ReferenceGoogle Ads disapproval
Unreliable claims
Google stops ads, and the pages they link to, that promise improbable results or make claims that are not accurate. Find the exact line, then take it out or back it up the way Google asks: a guarantee needs a clear refund policy, and a testimonial with specific results needs a visible note that results vary. Then save so it is reviewed again.
At a glance
- Where it shows
- The Status column on the Ads page or the asset report, with Unreliable claims in the Policy details column.
- What stops
- The ad or asset carrying the claim. A claim on the landing page affects every ad that links there.
- How serious
- Low on its own. Google warns at least 7 days before any account suspension.
- How long
- Google says edits are reviewed again automatically, typically within 24 to 48 hours.
What it means
The policy covers ads and destinations that give misleading information about products, services or businesses. Google does not allow inaccurate claims, or claims that entice people with an improbable result.
Most of Google's examples are miracle cures, effortless weight loss, guaranteed or risk-free returns, and false claims about elections or public figures. For an ordinary business, the parts that apply are the guarantee and testimonial rules: a guarantee or a quoted result is allowed, but only with the support Google asks for on the page.
What actually triggers it
A guarantee with no refund policy
Google requires a clear, easily accessible refund policy for any guaranteed result. "Results guaranteed" in a headline, with no refund terms anyone could find, is the plain case.
A testimonial quoting a specific result
A customer quote that names a result needs a visible disclaimer that results are not guaranteed and can vary. A testimonial that implies the result is typical needs links to third-party verification or a noticeable disclaimer.
A fixed result by a fixed date, with nothing asked
Google's own example is weight loss: a set amount in a set time while eating anything. The pattern it describes is a promised outcome within a timeframe, with little or no effort, and it is the same shape in any industry.
Money claims: guaranteed returns or no risk
Get-rich-quick offers, guaranteed or unrealistic returns, and investments presented as risk-free or with their risk played down are all on Google's list.
A headline Google suggested
Not on Google's help page
Google's automatically suggested headlines have been seen adding claims the business never made, such as fast, same-day or cheapest. Accepting one puts that claim into the ad, and the business then has to stand behind it.
The claim is on the landing page
The policy covers destinations as well as ads. Ad text that reads as careful can still be disapproved for a promise on the page it links to.
Fix it in this order
- Open Campaigns, then Ads, and confirm in the Policy details column that the reason is Unreliable claims. Check the asset report too.
- Search the ad text, every asset and the landing page for guarantees, quoted results, timeframes and words like risk-free.
- For each claim, either take it out or add what Google asks for: a refund policy that is easy to find for a guarantee, and a visible note that results vary beside a testimonial.
- Hover over the ad or asset, click Edit, make the change and Save. The edit sends it back for review.
- If the change was only on the landing page, appeal with Made changes to comply with policy, since nothing in the ad changed to start a review.
If an ad cannot be fixed, remove it. Google points to removal as the way to avoid repeated violations that can lead to a suspension.
When to appeal
Appeal with Dispute decision when the claim is accurate and the support Google requires, the refund policy or the disclaimer, is already visible. Appeals start in Policy manager, under Troubleshooting in the Tools menu.
Each ad can be appealed three times before support has to be contacted, and Google asks for at least 24 hours between appeals on the same ads. Spend them on a claim that is supported, not on one that still is not.
Often confused with
The claim is about the business rather than a result: its identity, affiliations, licenses or name, or an endorsement it does not have.