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Ads across the Google Network should be useful, varied, relevant, and safe for users. Google Ads doesn't allow advertisers to run ads, content, or destinations that attempt to trick or circumvent our ad review processes.
Learn more about the Abusing the ad network policy.
Violations of this policy are taken very seriously and are considered egregious. An egregious violation of the Google Ads policies is a violation so serious that it is unlawful or poses significant harm to our users. In determining whether an advertiser or destination is violating this policy, Google may review information from multiple sources including your ad, website, accounts, and third-party sources. If violations of this policy are found, your Google Ads accounts will be suspended upon detection and without prior warning, and you will not be allowed to advertise with Google Ads again. If you believe there's been an error, and that you haven’t violated our policy, submit an appeal and explain why. Accounts are only reinstated in compelling circumstances, and when there is good reason so it's important that you take the time to be thorough, accurate, and honest. Learn more about suspended accounts.
In this article
Circumventing systems
The following is not allowed:
Engaging in practices that circumvent or interfere with Google's advertising systems and processes, or attempting to do so
Examples (non-exhaustive):
- Bypassing enforcement mechanisms and detection by creating variations of ads, domains or content that have been disapproved for this or any Google Ads policy or using techniques in text, images or videos to obfuscate sexually explicit content
- After a previous suspension decision, attempting to use the Google Ads system again by creating new accounts to re-enter the system
- Abusing Google Ads product features to show policy non-compliant content to users or gain additional traffic
- Submitting false information as part of our verification programs
- Having multiple ad policy violations across several of your accounts gradually or all at once. This can include:
- Creating new websites or accounts to show ads that are similar to ones that were already disapproved
- Spreading ads that violate Google Ads' policies across 2 or more accounts
- Using several accounts, either gradually or all at once, to promote products or services for which you lack the necessary Google Ads certifications
- As part of Google Ads' Gambling and games certification program, failing to re-certify or continuing to use the Gambling and games certification if a material change has occurred since the last certification application was submitted. Material changes are considered to be major, substantial or relevant changes to your account. Google Ads understands that your address or payment method may change periodically. Failing to resubmit your Gambling and games certification application after one of these 2 types of changes will not lead to account suspension. Other material changes do require resubmission of the Gambling and games certification application or your account will be suspended upon detection. These material changes include, but are not limited to, changes to your product offerings that are inconsistent with any license or approvals provided to Google, changes to your compliance with applicable regulations, and changes to your licensure or other compliance with the Gambling and games certification requirements.
Accounts aren't suspended under this policy for having ad disapprovals related to editorial issues like formatting or misspelled words.
Your account may be suspended based on adverse regulatory warnings, settlements, or rulings about your advertising practices or direct complaints from users or businesses.
Circumventing systems: Cloaking
It's okay to show slightly different content to different people, like showing a landing page or ad destination in different languages, having different special offers, or adjusting for geographical location or slower internet speeds, but the promoted product or service needs to be the same for everyone.
Examples (non-exhaustive):
- Showing Google a landing page or an ad's destination that complies with Google Ads' policies while showing people different content. For example, showing sale of clothing to Google when the website sells guns.
- A pop-up, also known as an “intrusive interstitial” that blocks access to the majority of your website’s content, meaning Google cannot access your landing page or ad's destination to determine whether it’s prohibited
- Tricking people into clicking on your ad by promoting a topic they’re interested in and then leading them to a website for an entirely different topic, while hiding this inconsistency from Google and its crawlers
- Sending users to a completely different website that violates Google Ads' policies, even if it’s within the same domain
- Using click trackers, which are tools that measure how many people click a link, to redirect people to websites with content prohibited by Google Ads' policies
Using appropriate click trackers and redirecting users is okay as long as you’re not doing these things to try to hide that you’re showing or doing anything that goes against Google Ads' policies.
Why this isn’t allowed
- It's misleading: People might see unexpected content that isn’t allowed by Google Ads on your destination, which can be frustrating.
- It can hide problems: Cloaking can be used to hide content that isn’t allowed under Google Ads’ policies.
Best practices (non-exhaustive)
- Show policy-compliant content: Make sure you're not sending people to websites or content that violate Google Ads' policies while showing Google something different.
- Allow easy access: Make sure Google can easily see all the pages on your website (for developers: Google’s common crawlers).
- Use certified click trackers: If you're using a click tracker, make sure to use one that’s certified by Google.
- Do a security check: Websites can get hacked and cloaking content can be added without you knowing. You can use the Safe Browsing tool to check if your website is safe (this might not catch everything, but it's a good place to start).
Tips for submitting your appeal
- Follow best practices: Implement the best practices provided if you haven’t already.
- Explain your situation: Provide details about why you were showing different content to Google than to other people. If there’s been a mistake, share the steps you took to make sure cloaking isn’t happening on your website, like removing redirections or getting certified to advertise restricted content.
Circumventing systems: Multiple account abuse
Examples (non-exhaustive):
- Creating more accounts after getting suspended in order to continue breaking Google’s policies
- Creating dozens of accounts to run a scam, such as directing users to a fake business that tricks them into buying goods they won’t receive
Why this isn’t allowed
- It can be harmful: Accounts are suspended to create a safe and positive experience for users.
- It has been used to attempt to evade policy enforcement: Everyone needs to follow the same Google Ads policies. Attempting to use multiple accounts to get around those policies is not allowed.
Best practices
- Limit bulk account creation: Avoid creating a lot of accounts in a short period of time, including by using different email addresses to open the accounts.
- Connect accounts to real businesses: If you have multiple advertising accounts, make sure each account is connected to a real business.
- Use trusted payment methods: If you have multiple advertising accounts, make sure each account uses a safe payment method.
- Resolve suspensions: If you're connected to other accounts that have been suspended, those suspensions need to be successfully reinstated through the appeal process.
- Check with your agency: If you work with an agency or someone else who manages your account, reach out to them about this suspension.
Tips for submitting your appeal
- Follow best practices: Implement the best practices provided here if you haven’t already.
- Explain your situation: Provide details about why you have multiple accounts. If you were connected to other accounts that were suspended, share how you resolved those issues. If there’s been a mistake, explain what happened.
- Complete verification: Complete all tasks required for advertiser verification if requested.
Fix your suspended account
If you believe there’s been an error and that you haven’t violated Google Ads' policies, submit an appeal.
- In your Google Ads account, click the Contact Us link in the notification at the top of your screen.
- This link will direct you to the appeal form on the right side of your screen.
- While you complete the form, relevant policy information will appear to help you understand the reason for the suspension and the appeal process.
If you select “Contact Us” again while your appeal is still being processed, your Google Ads account will have an “Appeal pending” status. When your appeal is reviewed, you'll receive an email with the outcome. If your appeal is rejected, you can re-appeal following the same process outlined above.
Certain selected advertisers must complete advertiser verification successfully to appeal their account suspension. If Google isn't able to verify their identity after 3 attempts, they won't be allowed to appeal their account suspension. Advertisers suspended for Billing and Payment suspensions may be asked to verify their payment method to process their appeals.
Accounts are only reinstated in compelling circumstances, such as in the case of a mistake, so it's important that you take the time to be thorough, accurate, and honest.