Google Ads Releases Details Around the $340m Credit for SMBs

Today Google updated the information on the COVID-19 small and medium-sized business ad credit that was originally announced at the end of March.

Who is an Eligible SMB?

Google states that a small or medium-sized business is pre-identified business type by them, and already have a global team that helps these customers daily.

The main eligibility requirement within that subset of advertisers is they must have spent on Google Ads:

  • 10 out of the last 12 months in 2019 AND
  • In January and/or February of this year

So, if you hadn’t spent anything in 2020, you will be ineligible. Brand-new accounts as of 2020 will not be eligible.

If the Account is in an Agency-Managed MCC

If there is one MCC (manager-level) account that has accounts rolling up to it, the credits are distributed per eligible account. They are not distributed at the MCC level.

If the MCC-owner (ie, the Google Partner) advertises their business using Google Ads also, they are eligible for their own, separate credit. They must meet the same eligibility requirements as other SMBs.

How Much Businesses Get

Each eligible advertiser gets 1 ad credit. What that credit is worth will vary by customer. Google doesn’t release specific details of the calculation, instead specifying that it’s based on historic Ad spend levels, plus their country and currency.

Each business is only eligible for one credit, whatever that amount is calculated to be. It is issued at a customer level, so multiple accounts or campaign types are still treated as one eligible credit entity.

It cannot be applied to past spend, only future spend.

When and How Will It Work?

Ad credits will be on a rolling basis starting in May. Eligible customers will get an ad credit applied, and will receive a notification of the addition. The credits can be used through December of this year, and will be revoked after that.

Credits can be used towards anything on the Google Ads platform that encompasses Search, Display and YouTube, along with any campaign goal or type within those.

The ad credit commitment comes as part of a several-pronged approach the search engine has deployed to help SMBs in the wake of Coronavirus.

Other programs and pledges include:

  • ad grants for the World Health Organization
  • a $200m investment fund to non-profits and smaller financial institutions
  • $20m in Google Cloud credits to help with infrastructure at research and institution entities who are working on treatments for COVID-19
  • partnering with their supplier to increase face mask production to 2-3m
  • increase of gift matching on employee donations

The full announcement can be read here.

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