Courtney-Dale Nel
Courtney is a Content Writer on the Pure SEO team. They have a Bachelor in Behavioural Psychology, way too much experience working with pigeons, and a fondness for nachos that rivals most marriages.
Google has made a commitment to help small and medium-sized business all around the world make it through the COVID-19 pandemic, a commitment to the tune of eight hundred million dollars, usable for ad-spend across all Google Ads platforms until the end of 2020. The pie slice of Google’s grant dedicated to SMBs totals at $340 million in ad credits.
Now, as the sun breaches the New Zealand horizon first, so too have the Google ad credits begin appearing in Kiwi Google Ads accounts, the first of many phases in the credit roll-out. We answer some questions around the ad credits, so read on for the full breakdown.
Who is Getting the Google Ad Credits and Why?
Google announced its intent to fund SMEs all the way back in March. Two months ago, Google made it clear that they’re doing what they can to support the foundation of the world’s economy and the healthcare system at this time. Since SMEs represent 90% of business and 50% of employment worldwide, Google’s head honchos made it their priority to fund this particular business sector, as companies and organisations of this size have been heavily impacted by the world grinding to an unexpected halt.
To quote Google:
“Small and medium-sized businesses are the backbone of our communities. COVID-19 has posed a particular challenge to these businesses, who may be facing closures and declining revenue even as they find ways to support and protect their employees. The ad credit is our gesture to show support and solidarity with these businesses as they continue to engage with their customers”.
– Google Support page
By greasing the metaphorical wheels of SME marketing, Google is hoping to keep the world’s economy turning on its axis and keep the people employed in these sectors doing what they do best.
Which Businesses are Eligible?
Eligibility is not very restrictive, offering aid to any small and medium-sized business globally that has had an active Google Ads account for ten out of the twelve months of 2019, as well as the first two months of 2020. In this first phase, grants will only be given to advertisers with a billing address in New Zealand.
The tech giant’s classification of what businesses count as “SME” comes from their global team of consultants who have been working to identify and support such businesses for years. In short, if you’re in their database as an SME, you could be getting a Google grant.
If you’ve been advertising through a third-party partner or advertiser (much like Pure SEO), you will still be receiving the grant. Many of our clients, including brands like Hell’s Pizza, Motor Co, BDO, and Bike Barn, have been granted aid by Google.
Ad Credits: What You Need to Know
Credits Are Automatically Applied
There is no application process, you simply need to wait for a notification. Google has said that a notification email will be sent to the primary account contact for each advertiser that receives an ad credit, and businesses can check the “Promotions” page in the Billing section of their account.
If you’re using consolidated billing, the credit will be reflected in the invoice after your next billing cycle.
The Credit is For Future Ad Spend
Any ad spend prior to receiving the credit will not be deducted when the credit is received. Instead, the money will be applied to future ads across all Google platforms. This includes Search, Display, and YouTube alongside all campaign types.
The Amount Depends on the Business
According to Google, three factors will be used to determine how much to credit a business:
- Past Google Ads spend
- Billing address of your country
- Currency of the Ads account.
The maximum for one credit is $1,000 USD (in NZD, that’s roughly $1,600).
Check with Your Third-Party Advertiser
If you’re employing a third-party advertiser to manage your Google ads, you can reach out to them to confirm if you’ve received a grant in the next day or so. They can contact Google directly to confirm or use their account accesses to double-check for you. However, if you have access to your own account, you should be able to check this yourself.
To all those businesses that have been granted an ad credit, we say make the most of it. It’s designed to make your business more visible online in a time where online visibility is more necessary than ever before. Use the credit to its fullest extent and make your mark on the world going forward. If you need any advice, you can always get in touch with our SEM team here at Pure SEO.
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