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What Types of PPC Ads Are Prohibited by Google?
Online searches performed using Google or other search engines are one of the primary ways people look up information, find websites that can answer their questions, and connect with companies that offer the products and services they are looking for. This has made search engine optimization (SEO) incredibly important as website owners seek to make sure they can be found through "organic" searches performed by potential visitors or customers. However, pay-per-click (PPC) advertising also offers a way for site owners or sellers of products and services to make sure they can be found in online searches.
PPC advertising allows businesses to have their ads appear in search engine results pages (SERPs). While PPC ads can be an effective way to reach potential customers, there are a few practices that are prohibited by Google that should be avoided. Violations of Google's policies can result in ads not being shown, and in some cases, an advertiser's account may even be suspended or permanently banned. By understanding what practices to avoid, advertisers can ensure that people will be able to view their ads, which will increase website traffic and provide better results for their campaigns.
Prohibited Practices for PPC Ads and Destination Websites
Some issues that Google has highlighted in its policies that may result in penalties for advertisers include:
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Misleading ads - PPC ads cannot link users to pages that are different than what is indicated in the ad. For example, if an ad has a "display URL" that indicates that it will link to buystuff.com, it cannot actually link to buymorestuff.org. Likewise, the destination page for an ad cannot redirect users to a different website, and the products or services discussed on a destination page must match what is described in the original ad.
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Unoriginal or insufficient website content - A destination page for an ad must have original information that provides value for people who click on the ad. Content cannot be scraped or duplicated from another website without adding additional content or functionality. Websites that are designed to send users to another destination (known as "doorway pages") after clicking a button, image, or link are also prohibited.
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Poor website experiences - Ads may be disallowed if destination websites have excessive advertising or other issues that restrict people's ability to navigate through the site, such as interstitial or pop-up ads, sites that load very slowly, or sites that disable the "back" button on a browser. Sites with no content other than a message such as "under construction" or "coming soon" and sites that have unreadable content are also prohibited.
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Malware - If a site contains code that automatically installs software on a person's computer or otherwise makes changes to a person's system without their consent, ads leading to that side will be disallowed, and advertisers may be suspended or banned.
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Ads that attempt to circumvent Google policies - Google does not allow ads for certain types of products, such as recreational drugs, tobacco, or guns and other dangerous weapons. Attempts to get around these policies and display ads for prohibited products will result in penalties. For example, advertisers cannot intentionally misspell words in an ad or attempt to embed prohibited words in an ad by using invisible text.
Contact Our PPC Professionals
There is an art and a science to creating successful online advertising campaigns, and in addition to avoiding violations of policies or other practices that could inadvertently lead to an ad being prohibited, advertisers will need to use the proper techniques to make ads appealing to potential clients. At OVC Lawyer Marketing, we help website owners build PPC campaigns that generate revenue while fitting into their budgets. To learn about the services our pay-per-click advertising experts can provide, contact us at 630-635-8000.
Sources:
https://support.google.com/adspolicy/answer/6368661
https://support.google.com/adspolicy/answer/6020954
https://support.google.com/adspolicy/answer/6014299
