Google Business Profile Gift Card & Donation Campaigns

By sitesmart | July 14, 2020 |

Did you hear that Google is offering financial support options for small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic? The two new options include gift card sales and fundraisers via donation. Let’s break it down to see who qualifies and how to get started.

Who Qualifies For These Support Campaigns?

Any business with a verified Google Business Profile (GMB) listing and a physical storefront is eligible to take advantage of these new features. Google is rolling out these new options in phases, so be patient if you don’t have them yet.

Businesses with a GMB listing which was verified no later than March 1st, 2020.
Businesses in the United States, Canada, and many other countries.
Businesses must have a physical storefront to qualify.

The GMB Gift Card Campaign

The new gift card sale option helps businesses generate income immediately to help with what is (hopefully) a temporary downturn in revenue. If you need a financial boost and want to encourage future business, we recommend enabling this feature.

We talked about it back in March when the shutdowns started to take effect. Gift cards are a smart option, and Google is making it easy to manage from your website or a supported provider.

Collect Donations With Google Business Profile

Not every business can easily offer gift cards, so Google has also provided donation campaigns. This might be a better option for some companies, although you can use both options freely if you qualify. The best thing about a donation campaign is that it’s no-strings-attached support. It’s perfect for customers who love your business and want to help you make it through the pandemic.

How To Get Started

If your business is qualified for these campaigns, you will need to complete a few steps to get everything set up.

Step 1: Create a gift card or donation link option with one of Google’s supported providers. You can set up the accounts and direct customers to a page on your website, or directly to the provider. Many businesses will already have an account with at least one of these providers. If you need assistance, support is available from Site Smart for a small integration fee. We can help you create the necessary accounts and facilitate any integrations.

Gift Card Supported Providers:

Donation Supported Providers:

Step 2: After creating an account with these providers and getting the links you need, log into your Google Business Profile account. You should see "Get support" from the homepage, but if not, look in the menu for "COVID-19 support" and click on it.

Step 3: Create a message to share with customers, add at least one link, and hit “Post.” Your message will be published with your donation and / or gift card links and visible to all customers who visit your GMB listing. You can also create posts to share on your social media channels using the same links to reach more people.

Get The Support You Need

If you are feeling overwhelmed, you’re not alone. We are here to help! Not only can we assist with setting up these options in Google Business Profile, but we have several other smart marketing ideas to try during the pandemic. Things are serious, but we want to help you keep your business not just surviving, but thriving.

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