Case study-Elevation Science

Project Overview

Elevation Science Institute needed help running their Google Ad Grant. They wanted to promote their brand, services, and donations.

I launched a custom plan to fully utilize their 10k-a-month budget to grow their email sign-ups and drive brand awareness. My efforts resulted in a +400% increase in email sign-ups that led to a +50% in donations and an overall +60% in conversions.

The Result

+60

CONVERSIONS

+50%

DONATIONS

+400%

EMAIL SIGNUPS 

The Challenge

There were a few challenges that I had to overcome to be compliant with Google guidelines for using the Google Ad Grant. While yes, you have to qualify for the Google Ad Grant, and the grant money is free to use, there are a few requirements that you must meet to keep the Google Ad Grant. 

  1. Keyword Restrictions: Google Grants have limitations on the types of keywords that can be bid on and the maximum bid amount. This can make it difficult to target specific keywords effectively, especially in highly competitive niches.

  2. Bid Restrictions: Google Grants accounts are subject to a maximum cost-per-click (CPC) bid limit of $2, which may make it challenging to compete effectively in auctions for popular keywords.

  3. Quality Score Challenges: Maintaining a high-quality score is crucial for Google Ads success, but it can be challenging to achieve with the restrictions imposed by Google Grants. Low-quality scores can result in ads being shown less frequently or at lower positions.

  4. Ad Positioning: With limited budget and bid restrictions, it can be difficult to achieve optimal ad positioning, particularly in competitive markets where higher bids are necessary to secure top placements.

  5. Compliance Requirements: Google Grants have specific compliance requirements that must be adhered to, including maintaining a minimum click-through rate (CTR) of 5% and ensuring that ads link to relevant, mission-based content. Failure to comply with these requirements can result in account suspension or termination.

  6. Limited Targeting Options: Google Grants have limitations on targeting options compared to paid Google Ads accounts, which can make it challenging to reach specific audience segments effectively.

With all this in mind, I knew had my hands full! But that wasn’t going to stop me from providing the absolute best results for my client.

The Plan

Now comes the fun part! It was up to me to come up with a step-by-step plan to research and setup the Google Ad Grant. 
  1. Define Goals and Objectives:
  • The main objectives of the campaign are raising awareness of the brand, increasing email sign-ups and donations.
  1. Research:
  • Audience Research:
    • I had to Identify the campaign’s target audience(s), demographics, interests, and online behavior.
  • Keyword Research:
    • Use tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, or Ubersuggest to identify relevant keywords related to the nonprofit’s mission, services, and goals.
    • Focus on long-tail keywords with lower competition and higher relevance.
  • Competitor Analysis:
    • Analyze competitors’ Google Ads campaigns to identify their strategies, keyword usage, ad copy, and landing pages.
    • Learn from their successes and failures to inform my campaign strategy.
  1. Campaign Structure:
  • Campaign Segmentation:
    • Divide campaigns based on the nonprofit’s key objectives, such as donations, awareness, products, and services.
  • Ad Group Creation:
    • Create ad groups for each campaign, grouping related keywords together.
  • Ad Copywriting:
    • Write compelling ad copy that highlights the nonprofit’s mission, benefits, and call to action.
  • Landing Page Creation:
    • Develop dedicated landing pages for each ad group that align with the ad’s messaging and provide clear next steps for visitors.
  1. Ad Creative and Extensions:
  • Ad Formats:
    • Experiment with different ad formats such as text ads, responsive search ads, and image ads to see what resonates best with the target audience.
  • Ad Extensions:
    • Utilize ad extensions like sitelinks, callouts, and call extensions to provide additional information and encourage user engagement.
  1. Tracking and Measurement:
  • Conversion Tracking:
    • Set up conversion tracking to measure the effectiveness of the campaign in meeting its objectives, whether it’s form submissions, or donations.
  • Google Analytics Integration:
    • Integrate Google Analytics to gain insights into user behavior, website traffic, and campaign performance.
  1. Monitoring and Optimization:
  • Regular Monitoring:
    • Monitor campaign performance regularly to identify areas for improvement and optimization.
  • Optimization:
    • Optimize keywords, ad copy, and landing pages based on performance data to improve click-through rates (CTR), conversion rates, and overall campaign ROI.
  • A/B Testing:
    • Conduct A/B tests on ad creatives, landing pages, and targeting parameters to identify the most effective strategies.
  1. Compliance and Policy Adherence:
  • Google Ad Grants Policies:
    • Ensure compliance with Google Ad Grants policies, including maintaining a minimum 5% CTR and adhering to other program guidelines.
  • Policy Updates:
    • Stay informed about any updates or changes to Google Ad Grants policies and adjust the campaign accordingly.
  1. Reporting and Analysis:
  • Regular Reporting:
    • Generate regular reports to track key performance metrics and evaluate the overall success of the campaign.
  • Performance Analysis:
    • Analyze campaign performance data to identify trends, insights, and areas for further optimization.
  1. Continuous Improvement:
  • Iterative Approach:
    • Continuously iterate and refine the campaign based on performance data, audience feedback, and changes in the nonprofit’s goals and priorities.

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