Google India Offers Free Advertising Coupons to Attract Small Advertisers
Google India is giving away free AdWords coupons to businesses who own a website but have never used the Google platform before to advertise their website on the Internet.
Google will provide website owners with advertising coupons worth a certain value for free that they may use to advertise their site on Google search results pages and on external sites that run Google AdSense ads (like Digital Inspiration).
Get Free AdWords Coupons Worth $50
If you are a small or media business owner based in India who also has a website, here’s how you can request Google for free AdWords coupons:
1. Call Google India at this number – 1860 266 6622. (see update below)
2. Register your website with the Google AdWords India platform by providing details about your business and your contact information.
3. The Google India representative will now set up your AdWords account.
Google will also credit INR 2,500.00 worth of advertising coupons to your AdWords account that you may later use for advertising your business on Google pages as well as other non-Google sites on the web.
In addition to free coupons, you’ll also get customer support for one month to help you manage you online advertising campaigns.
This move will probably help Google attract advertisers in India who have small budgets but have never experimented with online advertising before. They can now try the AdWords system without spending a penny and, if the outcome is positive, they’ll continue to do so even after they’ve redeemed all the free coupons.
Update A: I just called up this number and the gentleman at the other end suggested that I send Google India office in Mumbai a check for at least Rs 10,000.00 so that they can setup my AdWords account.
When I asked him for free coupons (as mentioned in Google’s press release), he said that the coupons will added to my account the next month only after they receive the initial amount from me.
Now that’s definitely not in line with the information that I received from Google’s PR company. The original email said – "All small businesses with an online presence will be able to avail Rs 2500/- worth of advertising coupons by just calling the number 1860266 6622 and registering their websites with Google India Ad Words platform"
Update B: Google has confirmed that "there was some communication error by the agent". You don’t have to send them a check in advance but the offer does require you to deposit an activation fee to avail the free AdWords coupon from Google India.
Here are the full terms and conditions according to an email from Google’s PR.
Advertisers with self-managed signup accounts are subject to a Rs. 250 account activation fee. Prepay customers must deposit Rs. 500 into their account for activation. Offer expires on 30th Nov, 2009.
Promotional credit must be applied to a new AdWords account within 14 days of creating the AdWords account and is valid only for new Google AdWords customers with self-managed signup accounts. Advertisers will be charged for advertising that exceeds the promotional credit.Advertisers will need to suspend their ads if they do not wish to receive additional charges beyond the free credit amount. Subject to ad approval, valid registration and acceptance of the Google AdWords Program standard terms and conditions. The promotional credit is non-transferable and may not be sold or bartered. Offer may be revoked at any time for any reason by Google Inc. One promotional credit per customer. Offer void where prohibited by law.
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