Google Ads Updates Misrepresentation Policy To Strengthen Standards via @sejournal, @MattGSouthern

To maintain trust and ensure transparency in advertising, Google has announced an update to its Misrepresentation policy.

The update, enacted on November 21, 2023, is designed to tackle issues related to the non-fulfillment of a product or service due to lack of qualifications.

Policy Update Details

The policy change revolves around removing the non-fulfillment of a product or service due to a lack of qualifications from the Misrepresentation policy.

Instead, these issues will be addressed under the Unacceptable Business Practices policy.

Google warns that any found violations of this policy will result in the immediate suspension of the offender’s Google Ads accounts without prior warning.

Advertisers who believe they have been wrongfully accused of violating the policy can submit an appeal and explain their side.

Context For The Misrepresentation Policy

Google Ads’ Misrepresentation policy prohibits ads or destinations that deceive users by excluding relevant product information or providing misleading information about products, services, or businesses.

The policy targets unacceptable business practices like scamming users by concealing or misstating information about the advertiser’s business, product, or service.

Other violations include using phishing techniques to gather user information, dishonest pricing practices, clickbait tactics, misleading ad design, and making unproven or inaccurate claims.

Context For The Unacceptable Business Practices Policy

Google Ads’ Unacceptable Business Practices policy prohibits impersonating other brands, falsely advertising services you can’t provide, gathering user information under false pretenses, and other deceptive tactics.

Google provides several examples of practices that violate the policy, such as pretending to be a legitimate business when you cannot deliver the advertised product or service.

The policy also bars dangerous false advertising, like claiming to provide medical help but actually just delaying real treatment.

Beyond the direct violations listed, Google may take action if an advertiser receives regulatory warnings or settlements related to shady business practices. External complaints about impersonation could also trigger consequences.

The Importance Of Adherence To Policies

When serving ads on Google, you must adhere to its policies. Ads that don’t meet Google’s policies will be disapproved and stop serving.

Egregious or frequent policy violations may trigger account suspension, and all the ads in your account will stop serving.”

You can check for a policy violation in the policy manager of your Google Ads account.

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