ReferenceGoogle Ads disapproval
Unacceptable spacing
Google Ads disapproves ad text with spaces left out, such as no space after a comma, or spaces added for effect, such as a word spaced letter by letter. Insert the missing space and restore the normal word in each flagged asset, then save. A trademark with non-standard spacing 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 covers two kinds of spacing problem: missing or extra spaces, and spacing used as a gimmick. Both make text hard to read as written. A missing space after a comma joins two words into a string a reader has to stop and parse.
Google quotes the exact text in some records. In one real account, the status quoted a fragment with a comma and no space. When the status names a fragment, start with that fragment rather than rereading the whole asset.
What actually triggers it
A comma with no space after it
Not on Google's help page
In one real account, a sitelink joined two place names with a comma and no space, and the status quoted the fragment. Look at every comma in a list-style sitelink or description.
Words run together
A service and a town typed with no space between them, such as buyflowershere. Google names omitted spaces as one of the two spacing cases.
Letters spaced out for effect
F R E E written with a space between each letter. Google names this as gimmicky spacing, and it is one of the few cases where the example text is the flag.
Fix it in this order
- Open Campaigns, then Ads, and find each ad with a Disapproved status. If the status shows a quoted fragment, note it.
- Hover over the ad or asset and select Edit. Add the missing space after each comma and between any joined words.
- Replace any letter-spaced word with the normal word, such as FREE in place of F R E E.
- Select Save, then check the status after the review.
When to appeal
Appeal when the spacing is a registered trademark or brand name written the same way on your website, after a review request for that name. Otherwise the edit is the route.
Often confused with
A dotted word, such as F.L.O.W.E.R.S., is punctuation under Google's own page and can also be flagged for spacing. Fix whichever pattern the status quotes, and check the rest of the asset for the other one.