In unprecedented times, it’s typically the best time to hold steady, remain vigilant, and start to be resourceful by using what you already have. Leveraging resources and being less lenient to spend is something that families, individuals, and businesses alike are practicing as we wait out this pandemic. 

For many organizations large and small, budget has been minimized for certain platforms and means of advertising. While Google and Facebook Ads have always been relatively more affordable than traditional means, these two tech giants have recently vowed to allocate a special grant and ad credits for small businesses. 

Google announced it will deposit $340 million in account credits into small- to medium-sized businesses’ Google Ads accounts. These credits will also be valid through 2020. Google has also announced that another $800 million will be used to directly fund COVID-19 relief. 

Facebook is setting aside $100 million in ad credits, and cash grants to support 30,000 small businesses among 30 countries. Publishers will be offered another $100 million in grants and advertising credits. Most importantly, coronavirus relief is being funded as well at another $100 million.

It’s a smart move for Google and Facebook in order to keep their reputation and show appreciation for the small businesses across the world, which they as giant advertisers gain a lot of revenue from, but the economy grows from as well.  They are offering an opportunity that many small businesses cannot simply pass up. 

How Do I Apply for a Facebook Grant? 

Facebook is partnering with Ureeka, a networking community platform that connects small businesses with expertise through peers, mentors, and coaches. If you meet eligibility requirements, simply click the link to their application guide and follow the paperwork and document requirements.

To be eligible to apply, your business must be including the following characteristics of being a for-profit company, having only between 2 to 50 employees,  been operating for over a year, in or near a location where Facebook operates, and have obvious challenges associated with the onset of COVID-19.

In the start of this program, it was only available to those located within the New York, Seattle, and San Francisco area. On April 22nd, 2020, application will open up to other eligible U.S. cities. 

Facebook’s Business Hub also provides more additional help and guidance for businesses to take action and stay afloat. This includes how a business can leverage its online presence, remain in close contact with customers to keep them up-to-date, and overall strategy for providing exceptional customer service.

Who is Eligible for a Google Ad Credit?

According to Google, small and mid-sized businesses across the globe, who have spent within a Google Ads account from ten out of twelve months of 2019 and in January and/or February of this year are able to receive credits. 

These credits will be applied to accounts as spend to be used, and will not apply on past invoices or current budgets, but will work as a boost to help lift small businesses. These will be able to be used for all campaign types such as Search, Display, and Youtube.

Credit notifications will appear directly on the accounts, so there is no need to apply. These credits will be valid until December 31st, 2020. 

Google also has small business marketing assistance available to all through its tools and resources page, and specifically towards COVID-19 related issues that many are needing assistance working through. Tips for updating your website, how to keep customers informed, and how to adjust advertising strategy are outlined here. 

Big and Small, Banding Together

As a nation, a world, and a marketplace, companies, and individuals are working to help in the best way they can during this crisis. It’s amazing to see how many other corporations and big names are banding together.

In the light of everything going on, we must aim to still see the good that is happening. Music artists are gifting free live stream concerts from their homes, school districts that have closed their doors are working to keep providing meals to students, and even animal shelters are emptying as many of us seek a companion in our quarantine. 

We’re all in this together, and there is help that can be accessed to small businesses thanks to Google and Facebook. For small businesses, it usually starts with a vision. In hard times, the vision gets more clouded. The economy may be taking a historic hit, but in the rebound, we will see such a bounce-back, unlike anything we have ever witnessed. All we have to do is keep our faith, hope, do the best that we can with what’s given to us, but most of all stay safe.

Photo by Ian Schneider on Unsplash.