Why Isn't My Ad Approved | Disapproval Reasons
When your ad is disapproved, the notice usually shows a broad policy heading and doesn’t state the real problem clearly. This page explains how to narrow down the cause. If you’d rather I run the process for you, see the policy violation fix page.
Separate it first: copy or page
This is the fastest diagnosis. If several ads pointing to the same landing page were disapproved, the problem is most likely the page. If a single ad was disapproved and the others are running, the problem is the copy.
Fixes made without this distinction usually go to waste: rewriting the copy repeatedly and getting the same disapproval is often because the page was never reviewed at all.
Copy-driven disapproval causes
Exaggerated claims are the most common cause: guarantees, promises of certain results, superiority claims with no numbers. In health and finance this threshold is noticeably stricter.
The second frequent cause is punctuation and formatting rules: excessive capitalisation, unnecessary exclamation marks, repeated punctuation. Third is using a competitor’s brand name in the copy.
Page-driven disapproval causes
Review looks not just at your ad but at your site as a whole. The most common issues: no contact details, missing return and privacy pages, an insecure checkout page.
Another frequent cause is the ad promising something the page doesn’t deliver. Naming a specific service in the ad and sending the user to an unrelated page counts as misleading content.
A page that won’t load, or loads too slowly, can also cause disapproval — a page that can’t be reached during review can’t be evaluated.
Restricted categories
Advertising in health, finance, legal, gambling, alcohol and similar areas is possible, but with added requirements: certification, pre-approval, or a full ban in certain countries.
These requirements also vary by country. Clarifying which document is needed before starting is faster than collecting repeated disapprovals.
Don’t appeal before fixing
The most common wrong order: disapproval arrives, an appeal is filed immediately, it’s rejected again. Review sees the same problem a second time.
The right order: diagnose the cause, actually make the fix, then appeal. Stating concretely what changed in the appeal speeds up the process.
Repeated violations carry an extra cost too: accounts accumulating violations get reviewed more strictly, and the process can escalate to account suspension.
Want help? I can review your disapproved ads and identify the real cause and the order of fixes. You can reach me from the contact page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was my previously-approved ad disapproved later?
Review isn’t a one-off event. When page content changes or policy is updated, previously approved ads can be re-evaluated.
How long does review take?
Automatically assessed cases are usually quick; files that go to manual review take longer. Beyond a few days, follow up through support.
Should I delete a disapproved ad?
Fixing it is better than deleting — historical performance data is preserved. But repeatedly resubmitting an ad with the same violation is risky.