The Google Ad Grants program offers free advertising to nonprofits. Which is great, but many nonprofit workers don’t have time in their busy schedules to learn to effectively manage Google Ads campaigns, or to keep on top of campaign optimization; or they struggle with Google’s policies and need a professional’s help.
Which is why Google publishes a Google Ad Grants Certified Professionals directory. The directory connects grantees to a global network of recommended professionals, agencies, consultants and trainers.
What are Google Ad Grants Certified Professionals?
We’re agencies and freelancers that work with nonprofits to optimize their Google Ad Grant accounts to get the best value from the $10,000 free monthly advertising budget.
Google validates agencies and freelancers with in-depth Ad Grants knowledge, who demonstrate good management of accounts, and who specialize in working with nonprofits.
I’m listed in the Google Ad Grants Certified Professionals directory. In order to qualify, I had to have experience of working with multiple nonprofits’ Ad Grant accounts; demonstrate good stewardship of those accounts and a focus on quality and conversions; and be able to show a thorough understanding of the Ad Grants policies.
Sign up for Ad Grants training from a Certified Professional
I specialize in training nonprofits to manage their own Google Ad Grant account. Are you struggling to manage your nonprofit’s free ads, or about to start work on a Google Ads account and need training? Or do you need an experienced consultant to take a look at your campaign setup, help you interpret the statistics, and make recommendations? Sign up for a Google Ad Grants training session and receive one-to-one support at your level, for your needs, based on your nonprofit’s own campaign setup and data.
Which agencies in the Ad Grants Certified Professionals directory would I recommend?
If you need a training/consultancy session, me! But if you need ongoing management of your Ad Grant then I would recommend one of these agencies, based on my knowledge of their skills and approach:
If your nonprofit is in the UK:
UpriseUp, or Platypus Digital, or Jason Williams
If your nonprofit is in the US:
Cause Inspired, or KinseyStreet, or Community Boost
What to check before you hire an agency to work on your Ad Grant account
Check they are listed in the Ad Grants Certified Directory… but note that there are a few great agencies that aren’t listed yet, it’s not an exclusive list.
If they claim to have Google Partner status, check that you can find them in the Google Partners directory.
Make sure, when you engage anyone to work on your account, that you retain full ownership of your Google Ads, Google Analytics and any other accounts they need access to, as well as all intellectual property (the ad campaigns are yours, not theirs). Make sure that you can revoke their access at any time, but that they can’t revoke your access! If they help set up your accounts, make sure they’re not the owner, it should all be done in the name of the nonprofit.
A legitimate agency won’t connect to your account like a normal Google Ads user. Instead they will send an invite from their MCC (a Google Ads Manager’s account) for you to accept. If they suggest connecting via any other method, that should ring alarm bells.
Do check any contract, especially for any clauses about what happens if you stop using their services, and to make sure you’re not tied into an agreement for longer than you might want.
