ReferenceGoogle Ads disapproval
Spam policies for Google Web Search
Google disapproves an ad whose destination was removed from Google Search for spam, or breaks the Spam policies for Google Web Search through keyword stuffing, cloaking, sneaky redirects or doorway pages. Check Search Console for a manual action on the site first, fix the page, then edit the ad. Google warns at least 7 days before any suspension.
At a glance
- Where it shows
- The Status column in the Ads section, as Disapproved, with Spam policies for Google Web Search in Policy details.
- What stops
- The ad stops serving while the destination breaks the policy.
- How serious
- A warning first. Google warns at least 7 days before any suspension.
- How long
- Google says re-review usually takes 24 to 48 hours after an edit.
What it means
This policy applies to the destination the ad links to. The rules that keep a page out of Google Search apply to ad landing pages too. A destination removed from Search through a manual action is disapproved in Google Ads.
Google notifies site owners of a manual action through Google Search Console, so that is the first place to look.
What actually triggers it
A manual action on the site
Google's page says ads pointing to destinations removed from Google Search through a manual action are disapproved. The notice is in Search Console, not in Google Ads.
Keyword stuffing on the landing page
Google's examples include keyword stuffing. A page packed with repeated search terms in place of readable copy breaks the spam rules.
Cloaking or sneaky redirects
Google's examples include cloaking and sneaky redirects. A page that shows one thing to the reviewer and another to visitors, or redirects visitors without their knowledge, breaks the rules.
Doorway pages
Google's examples include doorway pages, built to rank for search terms and pass visitors on. A landing page with that purpose breaks the rules.
Fix it in this order
- In Google Search Console, open the site and check for a manual action notice.
- If a manual action exists, fix the violation it names on the site first, because the ad points at that page.
- On the landing page, look for keyword stuffing, cloaking, sneaky redirects or doorway pages, and remove each one you find.
- Edit the ad in Campaigns, then Ads, and save. Re-review usually takes 24 to 48 hours.
- If the violation cannot be fixed, remove the ad.
When to appeal
Appeal from your Google Ads account only when the page does not break the policy, and you believe the decision is an error.
Where the destination was removed from Google Search, fix the page first. An appeal is not a substitute for that fix.
Often confused with
A thin page, judged on what it offers the visitor. This policy is about tactics Google Search removes pages for, which is a stricter test.
The page returns an error. A page that loads but breaks the spam rules gets this disapproval instead.