The Next Google Slap? How to Prepare for Google’s Updated Destination Requirements Policy

Next month (October 2022), Google is updating the Destination requirements policy requiring that ad experiences on destinations (i.e. blogs and landing pages) follow the Coalition for Better Ads Standards. The impact on publishers and advertisers could be significant, as they’re used to having more control over their ad placements.

To help you get ready for the new advertising policy requirements, we’ve put together a list of resources that includes information on what to expect and how best practices can be used.

What are the updated requirements?

The updated requirements are that ad experiences on landing pages must conform to the Coalition for Better Ads Standards. This means that ads must be less intrusive and more user-friendly. Google will consider a number of factors when determining whether an ad experience is annoying. These include the number of ads on the page, their layout, and placement, as well as how intrusive they are. 

According to Google, ads that do not comply with the better ads standards are as follows:

On Desktop

Pop-up AdsAuto-Playing Video Ads with SoundPrestitial Ads with CountdownLarge Sticky Ads

On Mobile

Pop-up AdsPrestitial Ads (Ads that show on a mobile page before the content has loaded)Ad Density Higher Than 30%Flashing Animated AdsAuto-playing Video Ads with SoundPrestitial Ads with Countdown Full-screen Scrollover AdsLarge Sticky Ads

Google will let you know if your landing pages aren’t up to standards through the Ad Experience Report and any ads that lead to a violating destination will be disapproved immediately.

Why is Google doing this?

Our answer: ad blockers. 

Google’s answer: To improve user experience. A bad ad experience can ruin the whole online experience for a user, and Google wants to avoid that. After all, happy users are good for business.

Google has decided on these changes with help from the Coalition For Better Ads. As stated on their site, “The Coalition’s Better Ads Standards identify the ad experiences that fall beneath a threshold of consumer acceptability and are most likely to drive consumers to install ad blockers. More than 150,000 consumers have participated to date in the Coalition’s research to develop its set of Better Ads Standards.”1

According to the Coalition For Better Ads:

Advertisers can use the Better Ads Standards to inform campaign development and executionPublishers and app developers can use the Better Ads Standards to develop improved experiences for their audiencesAd technology platforms can use the Better Ads Standards in the development process for new ad experiencesProviders of measurement technologies can use the Better Ads Standards to develop new ways to assess marketplace prevalence of the ad experiences preferred by consumers

What does this mean for you?

This new policy put into place by Google will result in a better user experience for internet users, and also help to increase revenue for website owners who are displaying ads. In order to comply with the updated requirements, website owners should avoid using any of the above-listed ad types on their pages. 

By doing so, they can ensure that their ads will not be considered annoying or intrusive, and will therefore not be penalized by Google. Additionally, they can also take steps to improve the overall layout and design of their ads, in order to make them more user-friendly.

If you’re a website owner, it’s important to take the necessary steps to prepare for Google’s updated destination requirements policy. By doing so, you can avoid any potential penalties, and ensure that your ads are compliant with the new standards. Additionally, you can also help to improve the overall user experience on your site by creating better ad experiences for your visitors.

How can you prepare?

Here are some steps on how to prepare for Google’s updated destination requirements policy:

Review the updated Destination requirements policy: Familiarize yourself with the updated policy requirements so that you can ensure your ad experiences will be compliant. You can find more information on the Coalition for Better Ads Standards website.Create better ad experiences: Take steps to improve the overall user experience on your website by creating better ad experiences. This includes avoiding intrusive ad formats and placing ads in strategic locations.Monitor your site’s performance: Keep an eye on your website’s performance to ensure that it is meeting Google’s standards. You can use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to help you identify potential issues.Monitor your ad’s performance: Keep an eye on your ad account to make sure that all of your ad experiences are compliant with the new policy requirements. You can use Google’s Ad Experience Report to help you identify any potential issues.

By following these steps, you can help to ensure that your site is compliant with Google’s updated destination requirements policy, and that your users have a positive experience on your site.

Tips for creating better ad experiences

Keep these tips in mind to create better ad experiences for your users and avoid getting slapped by Google’s updated destination requirements policy.

1. Make sure that the ads on your site are relevant to the content on your site. Irrelevant ads can be intrusive and annoying to users.

2. Keep ad placements consistent throughout your site. Ads that are placed in unexpected places can be disruptive to users.

3. Pay attention to the placement of your ads, and make sure that they are not in locations where they will interrupt or interfere with the user’s experience on your site.

4. Make sure that the ads on your site are not excessive in number. Too many ads can be overwhelming and intrusive for users.

Or follow our general guideline: If an ad experience annoys you on other websites (we’re looking at you clickbait spammers), it will annoy your users on your website. 

What happens if you violate the policies?

If you violate the updated Destination Requirements policy, your ads may be disapproved and your account may be at risk of suspension. So it’s important to make sure that your ads are in compliance with the new policy before it goes into effect.

Conclusion

Google’s updated Destination requirements policy is just another example of how the company is cracking down on bad ads. While this may be frustrating for publishers & advertisers who are used to having more control over their ad placements, it’s important to remember that these changes are meant to improve the user experience. 

By following the tips in this article, you can make sure that your ad experiences conform to the new standards and avoid any penalties from Google.

TL;DR – Ads that interrupt a user’s browsing experience are not in line with the better ads standards and will be disapproved by Google.