Google Marketing Live 2025: What you need to know as a charity or non-profit

Google recently held its 12th Google Marketing Live event. This is where Google shares all the newest tools and updates for advertisers. The big message this year was: Google’s AI is here to help you work faster, reach more people, and get better results.

If you’re a charity or nonprofit, there’s a lot to be excited about. From easier ways to create ads to better tools for tracking results, Google is making it easier for you to raise awareness, grow support, and get donations online. Here’s what you need to know.

Smarter search ads with AI Max

One of the biggest updates was AI Max for Search. This new tool helps you reach more people by going beyond your keyword list. Instead of only showing your ads when someone types a certain word, Google’s AI can now understand what people are really looking for, even if they don’t use the exact words you picked.

Google better understands intent to help you reach more donors. For example, if someone is searching “help children in Africa” Google will connect the user to relevant charities. Google says organisations using AI Max have already seen a 27% increase in conversions, like donations or sign-ups.

Even though AI does more of the work, you’re still in control. You can turn features on or off, block certain searches, and see reports on which search terms are working. For charities with small teams, this saves time and helps you get better results without writing lots of new ad copy.

Another useful feature is final URL expansion. If someone clicks your ad, they’ll go to the most relevant page on your website, like a donation page or campaign story, based on where they are in their journey.

Easy video ads with AI on YouTube

Google also made video ads a lot easier to create. Using new AI tools called Veo, you can now make short videos from your existing website, photos, or landing pages. You don’t need a big video team or budget anymore.

These videos can be used across YouTube, Search, and even Shopping ads. You can also reformat videos for different screen sizes, like YouTube Shorts or Connected TVs. That means you can reach people at home or on their phones, wherever they’re watching.

Google also launched shoppable YouTube ads on TVs. These ads show a QR code that viewers can scan to take action, like “Sponsor a child”, “Give a mosquito net” or “Donate a Bible.” This is a powerful way to drive responses, due to the lack of friction for the user.

Additionally, there’s a new tool called the Creator Partnerships Hub. It helps you find YouTubers who care about your cause and want to help promote it. You can even run ads using their videos and compare how well each creator performs.

Your supporter data is more valuable than ever

Google made it clear this year: Your data is your biggest strength. You know who donates, signs up for events, or reads your emails. This is called first-party data, and it can help Google show your ads to the right people.

To help with this, Google launched Data Manager. It’s a tool that helps you safely upload and organise supporter data, like email lists or donation history. It also makes sure this data stays private and is used in a secure way.

When you connect your data to Google Ads, you help Google’s AI learn faster. This means your ads can be more relevant, cost less per click, and drive more value for your charity.

New tools to prove what’s working

One challenge for charities is proving that digital ads really make a difference. Google announced new tools to help with this.

The first is incrementality testing. This lets you see if your ads caused people to take action, like making a donation or if they would have done it anyway. You can run these tests right inside Google Ads.

Next, Google introduced a branded search lift metric. This shows if more people searched for your charity’s name after seeing your ad. Even if someone doesn’t click, your ad may still increase awareness and now you can measure that.

Lastly, Performance Max campaigns (which show ads across Search, YouTube, Display and more) now come with better reporting tools. You can see which channels are working best, what people are searching for, and block search terms that don’t fit your goals. This gives you more control over your ads and budget.

What this means for your charity

These updates make running ads easier, faster, and more powerful even if you have a small team or tight budget. You can now:

• Reach more people with AI-powered search ads
• Create videos quickly using Google’s AI tools
• Work with YouTubers to spread your message further
• Use your supporter data to show smarter ads
• Track your results and prove what’s working
• Whether you’re trying to get more donations, drive event sign-ups, or build awareness for your mission, these new tools can help you do it more effectively.

Ready to get started?

Google is building more ways to help charities succeed online. If you’re not already using tools like AI Max, Performance Max, or YouTube Ads, now is the time to explore them. And if you’re already running campaigns, consider using first-party data and the new measurement tools to improve performance.

Need help? We’d love to have a chat and see how we can support you with these new changes, plus your overall paid media activity.