Google Ads policy: why Google and YouTube ads get disapproved

Google says it uses a mix of AI and human review to find ads that break its policies, and it looks at ads, accounts, websites, user complaints and other sources. Every ad ends up with a status: “Eligible” (it runs), “Eligible (limited)” (it runs only in some places or situations because of a policy such as Healthcare or Gambling) or “Disapproved” (it can't run until fixed).

YouTube ads and Discover Feed ads follow the standard Google Ads policies plus extra creative requirements, so everything in this guide applies to YouTube too.

Most copy problems fall under Google's Misrepresentation policy. It does not allow inaccurate claims, or claims that present an improbable result as the likely outcome, even if that result is possible.

Some healthcare content can't be advertised at all, and some only in certain countries by advertisers Google has certified, such as online pharmacies, telemedicine providers and pharmaceutical manufacturers. Offering prescription drugs without a prescription is treated as an egregious violation.

Google's Unapproved substances rule bans, regardless of claims of legality, products on its list of unapproved pharmaceuticals and supplements, products containing ephedra, hCG sold for weight loss, supplements with active pharmaceutical or dangerous ingredients, products that imply they are as effective as prescription drugs, and products not approved by a government that are marketed as safe or effective for preventing, curing or treating a disease.

Financial ads must show the business's physical address, all associated fees, and links to any third-party accreditation the ad implies. These disclosures must be visible without clicking or hovering. Some countries also require financial services verification, with details of your licenses and registration numbers.

Personal loans must require repayment in 61 days or longer, and the destination must show the minimum and maximum repayment period, the maximum APR and a representative example of the total cost. In the United States, Google doesn't allow ads for personal loans with an APR of 36% or more. Credit repair services and binary options can't be advertised; complex speculative products such as CFDs and forex need a licensed provider and Google's approval.

Google's YouTube and Discover requirements add a clickbait standard on top of Misrepresentation. Not allowed: promises of overnight financial success such as “Make $5,000 in 5 minutes!”, misleading claims about price or effectiveness, language meant to make viewers feel bad for not clicking or that creates false urgency, and false or exaggerated health claims such as a secret cure, a misleading before-and-after image, a product described as “100% effective” or a supplement said to replace chemotherapy.

Testimonials are allowed as long as they don't contain exaggerated or inaccurate claims. Separately, Google's Unreliable claims page says testimonials that claim specific results need a visible disclaimer that results vary, and that if you guarantee results you need a clear, easy-to-find refund policy.

Edit the ad or asset in Google Ads and save it: it's re-reviewed automatically, which Google says typically takes 24 to 48 hours. For YouTube, if you changed the source video you need to create a new ad with the new video URL. If you believe the ad complies, appeal from your Google Ads account (Policy manager).

Repeated violations lead to strikes, up to three per policy, and then suspension. For most policies Google sends a warning at least 7 days before suspending an account, but egregious violations, such as unacceptable business practices or unauthorized pharmacies, lead to immediate suspension without warning.

InspectAd AI can check an ad against Google's policies before you publish it, and it can also create ads, which helps you spot unreliable claims or missing disclosures before Google's review.