ReferenceGoogle Ads disapproval
Style and spelling
Google Ads disapproves ad text with misspelled or ungrammatical words, text cut off mid-sentence, generic calls to action such as click here, or bullet points and numbered lists. Correct the spelling, finish each sentence, replace the generic call to action and save. A trademark spelled non-standardly needs a review request first.
At a glance
- Where it shows
- The Status column on the Ads & assets page, as Disapproved.
- What stops
- That ad or asset stops serving until the edit is reviewed.
- How serious
- Low on its own. Repeated violations can lead to suspension.
- How long
- Google says re-review typically takes 24 to 48 hours after the edit is saved.
What it means
The Editorial policy requires ads and assets that are clear, easy to interact with and relevant. Spelling and grammar are the plainest test of clarity, and Google's examples start there: a misspelled word, and a sentence that does not parse.
The policy also covers text that reads as incomplete or unclear. Gibberish, vague promotions and text cut off by a character limit are named separately, and so is text that copies the look of a list, which does not match how Google Search shows ads.
What actually triggers it
A misspelled word in a headline or description
Google's own example is buy flwres here for buy flowers here. Sitelink titles are easy to skip in a check, and they are reviewed too.
Text cut off by the character limit
An ad that stops mid-sentence because a long asset was cut to fit. The reader sees a fragment, and the policy names incomplete text as its own case.
A generic call to action
Click here as the call to action. Google names it as a generic call to action, and it does not tell the reader what they get.
Bullet points or numbered lists
A headline or description that uses bullet points or numbers. Google says ads should not use them because Search shows ads as sentences.
Fix it in this order
- Open Campaigns, then Ads, and find each ad with a Disapproved status. Read every headline and description, and the sitelink text, in a spell-checker or aloud.
- Hover over the ad or asset and select Edit. Correct each spelling mistake, complete any cut-off sentence and replace click here with the specific action the page delivers.
- Remove bullet points and numbered lists from the text, and keep one complete line for each headline or description.
- If a trademark or brand name is spelled non-standardly, request a review before you keep it. Otherwise select Save and read the status after the review.
When to appeal
Appeal when the flagged words are spelled correctly and are a registered name the review did not accept. Appeal from the status column in the account.
A misspelling is an edit. An appeal does not change the spelling, so fix it and wait for the new review.
Often confused with
Spacing is about missing or extra spaces, such as buyflowershere or F R E E. A word split by a space is a spacing flag. A word spelled wrong is this one.
Capitalization is about letters typed in odd cases, such as FREE or FlOwErS, with the spelling itself correct. A correct word in odd capitals is a capitalization flag.