Top Reasons Why Your AdWords Ad Wasn’t Approved
It’s no secret that Google has been cracking down on ad disapprovals in an effort to show higher quality ads to users. While this is understandable from a user’s point of view, it can be frustrating for marketers. Not only is Google being far more strict on its approval process, but also its digging into paused ads and flagging disapprovals.
Furthermore, if you’re a repeat offender, Google has the ability to suspend your Google Ads account. If this happens, none of your ads will be shown to users, causing your business to see a drop in leads and conversions. Certainly, you don’t want this to happen, so it’s important to understand the reasons why your ads are not being approved.
Below are some of the top reasons why Google Ads get disapproved. If you’re guilty of any of these, you can make the appropriate changes and prevent your account from being suspended.
Your ad mentions themes deemed inappropriate by Google.
There are a number of topics that Google feels are inappropriate for ads, including gambling, dangerous products (fireworks), counterfeit goods, offensive content and adult-oriented content. Make sure that there are no references to these themes in your ad content.
Your ad contains copyrighted content.
Some companies have copyright over certain words, and you may not realize it until your ad gets flagged. Make sure you’re not using any copyrighted content, and if you are, choose a synonym instead.
You included your phone number in the ad content.
You are free to include your phone number using a phone extension. And bonus points – doing so will raise your Quality Scores and lower your cost-per-clicks. But, do not place your phone number directly in the ad text, as this will get you flagged.
You are making claims that aren’t true.
While you might feel that your business is #1 in the industry, it’s most likely your opinion and not fact. Unless a reputable third party has verified this, you can’t put things like “#1 in the area’ or ‘best in the business’ in your ad text.
The ad text is too long.
Your headline can be 25 characters and each description line and the display URL can be 35 characters. The reason for these limits is because ad content is supposed to be short and direct. There are exceptions to the rule, such as if you are targeting ads to countries that have longer words in their languages.
Your ad looks spammy.
Ads should always look professional and be easy to read and understand. If your ad contains all caps, trick-to-click text or too many exclamation points, it will be flagged by Google. Write in short, simple text, be smart about your CTAs and include only one exclamation point, if needed.
Are you having trouble with your Google Ads getting flagged? KBDC, Inc can help. We know what types of ads perform best in Google, and how to get your ads seen by the right people. Contact us today to chat with our experts!