Google Ads recently rolled out $340 million in ad credits for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). As part of their COVID-19-related relief efforts for SMBs, in addition to grants, Google will be issuing these credits throughout the rest of 2020. This initiative was developed to help their partners better connect with their customers.
Maybe your business has a Google Ads credit, but you don’t know what to do with it. Or, if your business has used Google Ads in 2020, it may be eligible for some of these credits. If you’re wondering if a Google Ads credit could end up benefiting your business, if you’re eligible, or just have questions on how to use them, here’s what you need to know.
Eligibility: How Do You Know If Your SMB Is Eligible for a Google Ads Credit?
The guidelines are really pretty straightforward and are primarily based on the historical use of Google Ads by a given SMB.
The main eligibility criteria for a Google Ads credit for SMBs are:
- An eligible business will have purchased Google Ads services in at least 10 of the previous 12 months of 2019, in addition to the months of January and February of 2020.
- New accounts are not eligible. For the purposes of these Google Ads credits, a “new account” constitutes any account established at the beginning of 2020 or later.
- Businesses that have not spent anything on Google Ads in 2020 are also not eligible.
How is Google Ads Handling Agency-Managed My Client Centers (MCCs)?
If you operate via an MCC, it’s important to note that the credits are not dispersed at the level of the manager of the MCC. Instead, a Google Ads credit will be dispersed per eligible account within each MCC, or per individual customer.
The MCC owners themselves are also eligible for Google Ads, provided they meet the above SMB eligibility requirements and use Google Ads for their own business.
Amounts May Vary, But How It’s Used May Not
Each SMB customer of Google Ads will receive exactly one ad credit. The actual value of this one-time credit will vary, depending on the individual business. While Google Ads has not yet released any specific details regarding how the exact amount will be determined, they have indicated that it will loosely correspond to the following:
- The SMB’s country of origin
- The primary currency the SMB employs
- The total amount that an SMB has spent on Google Ads
- The total period of time that an SMB has utilized their ad services
The ad credits will be issued at the customer level, which means that multiple accounts and campaigns will be treated as a single eligible entity. The credits are not able to be spent retroactively on previously or currently invoiced Google Ad spends. They are only eligible to be used for future spends.
These credits can be used towards any of the moving parts of the Google Ads platform, which includes Search, Display, YouTube, or those campaign goals that fall within those boundaries.
Timeline for the Credit Roll-Out
Beginning in May for a late Q2 roll-out, a Google Ads credit will be applied to the SMB Ads Accounts. When the credit is dispersed, the proprietor will receive a notification. Google Ads credits during COVID-19 are still being rolled out, but time is still an issue.
All credits must be utilized between now and December of this year, regardless of whether it’s a COVID-19 Google Ads credit. If it hasn’t been used by then, whatever value remains will be revoked. If you need help determining eligibility, our team is here to help.
Regardless of whether your SMB qualifies for a Google Ads credit, if you’d like to know more about the best way to maximize your future ad spends, contact us today at Zero Gravity Marketing.
