ReferenceGoogle Ads disapproval
Unclear relevance
Google Ads disapproves ads whose headlines or content do not relate to the landing page or the offer, including keyword insertion with no clear default and overly general keywords. Make each headline match what the destination offers, and give keyword insertion a plain default. Edit the flagged ad and save for review.
At a glance
- Where it shows
- The Status column on the Ads & assets page, as Disapproved.
- What stops
- That ad stops serving until the edit is reviewed.
- How serious
- Violations do not cause immediate suspension. Google gives a warning at least 7 days before any suspension.
What it means
The policy sits under the misrepresentation rules. An ad should describe what the destination actually is. A headline that promises one thing and sends the visitor to another is misleading, even when each word is true on its own.
Keyword insertion is the case the page names directly. The default text is the part under the owner's control, and it is what a reviewer reads when no searched term matches.
What actually triggers it
Keyword insertion with no sensible default
A headline that inserts the searched term with no clear default text, so an unrelated phrase shows when the term does not match the ad's subject.
A headline about a different subject from the page
A headline about one service while the landing page is about another.
A destination that is a search results page
An ad that does not make clear the destination is a search results page rather than a business page.
Overly general keywords
Broad keywords that describe nothing in particular, or keyword spam written into the headlines.
Fix it in this order
- Open Campaigns, then Ads, and find each Disapproved ad. Open its landing page beside it.
- Check each headline against the page. Remove or reword any headline that promises something the page does not show.
- If the ad uses keyword insertion, make the default text a complete, accurate line that reads well on its own.
- Hover over the ad, select Edit, make the change and select Save.
When to appeal
Appeal when each headline matches the page and the flag still stands. A headline that differs from the page is an edit, not an appeal.
Often confused with
Unclear relevance is about the subject of a headline or the destination as a whole. Unavailable offers is about a deal, price or promotion the page does not show. A headline about a service the site does not sell is relevance; a discount the page does not list is an unavailable offer.