Compliance and Policies in Google Ads
Running ads on Google isn’t just about writing creative copy or setting the right budget—you also need to follow Google Ads policies. These policies are in place to protect users, ensure fairness, and maintain ad quality.
In this final module, you’ll learn:
- What Google Ads policies you must follow
- The most common reasons ads get disapproved
- How to avoid account suspensions and keep your campaigns running smoothly
Google Ads Policies Overview
Google has strict advertising policies that cover what types of ads are allowed, how they should be presented, and what content is restricted or banned.
Categories of Google Ads Policies:
1.Prohibited Content
- Fake documents, weapons, tobacco, drugs, adult content, etc.
2.Prohibited Practices
- Misleading claims, clickbait, scams, phishing, cloaking, etc.
3.Restricted Content
- Alcohol, gambling, healthcare, financial services (must follow local laws)
4.Editorial and Technical
- Grammar, punctuation, excessive capitalization, URL mismatch, poor landing page quality
Important: Google constantly reviews your ads, even after approval, to ensure they stay compliant.
Common Reasons for Ad Disapproval
Getting your ad disapproved can delay your campaign. Here are the most frequent causes:
| Reason | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Misleading or exaggerated claims | Ads that promise unrealistic results like “Lose 10kg in 5 days” |
| Destination not working | Landing page URL is broken or not loading |
| Display URL mismatch | URL in the ad doesn’t match the final landing page |
| Trademarks misuse | Using brand names without permission |
| Prohibited keywords | Including restricted terms (e.g., medical drug names) |
| Poor grammar or formatting | Overuse of capital letters or punctuation (e.g., “BUY NOW!!!”) |
Account Suspension: What to Avoid
If you repeatedly violate policies, Google can suspend your entire account—blocking you from running any ads in the future.
Reasons for Account Suspension:
- Repeated policy violations
- Using fake business info or promoting scams
- Attempting to bypass ad review processes
- Billing issues (e.g., chargebacks or stolen cards)
- Circumventing systems (using multiple accounts to run banned content)
Once suspended, it’s very difficult to recover your account—so prevention is the best strategy.
How to Stay Compliant
1.Read and Review Google Ads Policy Page
Always refer to the official Google Ads Policies before launching a campaign—especially if you’re promoting sensitive content (e.g., finance, healthcare, crypto, etc.).
2.Follow Editorial Guidelines
- Use correct spelling and punctuation
- Avoid USING ALL CAPS or multiple !!!!
- Keep your ads clear and professional
3.Test Your Landing Page
- Make sure it loads quickly
- Ensure it works on mobile
- Avoid misleading or unrelated content
4.Get Proper Approvals (If Needed)
Some industries (e.g., loans, medicines, gambling) require Google certification before running ads.
5.Set Up a Google Ads Policy Appeal Process (If Needed)
If your ad gets wrongly disapproved:
- Fix the issue (if any)
- Resubmit the ad
- Or file an appeal using the “Disapproval reason” section
Summary
- Always follow Google Ads content, format, and destination policies.
- Avoid common disapprovals by writing clean, truthful, and relevant ads.
- Never attempt to bypass the system, or your account could be suspended.
- When in doubt, refer to the official Google Ads Policy Centre or consult your Google Ads manager.
Real Life Example:
Continuing from the bakery example—imagine you launched your Google Ads campaign for “fresh cakes near me” and your ads start getting clicks immediately. But then, one day, your ad suddenly gets disapproved because it included a phrase like “Guaranteed best cakes in town!” which Google flags as a misleading claim.
You try to fix it by rewriting the ad, but accidentally the landing page URL in your ad doesn’t match your website URL, causing another disapproval. Meanwhile, your ad campaign stops running, and no customers can find you.
Worse, if you keep submitting ads that violate Google’s policies—whether unintentionally or out of frustration—your entire Google Ads account might get suspended. This means no more ads until you resolve the issue, which can take weeks and cause serious loss of sales.
To avoid this, you learn to:
- Carefully follow Google’s ad content and editorial guidelines
- Double-check URLs and landing page quality
- Keep your claims honest and supported
- Use Google’s appeal process if ads are wrongly disapproved
By doing this, your bakery’s ads run smoothly, bringing in hungry customers every day without interruptions, turning your digital marketing investment into real sales.
