Franchise Disclosure

Franchise disclosure is the clear, conspicuous statement in your ads and landing pages that identifies whether you’re the parent company, an individual franchise location, or an independent business. Google requires franchise relationships to be transparent to avoid misleading users about who they’re actually doing business with. Franchisees can’t use corporate branding without clearly indicating they’re an independent franchise location.

Common mistakes include franchise locations using the corporate logo without disclosure, advertising with the parent company’s phone number, or making it appear they’re the official corporate entity. This falls under the misrepresentation policy and can trigger suspensions if you’re not properly disclosing your franchise relationship.

Example: A McDonald’s franchise location runs Google Ads using the McDonald’s branding but clearly states ‘Independently owned and operated franchise’ on their landing page and includes their specific location information to avoid franchise disclosure violations.