Google has recently announced that it will be giving $340 million in ad credits to small and medium businesses over the coming months, so Mark sat down with Arpit Dubey, a Google Ads specialist at Tillison Consulting, to find out:
- What Google Ads credits are
- When they will be available
- Who is eligible for them
- How to get them in your account
What are Google Ads credits?
(00:28) In an effort to help the financial strain on businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, Google is rolling out credits to those that have active accounts and have been running ad campaigns. The credits will be available for use across all of Google’s platforms including on SERPs, shopping results pages and YouTube Ads.
Update:Â Each eligible customer will receive one credit, regardless of how many campaigns they are running. If you have multiple accounts that roll up to one manager account, each eligible account will receive an ad credit. The size of the credit will depend on past Google Ads spend, and the country and currency where the business and account are set up. Credits will automatically offset future spend with no action needed on your part.
When will the credits be available?
(01:01) There is currently no concrete information on this, but Google has promised that the credits will be distributed over the coming months. When they appear in your account, you will be notified (we think by email) in your Google Ads account and they can be used any time until 31 December 2020.
Update: Google has now confirmed that the credits will be rolled out in phases, starting in late May. Any credit that is unused after 31 December 2020 will be removed from your account.
Credits are currently available in Australia, China, Germany, India, Italy, New Zealand, Spain, Taiwan, Ukraine, the UK and the US.
Who is eligible?
(01:26) The beneficiaries of Google’s ad credits will be small- and medium-sized businesses worldwide. You must have had an active account since 1 January 2019, and advertise directly with Google or through partners. So far there are no stipulations surrounding companies that have stopped advertising during the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns.
Update: It has now been announced that to be eligible you must have spent with a Google Ads account directly or through a partner in ten out of 12 months in 2019, and in January and/or February 2020.
More information has also been released about partners; if you are a partner that advertises your own business on Google Ads, you will receive an ad credit if your account meets the eligibility criteria.
How can I get credits in my account?
(02:29) Those who are receiving ad credits will be notified in the coming months, but there is no set date. If you think you are eligible, keep an eye on your Google Ads notifications and your emails just in case.
This page will be updated as Google releases more about the scheme.
Have you already received your credits? Let us know in the comments or tweet Mark @Tillison.
