With an effective Google Ads strategy, the more you invest, the more leads you get. However, if you’re new to Google Ads and hesitant about shelling out cash for your ad campaigns or you simply want to stretch your dollar further, worry not. You can get free Google Ads promo codes from your hosting service, website builder, or even Google itself. We investigated the six best ways below.
If you build your website or landing page with Squarespace, you can get a $100 Google Ads coupon after spending your first $25 on your Google Ads campaign. Squarespace has dozens of site templates and everything you need to build a professional, fully-branded website. Sign up today for a 14-day free trial. |
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1. Get a Free Google Ads Promo Code From Your Website Host
It’s not uncommon for website hosts to offer a free Google Ads coupon code as part of an introductory offer. Often, these are included in your web hosting plan and can easily be redeemed via your web host’s dashboard. Two of the best ones are Bluehost and HostGator.
Spend $25 or more on your Google Ads campaign to get free $100 advertising credits on Google. | HostGator’s Hatching Plan starts at $3.75 per month and comes with a $100 Google Ads promotional code. |
2. Get a Google Ads Coupon From Your Website Builder
Another good way to get a coupon for Google Ads is by checking your website builder platform. If you used a platform like Wix or Squarespace to build your business website, chances are you’ll also have some free Google Ads coupons, depending on your chosen plan.
Businesses in the US that build an ecommerce website can get $100 Google Ads credit after spending $25 or more. | Spend $500 on ad clicks within the first 60 days of your campaign and get another $500 worth of Google Ad credits. | Create a Google Ads campaign, spend $500 within your first 60 days, and get an extra $500 in ad credits. |
3. Get a Google Ads Coupon From Your Domain Registrar
Meanwhile, if you already have a website but not a custom domain, you can get a Google Ads coupon from your domain registrar, specifically Domain.com. Domain.com is one of the top domain registrars, offering a free promo code for Google Ads. After you purchase a domain, you’ll receive a $100 Google Ad promo code after spending $25 on your first campaign.
4. Get a Google Ads Coupon From Digital Ad Platforms
If you’re looking to get Google Ads coupon codes, you’ll likely find them on an ad management platform. These are platforms specifically designed to help users like you set up, manage, and monitor digital ads on Google, Microsoft, and other platforms, all from one dashboard.
The good news is that a number of them offer free Google Ads promo codes as an onboarding offer. Here are some of the best ones we found:
Connect your Google Ads account to the platform and instantly get a $500 coupon for free. | Spend $500 on your Google Ads campaign in the first two months and get an extra $500 voucher. If you spend that amount within your first two days, you’ll receive credits on the third day. |
5. Search Coupon Sites for Google Ads Coupon & Codes
Coupon aggregate sites can be a good way to find a Google Ads promo code for free. One of the best is Couponer since its vouchers are directly from Google. With Couponer, you’ll only need to link or create your Google Ads account and spend $200 on your first campaign. Then, you’ll immediately receive a $500 Google Ads coupon.
Meanwhile, if you’re not new to Google Ads, sites like RetailMeNot and CouponFollow offer promo codes to existing users. Keep in mind, however, that coupons are subject to availability on these sites. Still, it’s worth periodically checking them to try your luck, especially if you aren’t a new customer and can’t take advantage of new customer offers.
6. Get Free Coupons Directly From Google
Last but surely not least, you can go directly from the source and get free ad credits from Google. Not only does Google offer new users free ad credits to help get you started with your brand presence, but it also offers free ad credits periodically to existing users. This includes special programs, such as free credits to nonprofits.
To get started, visit Google Ads directly to check current promo codes. You can also learn more about special programs for nonprofit organizations and small and medium-sized businesses.
Google primarily offers two ways to give free ad credits:
- New and returning user incentives: If you’re new to Google Ads or haven’t advertised in a while, Google will give you $500 in ad credit after you spend $500 as an incentive. While not technically free—as it requires an initial investment—it can be a valuable way to start advertising.
Check your Google Ads account to see if you have any available ad credits and incentives directly from Google. You can also get these codes when setting up your free Google Business Profile.
- Grants for nonprofits: Google wants to help those on a mission to help others, so it has a grant program for registered nonprofits. Learn more about Google Ad Grants to see if you qualify for up to $10,000 in ad credits and how to advertise for free on Google.
What a Google Ads Promo Code Is & How It Works
A Google Ads promo code is a generated code that can be applied to your Google Ads account for discounts or additional ad credits. A computer generates the codes, and Google or its partner companies distribute them. You can apply these codes when you set up your next Google Ad campaign.
First, check the promotion terms for the eligibility criteria for a specific Google Ads promo code. If you fit the criteria, enter the promo code into your Google Ads account. Google will automatically apply the advertising spend match, discount, or other promotion types to your account.
Once you’ve received your free Google Ads promo code from Google or another provider, you can immediately apply it to your account.
- Sign in or register for a Google Ads account: If you don’t have a Google Ads account yet, set one up. Visit the Google Ads website, follow the prompts for each step to set up an account, and ensure you input your billing and payment method correctly.
- Navigate to the “Billing” section: Once you log in, click on the tools icon in the top right corner, and then click “Billing” from the drop-down menu.
- Enter your promo code or coupon on “Promotions”: Select the “Promotions” option, and click the blue plus (+) button. Enter your promo code or coupon in the field, and click “Save.”
- Check your credit: After entering your promo code or coupon, you can find out which promo codes are already active in the Promotions section. View the status summary of your existing, completed, and expired promotions on the page.
- Start advertising: Once you’ve confirmed the free credit to your account, you can start creating your Google ad campaigns
How to Maximize Your Ad Spend and Results
If you’re just starting with Google Ads, find out how to set up your account and start advertising on Google to grow your business. Ultimately, you want to maximize your budget so that it goes further and sees a higher return on ad spend (ROAS). Below are some tips to help you do that:
- Identify and exclude negative keywords: One of the most common mistakes is wasting a ton of ad spend on keywords that don’t match buying search intent. Avoid this by reviewing the keywords included in searches when your ads were displayed and then adding any irrelevant or low-quality keywords to your negative keywords list.
- Use specific and long-tail keywords: Another way to avoid wasted ad spend is by honing in on keywords that closely match the buying intent for your products or services. These can sometimes be longer keywords (for example, “organic coffee in Nashville” rather than “organic coffee”) but are more precise and have lower competition.
- Set location parameters: Consider where your customers are based, especially if your business serves a specific geographic region. Set your campaign controls accordingly so your ads aren’t displayed in search results outside your area.
- Use quality landing pages: Getting clicks is great, but getting conversions is even better. Don’t waste money on clicks that link to pages that don’t effectively convert. Instead, learn how to create landing pages that convert to increase your return on investment (ROI).
- Optimize ads: Google Ads isn’t a precise science. To get higher ROAS, you’ll need to keep testing and improving your campaigns. Track your ad data to see what’s working and what you need to change. By fine-tuning your campaigns, you make them more efficient and decrease costs.
- Increase ROI with ad management services: If you’re not a Google Ads expert and don’t have time to learn, outsourcing is a better option. Google Ads agencies like Straight North and WebFX have affordable, proven services for small businesses.
Alternatives to Google Ads
Google Ads aren’t your only option for online advertising. While they offer the widest coverage, other alternatives may be a better fit depending on your business’s needs. For example, Microsoft’s Bing has a smaller but more precise audience, while social media can be an engagement powerhouse.
- Microsoft (Bing) Ads: As the second-largest search engine in the world, Bing is the natural successor to Google Ads. Its audience mostly skews older, with higher education levels and spending power.
- Meta (Facebook and Instagram) Ads: For brand awareness and engagement, you can’t go wrong with two of the largest social media networks. Facebook offers a diverse audience, while Instagram is most effective for highly visual (lots of images and video) campaigns.
- YouTube: As the world’s primary video-sharing platform, YouTube is the go-to platform for video ads. You can place pre-roll, in-feed, or bumper ads according to your audience’s areas of interest. They’re most effective for building brand awareness.
- Other social media platforms: Aside from Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, other social media advertising platforms to try are LinkedIn, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), or Pinterest, each with its ecosystem and benefits. It’s worth checking out these platforms to see if they’re a good fit for your business.
Ads on all these platforms, including Google, are known as PPC or “pay per click” advertising because you only pay for each click your ad gets. Learn how to leverage them in our ultimate guide to small business advertising.
5 Google Ads Statistics That Show It’s Worth Using
There’s no questioning the magnitude of Google in the digital world. It’s the largest search engine, generating over 84 billion visits every month, and it’s simply a part of most people’s day-to-day lives. So there’s no question that it’s an effective way to get your brand in front of a wide global audience.
- As of June 2024, over 91% of all online users use Google as their main search engine. Meanwhile, in (a distant) second place is Bing, used by just under 4% of online users. When it comes to reach, there’s simply no topping Google.
- The average click-through rate for Google search ads is 3.17% across industries. For perspective, the average click-through rate to aim for is anything above 1 percent. So, no matter what industry you’re in, your Google search ads have a pretty good chance of getting clicked.
- Google Ads conversion rates can reach up to 12% and above in some industries. This means people aren’t just seeing and clicking, they’re also signing up and buying.
- Google reaches 59% of all mobile users. Google’s dominance expands to mobile devices too, which is no surprise. If your target audience owns a mobile device, they’re more likely to use Google than any other search engine.
- 31.5% of online users start their ecommerce journey on Google. That means 31.5% of people who are researching to make a purchase start on Google—just second to Amazon. It also means that Google is a viable platform for bottom-of-funnel campaigns.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
You can usually get Google Ads promo codes from website hosts, website builder platforms, and domain registrars either completely free or after spending a certain amount (for instance, a $500 voucher after first spending $200). The Google Ads platform also offers a $500 voucher to first-time customers after spending their first $500. Periodically, you may find Google Ad coupons on sites like Couponer and CouponFollow.
To claim your $500 ad credit on Google Ads, sign up for a Google Ads account and spend $500 on an ad campaign within your first 14 days. After spending your first $500 on a campaign, an extra $500 will automatically be added to your account, provided you pass all eligibility standards.
To redeem a Google Ads promo code, you’ll first need to have your payment method set up on your Google Ads account. Then, from your account, navigate to your Billing section and choose “Promotions”. Click on the blue “+” button to add a new promotion, and then type in your promotion code and click Save. It’ll automatically apply to your campaign.
Bottom Line
Advertising on Google can have many benefits for your business. It’s the biggest search engine platform, and its presence is so entrenched online. Thankfully, there are many ways to get a Google Ads promo code if you want to save on costs or extend your campaigns. The sources above are all verified and are the best places to start.