Account Reinstatement (Google Ads)

Account reinstatement is the process of restoring a suspended Google Ads account to active status after resolving policy violations or compliance issues. This requires submitting an appeal on Google ads, fixing the underlying problems, and...

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Account-Level Suspension on Google Ads

An account-level suspension is the most severe enforcement action where Google completely disables an advertiser's ability to create or run ads across their entire account. Unlike ad-level disapprovals, this affects all campaigns and prevents access...

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Ad Destinations Policy Violation

An ad destinations policy violation happens when Google determines that the landing page or destination URL linked to your ad violates their content policies or user experience standards. This includes destinations with malware, deceptive content,...

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Ad Disapproval on Google Ads

Ad disapprovals happen when Google's review system determines that a specific ad violates their advertising policies, preventing it from being shown to users. Unlike account suspensions, disapprovals affect individual ads and can often be resolved...

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Ad Preview and Diagnosis Tool

The Ad Preview and Diagnosis Tool is Google's built-in feature that lets you see exactly how your ads appear in search results without inflating your impression counts or allowing you to accidentally click your own...

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Ad-to-Landing Page Alignment

Ad-to-landing page alignment requires that the content, offers, and promises made in your ads must match what users find on the destination landing page. Misalignment can include different pricing, missing products, or content that doesn't...

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Advertiser Identity Verification

Advertiser identity verification is Google's mandatory program requiring all advertisers to confirm their identity, business information, and location before buying ads on the platform. Google Ads verification rolled out globally starting in 2020, and eventually,...

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Affiliate Misrepresentation Suspension

An affiliate misrepresentation suspension is applied when Google detects that affiliate marketers are misleading users about their relationship with the advertised brand or service. This includes pretending to be the actual company, hiding affiliate relationships,...

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Appeal Form on Google Ads

The appeal form is Google's official process for requesting review of ad account suspensions. Advertisers must provide detailed explanations of changes made, evidence of compliance, and reasons why their Google ads account should be unsuspended....

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Before and After Images Policy (Clickbait ads)

The before and after images policy prohibits comparison photos in Google Ads for weight loss products, cosmetic procedures, health treatments, and beauty services. Google blocks these images because they often set unrealistic expectations and typically...

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Business Operations Verification

Google may require advertisers to complete a Business Operations Verification (BOV) if there are questions about their legitimacy, ownership, or advertising practices. The process involves submitting legal business documents, answering questions about operations, and confirming...

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Business Transparency Requirements

Google's business transparency requirements mandate that advertisers clearly disclose their business identity, contact information, and relationships with promoted products or services. This includes displaying accurate business names, providing functional customer service contacts, and being transparent...

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Circumventing Systems Suspension

The circumventing systems suspension is one of the most severe types of Google Ads suspensions. It's applied when Google detects that an advertiser is trying to bypass its review systems or ad enforcement processes. Common...

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Cloaking (Google Ads)

Cloaking is showing different content to Google's review systems than what actual users see, and it's one of the fastest ways to get permanently banned from Google Ads. This falls under the circumventing systems policy,...

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Cookie Consent Requirements

Cookie consent requirements mandate that websites using Google Ads must obtain explicit user consent before placing tracking cookies, especially when targeting users in GDPR regions like Europe. You need a visible cookie banner or consent...

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Counterfeit Goods Suspension

Google prohibits the promotion of fake or unauthorized replicas of branded products. This counterfeit goods suspension applies even if the advertiser does not explicitly claim the item is genuine. Suspensions can also occur if the...

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Enabling Dishonest Behavior Policy

The enabling dishonest behavior policy prohibits promoting products or services designed to facilitate deception, fraud, or unethical practices on Google Ads. This includes selling fake documents (like fake IDs or diplomas), hacking services, spyware, academic...

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Exceeded Retry-Limit

Exceeded retry-limit is an error message that appears when advertisers attempt to verify their account or appeal a suspension too many times without success. This limit applies to multiple scenarios across Google Ads. For advertiser...

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Financial Services Policy

Google's financial services policy governs advertising for loans, credit cards, cryptocurrency, investment services, and financial products on Google Ads. The enforcement focuses heavily on disclosure requirements. You must clearly show interest rates, fees, repayment terms,...

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GDPR & Privacy Compliance (Landing Page Requirements)

GDPR and privacy compliance for Google Ads requires meeting strict European data protection standards when advertising to EU users. This includes obtaining consent for data collection, maintaining clear privacy policies on your landing pages, respecting...

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Google Ads Account Verification

Google Ads account verification is a process where Google requires advertisers to confirm their identity, business information, or payment methods to continue advertising. This typically involves submitting official documents, completing identity checks, or verifying business...

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Google Ads Appeals Process

The Google Ads appeals process is the formal procedure for challenging policy violations, account suspensions, or ad disapprovals through Google's review system. Advertisers must submit detailed explanations of corrective actions taken, provide supporting evidence, and...

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Google Ads Suspension

A Google Ads suspension is when Google disables your advertising account, preventing you from running or creating ads. This happens when Google believes that your account violates Google’s advertising policies or terms of service. Suspensions...

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Google Business Profile (GBP)

Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is the free tool that lets you manage how your business appears on Google Search and Maps. You can control your business name, address, phone number, hours, photos,...

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Google Merchant Center (GMC)

Google Merchant Center is the platform where e-commerce businesses upload their product feeds to run Google Shopping ads, free product listings, and the Shopping component of Performance Max campaigns. GMC acts as the bridge between...

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Healthcare and Medicines Policy

Google's healthcare and medicines policy requires LegitScript or similar certification before you can advertise online pharmacies, telemedicine services, prescription medications, or addiction treatment on Google Ads. This isn't optional. If you're in these categories, your...

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Inappropriate or Offensive Content Policy

Google's inappropriate or offensive content policy prohibits ads that promote hatred, discrimination, harassment, violence, or sexually explicit material. This is one of Google's most strictly enforced policies because these violations are considered egregious, meaning immediate...

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Legitscript

LegitScript is a third-party certification company that Google and other major advertising platforms recognize for verifying healthcare businesses, online pharmacies, telemedicine providers, addiction treatment centers, and CBD companies. If you're advertising in these regulated industries,...

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Limited Ad Serving Policy

The limited ad serving policy affects new or low-trust advertisers whose accounts haven’t built enough credibility with Google’s risk systems. Ads may be approved but shown to a limited audience or placed on lower-quality inventory....

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Malicious Software Suspension

Accounts are suspended under the malicious software suspension if Google detects any form of malware, phishing scripts, auto-downloading files, or other malicious elements on your website or landing page. This includes both intentional abuse and...

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Misrepresentation Policy Violation

This misrepresentation policy violation targets ads or landing pages that mislead users, hide key information, make exaggerated claims, or create a false sense of urgency. Misrepresentation includes things like fake testimonials, unclear pricing, or pretending...

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Multiple Accounts Policy

The multiple accounts policy defines when and how advertisers can operate more than one Google Ads account. Google generally prohibits creating multiple accounts to circumvent suspensions or policy enforcement, but allows legitimate business reasons like...

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Permanent Suspension on Google Ads

A permanent suspension means Google has banned your account from advertising on their platform forever with no path to reinstatement. This happens for egregious policy violations like circumventing systems, enabling dishonest behavior, malicious software, or...

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Phishing Policy Violation

A phishing policy violation is issued when Google detects that your ads or landing pages are designed to steal personal information, login credentials, or financial data from users. This includes fake login pages, deceptive forms,...

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Policy Manager (Google Ads)

Policy Manager is the centralized dashboard in Google Ads where advertisers can view violations, disapproved ads, and policy enforcement details. It provides a breakdown of issues per ad or asset and allows advertisers to request...

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Political Content Policy

The political content policy requires verification before running election ads, featuring political candidates, or promoting political issues in regions where Google mandates it. The verification process can take up to 5 business days per step,...

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Pricing Transparency Requirements

Pricing transparency requirements dictates that advertisers on Google Ads should clearly and accurately display all costs associated with their products or services, including taxes, fees, and any shipping charges. Hidden fees, misleading discounts, or unclear...

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Product Data Misrepresentation (Google Shopping Ads)

Product data misrepresentation is the leading cause of Google Merchant Center suspensions. This broad policy covers any inaccurate or misleading information in your product feed, including price mismatches between your feed and website, incorrect availability,...

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Public Figure Impersonation Violation

A public figure impersonation violation is triggered when your Google Ads or landing pages falsely claim endorsement from, or pretend to be associated with, celebrities, politicians, or other well-known individuals without authorization. This includes using...

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Restricted Content Policy

The restricted content policy covers products and services Google allows only under strict conditions like alcohol, gambling, healthcare, and financial services. The key word here is 'restricted,' not 'prohibited.' You can advertise these products, but...

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Suspicious Payments Suspension

The suspicious payments suspension occurs when Google identifies unusual or risky billing activity in your ad account. Causes may include using stolen or prepaid cards, multiple failed transactions, mismatched billing information, or accounts sharing the...

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Third Party Policy (Google Ads)

Google's third party policy governs agencies, consultants, and anyone managing Google Ads on behalf of clients. Updated in November 2024, the policy now includes severe penalties for third parties that enable significant or sustained policy...

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Unacceptable Business Practices Suspension

The unacceptable business practices suspension is applied when Google believes the advertiser is engaging in deceptive, unethical, or misleading practices.This includes false promises, hidden fees, impersonating other businesses, misleading content, or failing to deliver advertised...

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Unapproved Substances Policy

The unapproved substances policy blocks ads for prescription drugs without proper authorization, unregulated supplements making health claims, and recreational drugs of any kind on Google Ads. This policy catches a lot of supplement sellers by...

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Unfair Advantage Policy

The unfair advantage policy prohibits using manipulative tactics to gain excessive visibility in the ad auction. As of April 14, 2025, Google updated this policy to clarify that you can't show more than one ad...

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Unsubstantiated Claims (Google Ads)

Unsubstantiated claims are statements in your Google ads or landing pages that make promises or assertions without adequate proof or evidence to support them. This commonly affects health, financial, or performance-related claims that cannot be...

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User Safety Policy

Google's user safety policy protects users from malicious websites, phishing attempts, malware, and anything that could compromise their security or privacy through Google Ads. This is one of Google's most strictly enforced policies. Violations typically...

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