THE GOOGLE ADS CREDIT: HOW TO GET IT (AND NOT WASTE IT).

Free money from Google. Sounds like a scam email, right? "Congratulations! You've won $600 in advertising credit!" Except this one is real. Google regularly offers new advertisers a promotional credit, and a lot of business owners either never claim it or claim it and then waste it.

Here's how the Google Ads credit actually works, how to make sure you get it, and the much more important part: how to make sure it actually turns into customers.

Section 01What the Google Ads credit actually is

It's a "spend X, get X" promotion for new advertisers. You spend a certain amount on ads within a set window, and Google adds the same amount back to your account as ad credit. Basically, your first couple of months are half price.

Typical offers. Google changes the amounts and terms from time to time, so always go by the exact offer you're shown.

The credit is ad credit, not cash. It gets used up automatically by your running campaigns. You can't withdraw it, and it won't pay your management fees. (Believe me, I've asked. Kidding. Mostly.)

Section 02How to get it, step by step

1. Find the offer. It usually shows up when you create a new Google Ads account, in a Google email, or through a Google Partner agency. Some agencies with Google Partner status can offer their own promotions to new clients.
2. Enter the promo code early. Go to Billing → Promotions and add the code. Most offers require it within a short window after your first ad runs, often around 14 days. Don't sit on it.
3. Hit the spend requirement in time. Spend the qualifying amount within the window, usually 60 days from when the code is applied or the first ad runs.
4. Wait for the credit. It's typically added a little while after you qualify, often within a few weeks. You'll see it in your billing summary.
5. Read the fine print on your specific offer. Terms vary by country and by promotion.

Section 03Who qualifies (and who doesn't)

• New advertisers only. Usually your business's first Google Ads account, with no ads previously served beyond a short grace period.
• One per business. Opening five accounts to collect five credits is a fast way to get flagged. Don't.
• Billing country matters. The offer has to match your billing country and currency.
• Not every account type qualifies. Some offers exclude certain account setups, so check the terms.

Already have an account that ran ads years ago? You probably won't qualify for the new-advertiser offer. Not the end of the world. The real value is in what you do with your budget anyway.

Section 04How people waste it

Here's the part nobody talks about. Getting the credit is easy. Not wasting it is the hard part. I've seen this story too many times:

1. Business opens a new account and launches a campaign using Google's default settings.
2. Location is set to "presence or interest," Search Partners and Display are on, keywords are broad.
3. They spend $600 on clicks from people in other cities, job seekers and DIYers.
4. Google adds the $600 credit. Then that gets spent the exact same way.
5. $1,200 of ads, a handful of junk calls, and "Google Ads doesn't work for us."

Free money spent badly is still badly spent. And worse, it teaches Google's automation the wrong lessons about who your customers are.

Section 05How to make the credit actually pay off

Treat those first 60 days like the foundation of your account, because that's exactly what they are:

• Set up conversion tracking before you spend a dollar. Calls and forms, tracked properly.
• Fix the default settings. Location to "presence," Search Partners off, Display Network off on Search campaigns.
• Start with Search campaigns and buyer-intent keywords on exact and phrase match.
• Add negative keywords on day one (jobs, DIY, free, training).
• Send clicks to a proper landing page with tap-to-call, not your homepage.
• Check the search terms report weekly and keep cleaning it up.

Do that, and the credit becomes what it should be: two months of learning what works at half the price. The full setup is in The Ultimate Guide to Google Ads, and if you're in Canada, don't forget to add your GST/HST number while you're in billing.

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