Apr 14, 2023
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The simple answer is that you can only create Search ads in an Ad Grant account and cannot use P-Max.
Last edited Nov 15, 2023
Original Poster Chelsea Cannon marked this as an answer
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Apr 14, 2023
The simple answer is that you can only create Search ads in an Ad Grant account and cannot use P-Max.
Last edited Nov 15, 2023
Original Poster Chelsea Cannon marked this as an answer
Yes, there are outdated support pages for Ad Grants. Videos in particular are likely to be outdated. However, the basics haven't changed, and what's different now is likely to be the way the screen looks, the layout of menus, and a few changes in terminology.
"It doesn't cover that all the options you see on your screen are not available to you."
Fairly certain it says to only create Search ads. That means don't select other options (like P-Max).
"which feels like I am currently on an island by myself trying to figure out how to make this actually work"
You can use this forum. Your original question was about whether you can use P-Max. I quickly confirmed that you can't. Any other questions, ask them here.
Beyond that, see https://www.google.com/grants/get-help/.
May 8, 2023
Yes, the screens are completely different than the videos. It starts by asking what your campaigns objective is, which I respond sales (e.g., donations). Then it gives me the options. OK, I pick Search(now I do)...but then it goes into how you want to reach your goal...which undoes the first part which is "sales" and has limited options, one of which is not to click a campaign button but store visits or webpage. Then it moves into "Search Network" or "Display Network"? Not covered anyplace or the options associated with it. Nothing discusses audience segments nor the value of the selections. Doesn't discuss "More Setting" including Dynamic Ad's...which is what I chose originally - says working but not producing impressions? Moving past that, you get into creating the ad. That looks similar until you get to the part about Business Name & Logo. Which then forces you "Get Access" and then to "verify" your account and has no option to choose your Googles Grant Account. And brings in a paid account number that doesn't match the number on the actual account???
Then last, the Budget screen which is completely different from the video. Seems to be recommending budgets that are greater than what the maximum amount available through the grant. So what does that mean? I have no idea what to choose and it seems that if they go over the daily amount, I will be charged? Which honestly, if I were paying I would handle this a lot differently.
Now worse off...its not accepting my ad. Suggesting keywords that have nothing to do with our program and forcing me to accept them in order to move forward? Not specific to words on my site and trying to drive to a different audience than our product is currently geared for. Nothing on site that suggests forcing it in this direction. System is making these decision on their own. Same thing with callouts.
My whole thing is that I have no real understanding of what I am doing or why I am choosing because the support is lacking or nonexistent. I am limping through in desperation to get an ad active without any idea of why I am choosing the things I am choosing. I have real issues with the platform and I cannot get anyone from Google Ads to respond?
Are you following the setup instructions here?
You don't need to choose anything.
how you want to reach your goal...which undoes the first part which is "sales" and has limited options, one of which is not to click a campaign button but store visits or webpage
Just choose website.
Neither of these choices make any difference to your campaign results.
Then it moves into "Search Network" or "Display Network"?
The boxes you're not supposed to choose are grayed out these days so you can ignore this.
Doesn't discuss "More Setting" including Dynamic Ad's...which is what I chose originally
If you intend to use Dynamic Search Ads, you can enter your domain. Or not... can be added later when you actually create the DSA ad groups.
That looks similar until you get to the part about Business Name & Logo.
Generally not available to new accounts. Ignore it for now.
Which then forces you "Get Access" and then to "verify" your account and has no option to choose your Googles Grant Account.
Ignore advertiser verification for now. As and when you're required to do it, you'll be informed. You ought to be able to skip this.
And brings in a paid account number that doesn't match the number on the actual account???
Oops! You're not even logged into your Ad Grant. Stop using this account.
That's some other account, one you previously had access to, or have just created by accident. Do not use it. Do not enter credit card details. If you have created any campaigns pause them immediately or you'll get billed. Cancel this account once you have located your actual Ad Grant.
Can't find your Ad Grant account? Try clicking on the profile icon in the top right: is there an option to switch to another account? Check you're logging in using the correct email address, the one you signed up for the Ad Grant with.
Can't find it at all? Try this form to regain access: https://support.google.com/grants/answer/66163.
Then last, the Budget screen which is completely different from the video.
Choose Billing from the menu at the top. Then Summary. Does it say "This account is not billed"? If so, it's your Ad Grant account, continue to use it. Set the budget for each campaign to $329. The spend will be automatically capped, it is impossible to over-spend in an Ad Grant. See https://support.google.com/grants/answer/9841727.
Suggesting keywords that have nothing to do with our program and forcing me to accept them in order to move forward?
I don't understand that. You are at no point forced to use any particular keywords. You can ignore any suggestion that Google makes. I ignore ALL Google's keyword suggestions, don't even glance at them.
I cannot get anyone from Google Ads to respond
Sadly Google is cutting back on support, to the extent where it's almost unavailable.
May 9, 2023
Are you following instructions -
Yes, all of them+ that do not work in coordination with each other.
It starts by asking what your campaigns objective is, which I respond sales (e.g., donations).
You don't need to choose anything.
Not what is happening. You do have to pick a goal. States "Please pick a goal." It will not continue without you doing so.
And since I have to choose and I pick sales because I want the campaign to be based on conversions related to the campaign not traffic driven to site. It pulls up the conversion that I transferred from Google Analytics 4 but showing that it is an error even though this is part of their 'recommended setups' from the instructions you identify above.
Moving to next...
how you want to reach your goal...which undoes the first part which is "sales" and has limited options, one of which is not to click a campaign button but store visits or webpage
Just choose website.
Neither of these choices make any difference to your campaign results.
Interesting to know but that is what I have chosen on all campaigns I have been testing in this format.
Then it moves into "Search Network" or "Display Network"?
The boxes you're not supposed to choose are grayed out these days so you can ignore this.
Doesn't discuss "More Setting" including Dynamic Ad's...which is what I chose originally
If you intend to use Dynamic Search Ads, you can enter your domain. Or not... can be added later when you actually create the DSA ad groups.
Original campaign was set up using Dynamic Search Ads. Shows that its enabled but hasn't turned one impression even though the Google Ads is showing that it should create impressions in 1-2 days...hasn't produced 1 impression in over a week.
But I have been setting up multiple test campaigns (one in which I am following all your instructions here for the purpose of it to either work or deal with the issues I am experiencing)
That looks similar until you get to the part about Business Name & Logo.
Generally not available to new accounts. Ignore it for now.
OK. Plus, I've already been verified through the Grants Program?
Which then forces you "Get Access" and then to "verify" your account and has no option to choose your Googles Grant Account.
Ignore advertiser verification for now. As and when you're required to do it, you'll be informed. You ought to be able to skip this.
I'm ignoring.
And brings in a paid account number that doesn't match the number on the actual account???
Oops! You're not even logged into your Ad Grant. Stop using this account.
That's some other account, one you previously had access to, or have just created by accident. Do not use it. Do not enter credit card details. If you have created any campaigns pause them immediately or you'll get billed. Cancel this account once you have located your actual Ad Grant.
Can't find your Ad Grant account? Try clicking on the profile icon in the top right: is there an option to switch to another account? Check you're logging in using the correct email address, the one you signed up for the Ad Grant with.
Can't find it at all? Try this form to regain access: https://support.google.com/grants/answer/66163.
No actually, I am not signed into the wrong account. I only have one account. Which is the reason I was putting this information up. It feels like there is corruption in this account but cannot seem to get Google support to look into these very real issues.
I did not do anything with this (as you say above) because I realized that something was off so I just skipped the entire section with adding your logo and company name.
Then last, the Budget screen which is completely different from the video.
Choose Billing from the menu at the top. Then Summary. Does it say "This account is not billed"? If so, it's your Ad Grant account, continue to use it. Set the budget for each campaign to $329. The spend will be automatically capped, it is impossible to over-spend in an Ad Grant. See https://support.google.com/grants/answer/9841727.
OK. Thanks for Clarifying. This is what reads under the section you reference "We don’t bill you
So there’s nothing to see here. Happy advertising!"
Suggesting keywords that have nothing to do with our program and forcing me to accept them in order to move forward?
I don't understand that. You are at no point forced to use any particular keywords. You can ignore any suggestion that Google makes. I ignore ALL Google's keyword suggestions, don't even glance at them.
Well actually, that is the way it appears. I have set up my headlines and keywords based specifically on the pages in my website. But when I get to the end of the process it keeps telling me that there are errors and that my ad won't appear if I do not fix them - which all relates to using their specific recommendations and headlines. And in both cases, even if I switch out all of my chosen headlines and keywords and use theirs I still can't get to 100% optimization and they are telling me that my ad won't run if I don't fix the 'errors"? Which the errors are showing as keywords and headlines. It's reading that my ad strength is poor, even if every word I am using can be tied back to our website or to their suggestions. And if I use their keyword and headline recommendations it is negative to what we are doing and not the words that we want to focus on. Just because a search is popular it does not mean that it is "positive" or that we want that to be the first association. Example "white supremacy" might have a high search ranking but doesn't mean that we want our product to show up in that search (our products have nothing to do with that but I wanted to use it as a strong example of high search scores but negative consequence if that is not what our product is about) whether people are searching it to find commonality or if they are searching it because they are against the idea.
I cannot get anyone from Google Ads to respond
Sadly Google is cutting back on support, to the extent where it's almost unavailable.
So they do not want their Google Ad Grants campaign to be successful for smaller/start up nonprofits? It would appear that they are only interested in looking good by using large nonprofit case studies - those who can afford the advertising and someone to do it for them. I am starting to understand that and that is hurtful and disappointing. Especially when in their own Myths Debunked they try to say that this is just as good for smaller companies but that appear to be only for the benefit of encouraging people to apply so that they can make whatever quota's they may have to continue to have a job.
DSA ads take a while to get momentum, give it time.
May 10, 2023
My initial information is that this will enable placement of ads across the entire Google network, not just search ads, so P-Max will work in grants accounts just as it does in paid accounts.