Libraries are increasingly developing their online community outreach. The best way to reach your whole community is by advertising on Google – using a grant from Google to pay for it. If you don't already know about Google Ad Grants, let us introduce you.

Google for Nonprofits offers several programs to qualified nonprofits. One of these, Google Ad Grants, offers up to $10,000 per month in advertising credit. You apply once, and it continues indefinitely. These ads can reliably bring in 4,000 or more visitors per month to your website, many of whom are new. Most nonprofits with 501(c)3 status are eligible; libraries usually obtain access through their Friends group or Foundation.

Clicks on ads bring people to your website. These are people who were probably not looking for your library – but they were looking for something. Advertising on Google means you can reach people at their point of need. For many libraries, these visitors represent 15%, 20%, often more, of total website traffic, which is significant.

It is also equitable. If you use email for outreach, for example, you communicate with your existing patrons; social media posts also go to a self-identified group. But advertising on Google reaches everybody, it is the best way to reach the most diverse audience.

Koios can help you get the grant, manage your Google Ads account for you and optimize its effectiveness. This includes exposing your catalog to online searches, a resource that is otherwise invisible to Google. But, whether we are involved or not, we would like libraries everywhere to take advantage of this valuable resource.