ROI Exercise Explained
How we calculate ROI in a Google Ad Grant
At Getting Attention, we focus on helping nonprofits maximize the impact of their digital advertising. As part of our strategy, we value various outcomes within nonprofit ad campaigns to ensure that every effort translates to measurable success. Below, we’ve compiled our estimates for key ad account outcomes, backed by data from industry-leading sources.
The sum of these outcomes, minus your investment in Ad Grant management, represents your return on investment.
1. Clicks: $1.10
Clicks are an essential metric for driving traffic to nonprofit websites, and we estimate each click to be worth $1.10 on average.
How we got this number: According to Nonprofit Tech for Good, a major publication covering nonprofit technology and digital strategy, the average conversion rate for nonprofit websites is 1%. This means that around 1% of nonprofit website visitors will take a meaningful action such as donating.
M+R Benchmarks found the average donation value for desktop users to be $137 and $83 for mobile users. In order to be conservative, we used the middle of that range ($110).
With around 1% of visitors donating and an average donation size of $110, we can value a click at $1.10. This figure helps nonprofits understand the direct value of website traffic and its potential for conversion.
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2. Email Signups: $7.86
Email signups are crucial for building a nonprofit’s digital community, and we estimate each new email signup to be worth $7.86.
How we got this number: According to Care2, experts in nonprofit email fundraising, the average year one value of an email address is $7.86. This means every new email signup has ongoing potential to engage supporters and boost future donations. Since email is a primary channel for giving, particularly with older donors and male donors, growing your email list and keeping it fresh should be a focus of a comprehensive nonprofit marketing plan.
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3. Volunteer Form Completions: $1,590.00
Volunteer engagement is another critical outcome, and we value each volunteer form completion at $1,590.00.
How we got this number: Double the Donation, a leader in nonprofit fundraising, estimates the value of a volunteer hour at $31.80. On average, a volunteer donates 50 hours per year, according to VolunteerHub, a leading nonprofit volunteer management solution. This results in a total annual value of $1,590.00 per volunteer.
Volunteering not only strengthens your nonprofit’s community, but also deepens connections with those who may later become donors. In fact, the Chronicle of Philanthropy reports that 79% of volunteers donate to organizations they volunteer with, meaning the true value of volunteer forms is likely even higher; however, in order to keep this estimate conservative, we have not added donations into our calculation of volunteer value.
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4. Donate Button Clicks (One-Time): $165.00
Donate button clicks are one of the most direct indicators of donations attempted. We value donation clicks to a one-time gift form to be worth $165.00.
How we got this number: According to M+R’s 2024 Benchmarks Study, the average one-time donor contributes $165.00 over the first year. This figure helps nonprofits assess the value of their donation buttons and optimize campaigns to encourage more conversions.
Google Ads does not always reliably send individual donation information back from various donation platforms, so this figure gives us an average to start from.
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5. Donate Button Clicks (Monthly): $300.00
For monthly donation opportunities, a donation click is valued at $300.00 annually.
How we got this number: Double the Donation found that the average monthly gift is $25. Over a year, that translates to $300.00 in total value per monthly donor. Monthly donors offer reliable, recurring revenue, and understanding the value of these clicks helps nonprofits design campaigns that focus on long-term donor retention.
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6. Social Media: $5.04
Social media engagement is a powerful tool for nonprofits, and we value clicks to a client’s social media profile from Ads at $5.04.
How we got this number: According to Nonprofits Source, 55% of people who engage with nonprofits on social media go on to take some form of action, and 59% of those will make a donation.
GoodUnited, experts in social media fundraising for nonprofits, reports that the average donation made through social media was $11.50 for Instagram and $20 for Facebook.
To be conservative with our estimates, we assumed the middle of the range for donations ($15.75) and multiplied that by the percentage of people who will donate (59% of 55%, or 32%), giving us the final value of $5.04.
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Conclusion
Understanding the value of various outcomes in your ad campaigns allows you to make more informed decisions about how to allocate your nonprofit’s marketing resources. By leveraging these benchmarks and continually optimizing your digital strategies, you can maximize both short-term impact and long-term growth. At Getting Attention, we’re committed to helping nonprofits use these metrics to drive greater success through cost-effective, results-driven campaigns.
