I have put together this guide with some tips and many examples of keywords that can be useful for non-profit organizations of all kinds (associations, foundations, schools, churches, etc.).
It’s focused on Google Ads campaigns for nonprofits (Google Ad Grants, which is my specialty), but they can also be used for SEO (“search engine optimization”).
The goal of this document is to give you ideas so that you can create a very complete list of keywords and you can discover many interesting opportunities to promote your nonprofit on Google.
Most nonprofits focus on fairly obvious keywords that have low volume of searches or high competition. This mistake limits the results of their campaigns.
If you don’t have a well-researched list of keywords, you will not be able to take full advantage of Google Ad Grants, no matter how much you optimize everything else (campaign settings, ads, landing pages…).
The keyword list can be used not only for Google Ads, but also for your SEO and content marketing strategy. If you create good content on these topics/keywords, you can:
- provide useful information to society (you can solve questions and problems that many people are searching for)
- increase the organic visibility in Google of your website (better SEO rankings, more visitors for free…)
- reach more people on social networks (content virality).
If you want help with your keyword research or want to improve the results of your Google Ad Grants account, check my services.
You can find below a list of keyword ideas, divided by categories:
DONATIONS
Brand searches
- Organization name
- Variants of the organization name, including misspellings
- Specific initiatives of the organization (e.g., X store, X charity race…)
- Searches related to the organization (e.g., X opinions, is X legit…)
- Names of staff and partners of the organization (perhaps also famous collaborators)
Nonprofit searches
nonprofit searches of a certain topic or area
nonprofit + location
- nonprofit UK
- nonprofit texas
nonprofit + scope
- local nonprofit
- nearby nonprofit
- national nonprofit
- international nonprofit
- global nonprofit
nonprofit + cause
- environmental nonprofit
- nonprofit poverty
- nonprofits dogs
- christian nonprofit
nonprofit + cause + area
- environmental nonprofit texas
different kinds of nonprofit organizations (without the word nonprofit)
- charity texas
- charitable organization texas
- non-governmental organization texas
- NGO texas
- alzheimer association
- civil rights organization
- ecologist web
- food bank
- animal shelter
- adoption center
- evangelic church
searches to decide which nonprofit to help
- what nonprofit to help
- what is the best nonprofit to donate
- nonprofits reviews
- best nonprofits
- recommended nonprofits
- most efficient nonprofits
- nonprofit listings
- top nonprofits
- nonprofits directory
- search nonprofit
- choose nonprofit
names of websites for nonprofits or even names of other “competing” nonprofits
- charity watch
- guidestar
Be careful if you use these kinds of words. Aside from ethical dilemmas, the CTR can be very low because your ad doesn’t show the users what they were looking for (the other website, not yours). And that low CTR can affect your whole account.
Donation-related searches
donate + location
- donation venezuela
- donate africa
donate + object to donate
- donate money
- donate car
- donate hair
- donate clothes
- donate glasses
- donate furniture
donate + cause
- donate fires australia
- donate syrian crisis
donation type
- donate online
- donate check
- donate with paypal
- donate bitcoins
- monthly donation
- recurring donation
- planned donations
- donation in honor of
- micro donations
Variants of all of the above can also be included (in addition to donating X , adding the same with donation X, donor X, etc.). Although it is not essential if broad agreement is used.
gifts / giving
- planned giving
- sympathy gifts
- retirement gifts
- corporate gifts
- memorial gifts
- charitable gift
- bereavement gifts
- tribute gift
- end of year gifts
- EOY gifts
Searches that may be related to donations
tax treatment of donations
- tax relief donations
- tax deduction nonprofits
- deductible donations
religious terms related to donations
- tithe
- zakat
- zakat calculator
fundraising initiatives
- fundraising for haiti
- funds for haiti
- raise for haiti
- charity auction
wills
- charity will
- charity legacy
- types of wills
- will or legacy
- inheritance tax
Users who want to help
help + cause
- help syrian emergency
- humanitarian aid venezuela
support + cause
- support nonprofit
- support syria
save + subject
- save the planet
- how to save bees
fight or stop or prevent + subject
- fight climate change
- stop whaling
- prevent extinction rhinos
adopt + subject
- adoption children africa
- adopt dog
- puppies for adoption
- adopt pet for free
- dog adoption center
sponsor + subject
- sponsor child
- sponsor elephant
rescue + subject
- bird rescue
- rescued dogs
what to do + subject
- what can i do about climate change
Event searches that can generate donations
charity days
- giving tuesday 2020
day + theme
- children’s cancer day
- earth day
- mother’s day
- world water day
week + topic
- science week
charity events + theme or location
- solidarity events texas
- concert help haiti
social samples
- cancer ribbon
Searches for paid products or services that can be redirected to nonprofit causes
- buy dog or dog breeders (to promote adoption)
- best investment money (to promote donations or gifts)
- purchase X product (to promote products sold by the nonprofit to raise funds)
- learn french (to promote volunteering in French-speaking countries)
VOLUNTEERING
Specific searches for volunteering
generic searches
- volunteering
- how to volunteer
- I want to be a volunteer
- volunteer program
- volunteer work
- sign up as a volunteer
all of the above + cause
- environmental volunteering
- food bank volunteer
all of the above + type
- online volunteering
- technological volunteering
- logistics volunteer
- volunteer build houses
all of the above + location
- texas volunteer
- volunteer near me
- volunteering abroad
- volunteering in africa
- countries for volunteering
Volunteer related searches
- community service
- volunteer ideas
- volunteer forum
- websites for volunteers
Job or training searches that may attract volunteers
training + topic
- gender violence training
- master social inclusion and disability
work + topic
- social work
- nonprofit jobs
work + cause
- farm work africa
- wild animals job
SALES
Charity product searches
charity products
- gifts that give back
- charity gifts
- solidarity gifts
- charity shop
- charity products
nonprofit products
- nonprofit gifts
- nonprofit products
- nonprofit store
ethical commerce
- fair trade
- ethical products
gifts + cause
- eco gifts
products + cause
- feminist shirts
store + cause
- africa craft store
Products for events
- charity weddings
- charity wedding gifts
- charity birthday
- solidarity christmas
- all of the above with alternatives to the word “solidarity” (e.g., nonprofits, causes …)
Gift searches
generic searches
- buy gifts
- buy presents
- online gift shop
gifts for + recipient
- boyfriend gift
- brother gift
- baby gift
- gift for a woman
gifts for events
- wedding gift
- wedding guest gifts
- marriage gifts
- wedding gift cards
- what to give at a wedding
- christening gifts
Product searches
clothing + cause
- polar bear shirts
- free tibet cap
Products related to the cause
- puppy collars
- emergency kit
- ecological products ( reusable bottles, bottles without bpa, metal straws …)
SERVICES
Searches for charity events
charity race
- charity race Madrid
- 10k charity
- cancer half marathon
charity concert
- charity concert Barcelona
- concert climate change
Searches for “normal” events
They are interesting keywords if you are going to organize a specific fundraising event or if your organization offers frequently any kind of events (exhibitions, classes, sports…).
what to do + place
- what to do in texas
- what to do near texas
what to do + moment
- what to do today
- what to do this weekend
- what to do may
time + place
- christmas texas
- may texas
activities + place
- free activities texas
events + place
- events texas
- top 10 texas
activities or places for + recipient
- places for children
- fun activities for kids
- activities for rainy days
name of specific activities
- retreats texas
- workshop for entrepreneurs
- marathon texas
name of the place where your event will be held or where similar events are held
- madison square garden
- central park ny
name of leisure websites
- ticketmaster texas
- texas time out
Searches for charity-related services
food banks
- food banks nearby
- free food texas
pets
- low-cost vet
- dog vaccines
kids
- extracurricular activities
- soccer team
- language classes
- summer camps
scholarships and financial aid
- scholarships for university
- scholarships texas
- grants for single women
- aid for single women
Searches for remote services
therapy
- online therapy
- free therapy
- free online psychologist
- depression questions
- speak with someone
advice
- crisis hotline
- entrepreneurship advice
- immigrant advisor
- abuse care line
registry
- register to vote
- X aid registration
INFORMATION
Searches for online resources and tools
greeting cards
- greeting cards
- birthday cards
- birthday postcards
- christmas cards
- christmas free christmas
- christmas greetings
- free e-cards
books
- free children’s books
- ebooks for children
- children stories
- online books ecology
quizs
- test what animal you are
- quiz kids
- ecology questionnaire
resources for teachers and students
- scientific experiments for children
- science fair projects
- school games ideas
- children programming
- games spell
- algebra problems
- math games
- 5th math exercises
- math notebooks
- examples math classes
- mathematical questions
- math webs
- teach math
- learn math
- teach tolerance
- explain adolescent gender violence
religious resources
- family prayers
- prayers for children
- pray for my son
- bible about families
- jewish calendar
- catholic holidays
- study quran
leisure and hobby resources
- race pace calculator
- marathon training
- games for kids
- recipes for kids
- draw whale
- paint jellyfish
- photography contest
- quiz dogs
- justice poems
- feminist songs lyrics
- driving test test
- driving test questions
- driving manual
- learn language signs
- language classes signs
- app language signs
- what to do bored
- things to do
resources for problems
- dementia test
- personality test
- children depression quiz
- hurricane tracking map
- measure footprint impact
- alcohol units calculator
professional or financial resources
- retirement calculator
- unemployment calculator
- SWOT analysis
- mortgage calculation
- consumer loan interest
Searches related to personal problems
diseases and their treatments
- cancer symptoms
- cancer signs
- cancer phases
- types of cancer
- cancer data
- cancer statistics
- causes cancer
- cancer effects
- cancer prevention
- cancer treatments
- cancer psychologist
- cancer solutions
- cancer food
- cancer diet
- cancer surgery
- cancer Cure
- overcome cancer
- cure cancer
- cancer in children
- liver cancer
possible addictions
- alcohol less calories
- alcohol vodka
- i think i’m an alcoholic
- alcohol anxiety
- alcohol abuse
healthy exercises and techniques
- relaxation techniques
- mindfulness exercises
- relax music
- yoga kids
food
- vegan diet
- vegetarian recipes
- gluten free food
Searches related to personal interests
hobbies
- classical music
- violin lessons
- recycled furniture
- plastic bottles crafts
- nearby forests
- star map
places related to hobbies
- national parks
- natural reserves
animals
- baby chimp
- polar bear
- labrador puppy
- sea lion vs seal
- kinds of birds
- bald eagle pictures
- elephant data
- elephant statistics
- iberian lynx trivia
Search for social problems or solutions
name of the problem
- greenhouse effect
- war crimes
- endangered animals
- psychological abuse
- racism and xenophobia
problem + country or area
- alcoholism spain
- california fires
- african elephant hunter
- child malnutrition
- climate change poor countries
- most polluted countries
problem + type
- environmental problems
- drought risks
causes + problem
- causes of climate change
- sources of contamination
signs of trouble
- poor air quality
consequences + problem
- poverty consequences
- global warming effects
problem lists
- poor countries ranking
- top sources pollution
examples + problem
- examples domestic violence
- photos pollution rivers
- deforestation evidence
- evidence climate change
- extinction animal list
books, movies or documentaries that deal with the problem
- the uninhabitable earth
- an inconvenient truth
tips + problem
- planet pollution tips
- ideas against poverty
- pandemic prevention
- security tornadoes
petition + problem
- petition against library closure
- nuclear power signatures
solution + problem
- solutions climate change
- climate change measures
names of solutions
- sustainable agriculture
- renewable energy
- reduce reuse recycle
- UN sustainable development goals
- carbon tax
- water wells africa
- social conscience
- human values
- educational innovation
- environmental label
- alcohol-free beer
- GMO-free foods
- plant-based diet
- education against machismo
- pet vaccines
advantages + solution
- advantages and disadvantages of hydraulic energy
- differences electric car and combustion
- gasoline engine vs. electric motor
Doubt searches
what + topic
- what is anxiety
- what happens in venezuela
- what causes cancer
- what is movement me too
- what does lgbtq stand for
- what does lgbtq mean
- what does the q mean in lgbtq
what to do + topic
- what to do in an earthquake
- what to do when you are depressed
why + topic
- why is palm oil bad
- why abortion should be legal
who + topic
- who are the kurds
- who was gandhi
which + topic
- what is the poorest country
- what are human rights
where + topic
- where is the hurricane now
- where is more poverty
when + topic
- when to neuter a dog
- when did climate change start
how much + topic
- how much plastic is in the ocean
- how many beers can you drive with
how + topic
- how to recycle drums
- how to live without plastic
- how to care for the environment
- how to avoid climate change
- how to fix a relationship
- how to educate a puppy
- how to get housing aid
- how to quit smoking
- how climate change affects us
- how the coronavirus started
for what + topic
- what is yoga for
is/are + topic
- is climate change a myth
- is climate change real
- is parkinson is hereditary
- is there life after death
- is liver cancer is curable
- are polar bears in danger
In many cases it may be interesting to shorten the question.
For example, instead of putting the keyword “is climate change a myth” simply put “climate change myth” with broad match. This way we cover more similar questions without having to think about all the possible variants (“may climate change be a myth”, “why they say that climate change is a myth”, etc.).
In other cases it may be better to put the whole question and even use exact match, if we do not want to appear in searches that use similar words but have different intentions. For example, if we put the keyword “polar bears endangered” (broad match) instead of “polar bears are in endangered” (exact match), our ads could appear in searches with very different meanings such as “polar bear attack danger in Alaska” or even “dangerous polar bears”.
It’s also interesting to think of alternatives that you can use to search for the same topic, but without using the question format. For example, instead of “what is depression” you can search for “definition depression”, “meaning depression”, “define depression”…
News and data searches
news + topic
- venezuela news
- fracking news
- positive news
- syrian crisis news
articles + topic
- climate change articles
- climate change information
- climate change studies
- climate change report
latest info + topic
- live hurricane dorian
- active volcanos
- current epidemics
what is happening + topic
- what happens in syria
- what is happening in venezuela
data + topic
- climate change data
- climate change statistics
- climate change facts
- climate change information
stories + topic
- inspiring stories
- motivational stories
- happy stories
opinions
- abortion opinions
- abortion debate
- abortion controversy
- capital punishment pros cons
names of people or organizations in the news
- donald trump fracking
- bayer and monsanto
- health minister spain
- andrew wheeler epa
event name + year maybe
- 2020 puerto rico earthquake
- pacific plastics island
- ipcc report
- deepwater horizon spill
- climate change conference
Searches related to voting / elections
Voting is a powerful tool to change the reality of a country or area. For example, you could create a campaign to inform which candidate has more favorable proposals to the cause of your organization.
It’s advisable to check the applicable laws carefully, in some countries there are limitations to campaigns related to elections or even political issues in general.
elections
- 2020 presidential elections
- elections polls
- election predictions
- election results
- when are elections
- gay marriage referendum
candidates
- 2020 candidates
- democrats 2020
- who primaries 2020
vote
- where to vote
- voting places elections
- who to vote 2020
- absentee ballot
current representatives (in places with representatives by zones)
- who is my senator
- who represents me senate
- ohio representative
registration to vote (in countries where it is necessary, like US)
- vote registration
- register to vote
- am i registered to vote
- change address vote
Searches of laws related to the organization’s mission
names of laws and agreements
- spanish constitution
- geneva convention
- bill of rights
- kyoto agreement
rights
- human rights
- fundamental rights
- constitutional rights
- childrens rights
- right free speech
contents of the laws
- aid requirements disabilities act
- what is the 2nd amendment
trials and court decisions
- roe vs wade
- gender violence sentences
- oil spill trial
Searches related to history or famous people
Obviously it only makes sense to advertise for these searches if they are related to the cause in some way.
history + topic
- history of feminism
- books history africa
movement + topic
- feminist movement
- environmental movement
- african american culture
quotes+ topic or person
- famous feminist quotes
- gandhi quotes
- phrases family values
- famous quotes environment
- love quotes
names of famous people (or groups of people)
- martin luther king
- jane goodall
- mother teresa
- american suffragettes
- powerful women world
- amazon tribes
names of people + cause or topic
- luther king equality
- ozzy osbourne parkinson
If you want help to find the best keywords for your organization and get better results with Google Ads, check out my Google Ad Grants services.