If you’re a Google Ads advertiser, you’ve probably seen a disapproved ad at least once in your life.
Disapprovals are becoming more automated, making it more difficult to appeal without the assistance of a Google representative.
Google announced updates to the enforcement of repeated disapproval violations in response to the increase in ad disapprovals. The regulations will go into effect in June 2022.
What Has Changed?
When you repeatedly violate certain policies, Google will issue strikes to your Google Ads account.
To be clear, strikes are not issued in response to every policy. The following policies will have the strike system enabled:
- Compensated sexual acts
- Mail-order brides
- Clickbait
- Misleading ad design
- Bail bond services
- Call Directories, forwarding services
- Credit repair services
- Binary options
- Personal loans
Your Google Ads account will receive a maximum of three strikes for the specific policies involved in the enforcement. Google stated that the penalties would increase progressively with each strike.
Strikes and How They Work
Your account will be placed on temporary hold after the first and second strikes.
- First Strike: 3-day temporary hold
- Second Strike: 7-day temporary hold
Account suspension will occur after the third strike on your account.
The strikes will be applied to individual accounts rather than Manager accounts (MCC).
How Strikes Are Disseminated
If you have Google Ads set up to receive email notifications and are on a specific account, you will be notified of the warning or suspension via email.
An in-account notification will also appear in the warnings and strikes interface.
Here’s an example of a notification you might get:
How to Deal with Receiving Strikes or Suspensions
If your account is temporarily suspended, you must correct the violations and disapprovals. You will also be required to submit an acknowledgment form.
By submitting the acknowledgment form to Google, you agree to the following (according to Google’s support article):
- You are aware of the specific policy or policies that resulted in the account receiving a strike, that you have reviewed the policies in question, and that you understand that further violations of these policies can result in more severe action, including account suspension.
- You have removed the assets and advertisements that violated the policies at issue, and you will ensure that future assets and advertisements comply with our policies.
- Creating multiple accounts and/or attempting to circumvent Google’s policy enforcement is strictly prohibited and will result in account suspension.
If you believe you have not violated any policies, you may submit an appeal form, which can be found here.
If your appeal is successful, the strike will be removed from your account and the account hold will be immediately removed.
Summary
Accounts that do not fall into the above categories will most likely be exempt from account violations. However, it’s still a good idea to check your account notifications on a regular basis.
Be proactive if you notice any account violations. To maintain good account standing, review, revise, or appeal the violations.
Learn more from PPC and read Google Ads’ Policy on Destination Requirements Has Been Revised.
