In an effort to support small and medium-sized businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, both Google and Facebook will be providing assistance to small businesses through a combination of programs.
Not all details are available yet, but here’s what we know:
GOOGLE:
Google will be providing ad credits to active SMB advertisers enabling them to advertise on Google platforms including Search, Display, and YouTube.
1.Exactly Who is Eligible?
Ad credits will be provided to small and medium businesses that have been active advertisers on Google starting no later than January 1, 2019. Although SMB businesses are often defined as “those with less than $100 million in annual revenue,” Google did not provide a definition. It is not clear how much each business will receive, but it may be based on past account spending.
2.What Does “Active Advertisers” Mean?
It is not yet clear how Google will define an “active” advertiser. Under the loosest interpretation, an organization might qualify as active if it has run any approved advertising during the period from January 1 to present. This is another area that will require clarification from Google.
3.When Will Credits Be Available?
The official word from Google is “in the coming months.” The total amount of credits to be offered stands at $340 million, though that figure is subject to change. Eligible businesses will receive notifications through their Google Ads account when the program goes live.
4.Are Credits Applied Directly to the Account or to the MCC Account?
MCC stands for My Client Center, an “umbrella account” tool for managing multiple AdWords accounts from clients. Although MCC is not mentioned in any of the materials Google has yet released about the ad credits, the fact that notifications will be sent directly to businesses’ Google Ads accounts may suggest that credits will also appear directly within the MCC.
Updated April 22nd: Earlier today, Google updated its COVID-19 Ad Credits Page with “additional information on eligibility criteria and ad credit details.” See below for those updates:
5.If multiple accounts roll up to one manager account, will each account receive an ad credit?
An ad credit will be applied to each eligible customer. If multiple eligible accounts roll up to one manager account, each of the eligible accounts will receive an ad credit.
6.How will the ad credit work?
This is an ad credit for future Google Ads spend. It will not be applied to billed / invoiced past or current Google Ads spend. These ad credits will be applicable across the Google Ads platform including Search, Display, and YouTube as well as all campaign types.
7.When will eligible customers receive the ad credit?
Starting in late May, we will begin rolling out the ad credit in phases. Over the following months, eligible customers will be notified and will see the ad credit applied in their Google Ads account.
8.How much are the ad credits?
The ad credit amount will vary by customer based on past Google Ads spend, and the country and currency where the business and Google Ads account is set up.
Click here to learn more about Google’s Ad credits for Google Ads Small and Medium-sized Businesses
FACEBOOK:
Facebook is offering $100M in cash grants and ad credits to 30,000 eligible small businesses in more than 30 countries where Facebook operates.
1.Exactly Who is Eligible?
To be able to receive a grant, businesses must apply. In order to be eligible to apply, the business must:
- Be a for-profit company
- Have between 2 and 50 employees
- Have been in business for over a year
- Have experienced challenges from COVID-19
- Be in or near a location where Facebook operates
2.How Do You Apply?
If you meet the eligibility requirements above, you can apply when applications become available in your area.
Upcoming locations:
- April 18 – New York City and Seattle
- April 20 – San Francisco Bay Area
- April 22 – All other eligible US cities
Click here to learn more about Facebook’s Small Business Grants Program.
As we know more, this page will be updated. For more valuable information about staying safe, productive, and healthy during COVID-19, visit our Resources page.