Google announces $800M committment to support small-medium businesses and aid the crisis

As has been well publiced, the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on small and medium-sized businesses has been devastating already. Fresh off the back of the Facebook grants announcement, we're pumped to see that Google has come out today with a strong commitment to help this segment of the industry, as well as other key bodies that are playing a part in tackling the crisis.

The tech and media giant has pledged $340 million in Google Ads credits to all small and medium businesses that have had active accounts over the past year. The credit notifications will appear in their Google Ads accounts and can be used at any point until the end of 2020 across all of Google's paid media channels, including Search, Shopping, Display and YouTube. Google hopes that it will help to reduce some of the cost for businesses to stay in touch with their customers and acquire new ones.

Google's other commitments 

As part of the commitment, Google will also be supporting the following sectors and organisations 

• The World Health Organization and more than 100 government agencies who provide critical information on how to prevent the spread of COVID-19. 
• A $200 million investment fund that will support NGOs and financial institutions around the world to help provide small businesses with access to capital. 
• A pool of $20 million in Google Cloud credits for academic institutions and researchers to leverage their computing capabilities and infrastructure as they study potential therapies and vaccines, track critical data, and identify new ways to combat COVID-19.
• Direct financial support and expertise to help increase the production capacity for personal protective equipment (PPE) and lifesaving medical devices. 

How to use the Google COVID-19 Ad credits

Businesses that are eligible to receive the credits will be notified over the coming months. Further details of the Google grant program and how eligible small and medium businesses can use the credits can be accessed here. 

BlueRock Digital offer to small and medium-sized businesses

In-line with receiving the Ad credits, the Facebook grant, or any other digital marketing you may be considering, we'd like to help by offering a pro bono ROI forecast for your campaign, so that you can understand how much it will cost and what revenue you are likely to return from it. We want to help businesses feel comfortable that they can generate a positive return from paid media and other digital channels.  

Please get in touch with BlueRock Digital if you’d like to take us up on the offer during this COVID-19 environment, or wish to make any other inquiry.