Many nonprofits take advantage of Google Grants, which provide up to $10,000 per month in free Google Search advertising. At first glance, this seems like an easy, cost-free way to boost visibility. However, paid Google Search ads offer significantly greater fundraising potential than grant-based ads.
The Limitations of Google Grants
While Google Grants can be valuable, they come with strict limitations. The program places bidding caps and ranking restrictions on grant-funded campaigns, making it difficult to compete for high-value keywords. If your landing page does not have strong organic ranking signals for a specific term, you may not even be eligible to bid on it.
Because of these restrictions, grant-based campaigns often attract users who were already looking for your organization or related content. These people may have found you through organic search anyway. Brand-new visitors tend to be of lower quality because your bid limits prevent you from competing for the most valuable traffic.
The Advantages of Paid Search Ads
By running paid Google Search ads, you can:
- Bid on higher-value keywords that Google Grants will not allow.
- Attract potential donors who have the resources and intention to give.
- Expand beyond your organization’s name and main content to reach people searching for related topics, services, or causes.
- Target parallel searches to discover new audiences interested in your mission.
With the right strategy, paid search ads can become a powerful tool for donor acquisition, helping you find and connect with supporters who may not have otherwise discovered your organization.
Balancing Free and Paid Search Ads
You do not have to choose between Google Grants and paid ads. The best approach is to maximize the value of your free grant while investing in paid search to reach new audiences.
Additionally, paid ads can help re-engage past donors. By using exclusion lists, you can limit your ads’ reach to existing donors if needed. However, in many cases, bringing a former donor back to your site can reactivate their giving—a win-win scenario.
In short, Google Grants are useful, but they are not a replacement for paid Google Search ads. To drive new donations and long-term growth, a combination of both is the best strategy.
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Article courtesy of Infinity Concepts