David
Leonhardt
of
The New York Times.
This article
discusses
how non-profits can benefit from behavioral economics research on philanthropic giving.
Leonhardt
highlights a few field experiments, conducted by economist
John List
, which uncover some of the factors that influence philanthropic giving:
Do donors care about seed money?
Are they affected by how much other donors give?
Though donors seem to be influenced by gift-matching, does the size of the match matter?
We hope the findings help enhance your fundraising efforts, both with
your Google Grants
AdWords
accounts and beyond.
Online Training: AdWords Editor
Monday, March 17, 2008
Posted by AnnMarie, Google Grants Team
As a way to bring you the latest resources and information, we'll be posting trainings and news relevant to Google Grant recipients right here. That way you can decide what you'd like to learn more about from resources gathered with you and your Google Grant in mind.
The first training we'd like to bring to your attention is the
AdWords Editor webinar happening this Thursday, 3/20/08, from 11-12pm PST.
We'd classify this as a beginner level training where you'll learn about using
AdWords Editor
to manage and make fast and efficient changes within your Google Grants AdWords account.
More information about the webinar and sign-ups can be found
here
. We hope you find this and future trainings useful and would love to know what other types of training would be helpful as you work with your Google Grant. Feel free to discuss this in the
Help Group
or
contact our team
with your ideas.
Google Grants - The real story
Friday, March 14, 2008
Posted by Kristie, Google Grants Team
When
we launched
this blog, we touched on the premise of the
Google Grants
program: providing free advertising on Google to non-profits that share our philosophy of community service.
What this program amounts to is thousands of organizations' ads showing on our site as sponsored links next to search-results pages. We hope that, as a result, many new eyes will see the important messages and causes of your organizations around the world.
While this concept seems pretty simple, it does raise misconceptions from time to time, so we thought we'd chat about some of the most common ones and let you discuss these and other Google Grants related topics in
our discussion group
.
Myth #1: Google Grants gives money
Truth: Google Grants gives free advertising on Google.com to non-profit organizations worldwide, but it doesn't award financial grants of any kind.
Myth #2: Google Grants ads show when Google doesn't have a targeted ad for a webpage
Truth: Google Grants ads are targeted and show on Google.com just like other AdWords ads. All ads are shown and ranked based on their Quality Score x Max Cost-per-Click (CPC) bid. You can
read more about Quality Score
and which factors contribute to it for each of your keyword-targeted ads on Google.com.
Myth #3: All you have to do is apply and, once you're in, answer a few questions every now and then. There is virtually no time commitment and nothing to learn.
Truth: There's plenty to learn about AdWords, regardless of your current online marketing savvy—and it's definitely worthwhile, since it'll help you make the most of your opportunity. And since managing a Google Grants account is different from an ordinary AdWords account, some additional education is necessary. Online training is available for
learning
about the program
,
setting up your account
,
interpreting reports
,
setting up Google Analytics
with your Google Grants account and
scheduling reports
.
Myth #4: You are guaranteed $10K
worth of traffic to your website.
Truth: The volume of clicks and traffic coming to your site varies depending on your organization's breadth and focus. For example, international organizations often receive more traffic than local groups, and cancer advocacy non-profits may see more traffic than groups focused on rarer diseases.
Any new traffic to your site also depends on your Google Grants AdWords campaigns. Learning how to set up, track and maintain an effective account is crucial to increasing traffic and conversions for your organization's site. Take a look at the
AdWords Basics
section on this blog to get tips for managing your account.
Myth #5: Having a Google Grants account guarantees that you'll be included in Google's search results.
Truth: The organic search results on Google.com are entirely separate and independent from
AdWords
and the
Google Grants program
. Nonetheless, using Google Grants is an effective way to get more exposure for your organization, especially if your group does not have high ranking in Google's search results.
By maintaining an effective Google Grants AdWords account, you can control the messages your audience sees about your organization by customizing your ad text, something you can't control with organic results.
Myth #6: My Google Grant has been active for three months. It will expire soon so we need to reapply.
Truth: Google Grants are awarded for a minimum of three months, and typically we notify you at least 30 days before your grant award expires. However, Google does reserve the right to terminate your organization's participation in the Google Grants program for any reason without notice at any time.
Moreover, grant awards often run longer than the minimum award period. As long as your account remains active in our program, we encourage you to make the most of the free ads. Note that, once your grant expires, you are no longer eligible for the program so there is no need to reapply.
If you're wondering about different aspects of the program, check around the
Google Grants Help Group
and see if someone else has started a discussion about it or
reach out to our group
directly to get the real story.
Adding Keywords
Friday, March 7, 2008
Posted by AnnMarie, Google Grants Team
We've been getting some questions lately about how to treat
keywords
in Google Grants accounts, so we'd like to offer some tips and resources here for everyone to use.
Keywords are generated for your account when you are awarded a Google Grant. These keywords are meant to be relevant and targeted to your organization, perhaps as targeted as to include your org's location and constituency area. The keywords are organized thematically into
ad groups
so that your
ad
can be created to best match these themes.
For example, keywords such as "online donations," "support NYC charity" and "donate to NYC org" might all be in an ad group called "Donations" with an ad like this one:
Though your account is built with some keywords already, you don't necessarily have to keep all of these keywords, and you can also add other ones that are relevant to your organization. If you want to make changes to your keyword list, you can follow the instructions
here
to login to your account and get started.
Some rules of thumb for keywords in Google Grants accounts:
Make sure to include your location when developing a keyword list, especially if you only offer services in certain areas. (Ex: "New York shelters")
Use
matching options
to target your ads to specific audiences. (Ex: [homeless shelters] will show your ad only when people type in those exact terms in that exact order.)
Scrub your list and remove terms that are too general (Ex: "shelters"). This tactic will help you target your ad to users interested in your specific services.
Read through the
Generating and Editing Keywords
topic in the AdWords Help Center.
While you're working through your keyword lists, you can chat with other grant recipients in the
Google Grants Help Group
to find out what experiences they're having and share tips for making the most of your Google Grant.
AdWords in plain English
Friday, February 29, 2008
Posted by Jessica, Google Grants Team
You'll likely come across a lot of new terms and acronyms while managing your
Google Grants
AdWords
account, and while you can always access the full
AdWords glossary
of terms, we wanted to explain a few of the most common right away
,
and give some insight into how they affect your account.
Daily Budget
This is the maximum amount your account can spend in a single day. All Google Grants accounts are set at $329/day ($10,000/month), unless your organization has applied for and been awarded an increased budget. If your account is continually reaching your daily budget, you may be eligible for an increased budget. You can read more about the requirements and application process and apply for an increased budget by submitting an
application online.
CPC
Cost-Per-Click.
This is the most your account will be charged any time someone clicks on your ad.
For all Google Grants accounts, the
CPC is set to a maximum of $1. You can set your
CPC
at any amount up to $1 per keyword. Remember that even though your account will be accruing clicks, you will not be charged any amount as a participant in the Google Grants program unless you apply for and receive a higher daily budget as a participant in our
Additional Services program
.
CTR
Click-through Rate. This percentage is the number of clicks your ad has received divided by the number of times your ad has shown. You can see the CTR for each keyword and
ad creative
, as well as average
CTRs
for your campaigns, ad groups and account. Keeping an eye on these
CTRs
is a good way to track the performance of your keywords and ads. A low CTR (below 1%) for a keyword can indicate that a term is too broad for your target audience and could be improved by making it more specific or by adding
matching options
. A low CTR for an ad creative can indicate a less relevant
message and can be
improved with a stronger call to action or with a more concise message.
As you manage your online advertising accounts and come across new terms and acronyms don't forget to tap into the expertise of fellow Google Grants advertisers in the
Google Grants Help Group
. You can also view our newest online trainings to get you off on the right foot and help you make the most of your Google Grant. For a quick introduction to your Google Grants account
click here
to view the training. If you're ready to move on and learn more about navigating your Google Grants AdWords account,
click here
for a detailed walk through of a Google Grants account.
Chatting about Google Grants
Monday, February 25, 2008
Posted by AnnMarie, Google Grants Team
We're looking forward to sharing ideas and information here, and we hope non-profit organizations and
Google Grants
participants will get involved. If you ever find yourself wondering about an aspect of your AdWords account, wanting to discuss a recent post on the blog, or interested in seeing what other organizations are talking about with regard to the program, we encourage you to check out the
Google Grants Help Group
.
Here, you can start conversations with like-minded folks and put the power of many minds to work for you. No question is too small. In fact, it's likely that many other people are wondering the same thing. We, of course, hope to address lots of your questions on our blog, but if you want to get feedback from your peers in the non-profit world, this help group is a great resource.
If you've never visited a Google Group, you can check out this
Quick Start Guide
. You'll learn how to search groups, post questions and comments and subscribe to groups so you can stay in touch with topics most important to you. You can also take the
Google Groups Tour
and see all the cool features of the product in addition to discussing questions.
Got a question now? Ask away...
Getting started with Google Grants
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Posted by Jessica, Google Grants Team
If you were just awarded a Google Grant, welcome to the program! We look forward to helping your organization make the most of AdWords.
Your first step:
sign in
to your AdWords account using the email address and temporary password you received in your welcome email. You may want to bookmark the sign in page for future reference.
Then, select My Account > Account Preferences > Edit in Google Accounts and update your password to one you will remember.
With that housekeeping taken care of, you can revisit your account set-up and make changes or updates to your campaign at any time. Here are a few items we'd recommend you review right off the bat:
Keyword list
Make sure your organization name is included, as well as any relevant cause-related terms (e.g., breast cancer, childhood leukemia).
Ad text
Check to see how well the ads represent your mission and whether the
destination URLs
link to specific pages on your site.
Ad Groups
It's always a good idea to have your Ad Groups match the organization of your website (For example, if you accept donations, consider a 'Donations' Ad Group.)
Remember, all Grants accounts are capped automatically at $10K/month, and all keywords are capped at a $1 maximum CPC. If you have any questions about the guidelines, please visit the
policy page
.
Once your account is set up to your satisfaction, start thinking of ways to make it even more useful in promoting your organization's mission. Check back here regularly (or add the feed to your
reader
) for ideas and information about making the most of your Google Grant.
If you would like to learn more about the program, check out our
quick program overview
.
Welcome to our new Blog!
Friday, February 15, 2008
Posted by Jessica, Google Grants Team
When we launched the
Google Grants
program, we set out to harness the power of Google search to support organizations that share our philosophy of community service. Through the in-kind advertising awarded to grant recipients, organizations have been able to reach a wider audience for free with their messages. Since our debut early in 2003, the number of grant recipients has grown steadily, and we're excited to help even more of your good causes make a bigger impact on the world.
With more and more people looking for information and joining the program all the time, we want to make sure that we can answer your questions quickly and give you what you need to make your group more successful. So we're starting this blog as a place to read about the latest Google Grants news and information — whether you're a 501(c)(3) organization looking to join, or a current recipient who wants to learn how to make your campaigns more effective.
We chose a blog because it's an easy way to quickly publish and read news and information. You may want to add this blog to your
Google Reader
or
iGoogle page
for easy reference.
Here are a few of the kinds of things you can expect to read about here:
* guidance on managing your Google Grant
* details about Google products specifically for nonprofits
* tips for using AdWords
* program updates and alerts
* stories about grant recipients and their successes
* links to useful articles and resources
We hope that you'll be spurred on by what you read here so that you'll strike up conversations with other recipients in our
Google Grants Group
. This is the place to ask other folks about their experiences, discuss posts, and get new ideas about making the most of your Google Grant.
We'll be posting regularly, so please plan to drop by often, and if you have ideas about making the blog more useful,
write to us
.
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