This post is an update to our previous post on Google’s announcement of their $340 million relief funds to SMBs. See the original post here.
Google recently announced a few additional details on their small- and medium-sized business (SMB) Ad Credit program.
The additional information includes eligibility criteria and ad credit details.
Who is eligible for the ad credit?
Google states that the main eligibility requirement for SMB advertisers is that they must have spent money on Google Ads during the following time frames:
- 10 out of the 12 months in 2019 AND
- In January and/or February of this year.
If a business did not have an active Google Ads account with spend in 2020, that business will be ineligible.
Can I apply for the ad credit?
There is no application process for the credit Google is offering and no action you need to take. Once the credits are applied to businesses in your area based on the eligibility criteria above, no exceptions will be made and ad credits cannot be transferred, split, or refunded.
For accounts managed by an agency (e.g., Scorpion), how will the distribution of credits work?
An ad credit will be applied directly to each eligible customer within that agency account (Scorpion).
How much are the credits?
Each eligible business will receive one ad credit worth up to $1,000. The amount of the ad credit will vary based on that business’ past Google Ads spend, as well as the country and currency where the business and Google Ads account is set up.
How and where can a business use the ad credit?
The ad credit is for future Google Ads spend only. It cannot be applied to Google Ads spend or invoices for past months or the current month. Per Google, a business can apply these ad credits across the Google Ads platform, including Search, Display, and YouTube, as well as all campaign types. While not confirmed by Google, we anticipate that these credits will be calculated in proportion to the average monthly ad spend for each business individually.
When can eligible SMBs expect to see the ad credit applied to their advertising?
Google began applying ad credits to accounts based in New Zealand on May 27, 2020 as well as select businesses in the United States, and the credit has expanded to more U.S. business since then. When you receive your ad credit, a notification email will be sent to the primary contact address on your account.
Note: Here at Scorpion, we have already started seeing the SMB ad credit being applied to many of our clients' accounts and we're staying vigilant for all the others. If you are a Scorpion client, your marketing manager will reach out and let you know as soon as your credit has been applied.
How long are the ad credits valid?
The Google Ad Credit will expire after December 31, 2020. Any unused ad credits will be removed from the business’ account at that time.
Can I receive more than one ad credit?
Each eligible business will receive one ad credit. If you advertise with multiple accounts, or multiple campaign types within an account, only one credit will be applied.
As always, give us a call or connect with us via email, text, or videoconference if you have any questions. Our team is available to talk more about Google’s Ad Credit relief fund, in addition to anything else you may need during this time. Contact us today.
