How Google Is Supporting SMBs during COVID-19 Period by Offering Ad Credits.

The novel Coronavirus has spread chaos around the world and has affected our daily lives significantly. As a result, many small and medium-sized businesses are struggling to remain afloat and stay in contact with their customers.

To help these businesses stay in touch with their customers during this difficult time, Google has stepped in to make things a bit easier. In a blog post published on March 27, 2020, the company’s CEO, Mr. Sundar Pichai announced that Google would support SMEs by providing $340 million ad credits which can be used towards their future ad spends.

This is a really nice gesture from the tech giant and explains why their partners always brag of having such an amazing partner like Google. All eligible businesses that qualify for this incentive have until 31st December 2020, to spend their ad credits or will risk losing them.

Who Qualifies to Receive COVID-19 Google Ads Credits?

Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) that have been active on Google Ads since the start of 2019 are eligible for the credits. If your Google Ads account has been active since then and your business is selected for consideration, you may have seen a notification at the top of your account.
Even if you had paused your Ads activity since the start of COVID-19 but your business meets the other conditions, you will still see the notification. Any COVID-19 Google Ads credit you receive can be used across Google platforms, including search, YouTube, Shopping and Display.

When Will I Receive the Ad Credits?

Google began dispersing the COVID-19 ad credits to eligible SMEs on 18th June 2020. So far, qualifying businesses who have been awarded ad credits have been notified via an automated email from Google sent to the administrator listed in their Google Ads account.

If you have received such an email from Google, be sure to navigate to the “Promotions Center” within your ads account to view the exact amount of credit you have been awarded, along with the exact expiration date.

Given that SMBs represent about 90% of all businesses in the world, this move by Google is a classic example of how being a real supplier for your partners/customers is to truly understand their needs and feel their pain.  So, if you haven’t received your ad credits yet and you qualify, be patient and don’t worry. It could be on its way!

Should I Keep Advertising During the COVID-19 Period?

A significant number of businesses are wondering whether they should continue advertising through these difficult times. Well, it largely depends on what your business does and how you have been impacted by COVID-19.

History shows that businesses that continue to advertise and market themselves in times of crisis always come out stronger at the end. That said, we need to appreciate the fact that you may not be in a position to run full-scale campaigns during this time, but don’t shy away from small-scale advertising focused on generating brand awareness.

Limit your ad spend budget on what you can afford and focus on running ads that will help to keep your brand in people’s minds when things become better again. Or increase your budget if you have a product/service that is demanding. Here’s another article that explains what the 4 ways businesses can adapt effectively during the COVID-19 outbreak or any unstable situation.

Thank you, Google!

Firas Shahin

Regional Digital Accounts Director