10 Reasons Why Google Ads Get Disapproved

Let’s take a look at the most common reasons your Google Ads campaign might be getting knocked back, and how to fix the issue.

So you’ve planned your Google Ads campaign, developed your creative and submitted the ad for review, only to see it’s been marked as ‘Disapproved’.

As a Google Ads agency, we come across many such instances while auditing ad accounts.

The first thing to remember is that there’s probably still hope for your carefully crafted ad; it’s just a matter of ticking the boxes. Google’s ad policies cover a range of requirements, so the next step is to hover over that information symbol and identify exactly what needs to change. Chances are, one of the following issues will apply.

You might well find that spelling or grammar errors are blocking your way to successful posting. Repeated phrases can also be an issue. Take a detailed look at your ad copy, and iron out any errors before resubmitting.

Exclamation points should be limited to just one instance in the body copy. Be sure to remove any emojis or non-standard punctuation such as asterisks or ellipses, as well as any use of symbols in place of words like @ for ‘at’.

It might be tempting to use ALL CAPS or rAnDoM CaPiTaLiSaTiOn to gain traction in your Google ad – but this can put the brakes on instead! Standard rules apply here, such as capitalising the first letter of proper nouns such as specific people and places.

This is a simple one; Google ads will be rejected if they include adult-oriented content, counterfeit goods, dangerous products or services, offensive or derogatory content or products that enable dishonest behaviour.

Your call to action really matters. Omit any CTAs that include the word ‘click’ as in, ‘click here’. If you want to include a phone number use call extensions, because simply including the number or an email address in your ad copy will see it rejected.

The root of your display URL needs to match that of the destination URL, and any redirects to a different domain will be flagged. Google also assesses the quality of your post-click landing page, so you’ll want to be sure this is fully functional and includes enough relevant content.

Google will put a stop to your ad if you’re unauthorised to use copyrighted content. If you do have legal authorisation to use copyrighted content, you can apply for certification to advertise.

Ads need to be authentic, clear and provide useful information, and any creative designed to deceive or provide misleading information about products, services or businesses just won’t fly.

If you’re claiming your business or offering is the #1 in anything, you’ll need substantiation or a link from a third party proving the case. Otherwise, focus in on other benefits or features instead.

If you’re using remarketing, make sure you have a privacy policy in place that lets people know how to block any unwanted cookies. Good data practices are key for Google advertising.

Of course, if your ad doesn’t breach any of Google’s ad policies then there’s a good chance your ad has been disapproved in error. Google Ads is an incredibly complex and ever-evolving platform, and the odd mislabelled ad can happen from time to time. If you’re confident your ad campaign is playing by the rules, you can appeal the decision or contact Google Support.