Is your Google Ads account suspended?
- Are your ads offline costing you money every day?
- Did you attempt to open a new account and were it again suspended?
- Are you experiencing the sensation of banging your head against a brick wall?
- Do you need to quickly reactivate your Google Ads account?
Read This First!
Following these recommendations has helped businesses increase their chances of being reinstated in the past.
Don’t create a new Google Ads account.
Do not create another account for google ads, even if Google support advises you to. It is against Google policies to create a new Google Ads account for the same organization or business that already has an account.
Google might think that you did something wrong with one account and now you are going to follow the same with the new one and they will suspend the other account as well. If that happens ever it will be all the more difficult for you to get the initial suspension lifted.
It will be more difficult and possibly require professional assistance, it might still be possible to have your original suspension reversed.
Avoid shouting at Google.
Advertising on Google is very important for your brand, but getting the message that you will not be able to do so from now on can be very frustrating. Moreover, google does not give any information regarding Google's reasoning or possible solutions.
But yelling at Google over the phone or via email will only make things worse. They do not appreciate many emails and an overflow of calls.
To suspend and/or to reinstate your google ads account are NOT made by the Google representatives with whom you can interact. They are only fulfilling their duties, occasionally with the knowledge of Google's policies that is available on google ;).
At such a time having someone else to do your work is really calming. Moreover, letting the expert deal with technicalities is the best option anyone can have.
When we communicate with Google and submit appeals on our clients’ behalf, we do so with the utmost respect, show our appreciation for the policy team's time spent reviewing our appeal, and offer our apologies for any errors our clients may have made.
When hiring a "Expert" from Fiverr, Upwork, etc., use caution.
There are many people who claim on gig marketplaces like Fiverr and Upwork that they can assist in unblocking Google Ads accounts.
Well, some of these people may be actually able to help but there are also people who claim to be the "experts" from these platforms who have attempted and failed to assist clients in getting back on Google Adwords, aggravating suspension issues.
Ensure to have a thorough background search on anyone you decide to work with in this field before you actually start working. Look for feedback from actual companies that they assisted in getting back online.
Do not file additional appeals.
There is no official cap on the number of appeals you can submit to Google, but the more unsuccessful appeals you submit, the less likely it is that your subsequent appeal will be taken seriously.
Why Do Google Ads Accounts Get Suspended?
Google aims to safeguard users.
There are a ton of people who want to take advantage of Google's traffic to con people. We should be thankful to Google for investing billions of dollars in averting this because.
On the downside, Google's protections mistake legitimate companies quite frequently.
Moreover, advertisers occasionally neglect to read Google's policies and overlook the tiny details of what is necessary to advertise on the platform.
There are instances where an advertiser did nothing wrong but Google was justified in suspending their account in order to protect users due to circumstances beyond their control, such as when their website is hacked and malicious links are added to it.
Google, however, won't divulge the reason for suspending your account.
Although Google will technically inform you of the reason for the flag, such as "Suspicious Payment Activity" or "Circumventing Systems," and link you to a general policy that addresses the issue. Still, it can be very challenging to define the precise reason why your account was marked as suspicious.
The Policies That Get Flagged the Most
Though Google has many policies. we tend to encounter a select few "frequent fliers" when companies contact us for assistance with a suspension which are mostly accurate.
Unusual Payment Behavior
These are typical explanations for this suspension:
- Incorrectly entering the billing information
- Rejecting a Google charge or issuing a chargeback
- Rejecting a Google charge or issuing a chargeback
- multiple Google Ads accounts using the same payment method
Due to Google's lack of explanation for their suspicions regarding your payments, this suspension may rank among the most frustrating to deal with.
Overturning a Suspicious Payments suspension requires clarity in your appeal to Google. You need to figure out what flagged the system initially and fix the issue, and then explain in clear terms to Google what you did and why your payment method is not suspicious.
System Avoidance
What Google refers to as an "egregious" violation is breaking this policy. This implies that a Circumventing Systems suspension is more difficult to overcome than other "non-egregious" infractions
These are typical explanations for this suspension:
- Opening a new Google Ads account while your current account is suspended
- Including a redirect on your ads' landing page
- Including harmful links on your website (e.g. after a hack)
If you’re flagged for this policy, Google is essentially saying that you are trying to trick users and/or get around Google’s systems.
It’s quite usual to get unintentionally and unknowingly violate these policies. A few examples we’ve seen before are:
- Businesses that move their website to a new domain and redirect the old domain to the new site do not delete the account's advertisements that point to the old domain, however.
- Without realising that their company or website already has a Google Ads account, businesses open new accounts or hire agencies to do so.
There are many reasons why you might be flagged for Circumventing Systems. To get reinstated, you need to make sure your site is clean of redirects, provide accurate and comprehensive information about your business and pricing practices on your website, and identify and cancel other ad accounts that may be linked to the suspended account.
Discriminatory Business Practices
Google's decision to suspend your account indicates that they are suspecting your company's operating procedures or business model.
These are typical explanations for this suspension:
- Google believes that you are posing as a company other than your own.
- Numerous unfavourable reviews of your company posted on independent review websites
- If they find your advertising Misleading.
- Similar to circumventing systems, Google considers violations of the Unacceptable Business Practices policy to be "egregious."
Businesses that use brand names and logos connected to other websites run the risk of being flagged under this policy in particular.
For example
- Franchisees
- Resellers
- Authorized dealers
- Businesses with numerous websites and/or ad accounts for various regions
To get reinstated we have to figure out what is the issue Google has with the company and then lay out for Google why it isn't an issue, along with any necessary supporting documentation.
Failure of Business Operations Verification
Due to Google's global rollout of Business Operations Verification for advertisers, this has become more typical.
These are typical explanations for this suspension:
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- Not clearly addressing inquiries
- Not supplying enough supporting evidence
- Making Google uncertain about your interactions with third parties
Due to Google's ongoing changes to their appeal form and the queries they pose to businesses, this suspension reason is challenging.
You have to fill out the form very carefully and accurately to avoid causing any confusion with your responses. This can be particularly difficult for companies that don't neatly fit into the categories that Google offers (e.g. auction houses, mortgage brokers, etc.).
Counterfeit Goods
Google has a zero-tolerance policy for the distribution of fake goods via its ad network. This is an "egregious" infraction of the policy.
These are typical explanations for this suspension:
- selling branded goods (e.g. Gucci, Chanel, Louis Vuitton)
- steep discounts on the site as a whole
When it comes to getting over this suspension, documentation is essential. You must Unequivocally demonstrate to Google that you have the right to do so and that the goods you are selling are authentic if you use third-party brand names on your website. If you're selling products under your own brand, you must show Google that you are the creator of the goods and not a copycat of another company.
Suspensions for Google Merchant Center
Running Shopping campaigns requires a Google Merchant Center, so if your GMC is suspended, you will no longer be able to do so. In some cases, this will also result in the suspension of the associated Google Ads account.
There are a number of Google policies for Google Merchant Center that are self-explanatory, and for which Google will give you advanced notice of a problem you need to fix before the account will be suspended.
Examples of "plain" suspensions are as follows:
- erroneous tax information
- Inaccurate shipping costs
- insufficient checkout procedure
- The feed contains incorrect product pricing.
But in addition to those rules, there is a "Misrepresentation" rule that is frequently complicated.
Google has strict guidelines regarding the data that e-commerce companies must post on their websites and the format in which that data must be presented.
Google heavily repressed Google Merchant Centers due to the rise of con artists and poorly run drop shipping companies.
You must accurately complete the necessary policy information within Google Merchant Center as well as have clear, comprehensive policies readily accessible on your website
What Our Clients Say!
Questions and Answers Regarding Suspensions of Google Ads
You must figure out what Google has flagged as a problem, address that issue, and then send a polite and thorough appeal to Google.
That might sound simple, but since Google won’t tell you exactly what the issue is, it can actually be very challenging. StubGroup offers our experience to assist in getting legitimate advertisers reinstated because of this.
Google frequently suspends websites for competitor tactics, and while you are out of business, your competitors continue to advertise with Google.
Google’s approach to enforcing its rules can be quite erratic. Unfortunately, when you file an appeal, the justification “but my competitors are doing this” is not persuasive. Once your account has been suspended, your only task is to persuade Google that the issue has been resolved and that your account is now in compliance with Google’s policies.
It’s against Google’s policies to create a new Google Ads account as a way to get around an existing suspension.
Google is also good at connecting dots between accounts. It’s vital that you fix your current suspension, because new accounts you create that are tied back to the old account will be suspended, and taking this action will hurt your chances of having an appeal accepted.
Although there is no set limit, it seems that the more appeals you submit, the more difficult it will be to get Google to keep reviewing them.
Therefore, you must be meticulous to address all potential issues before submitting an appeal, and you must be thorough in outlining your solution in the appeal itself.
Google provides phone support for technical issues, but those agents are not part of the policy team and do not have access to information regarding the reasons behind your account’s suspension.
When checking the status of a ticket you filed or having your website checked for links that have been marked as malicious, phone support can be useful. But Google has created a wall between that team and Google partners and advertisers when it comes to decision-makers and individuals who are aware of the reasons why your account is suspended.
Because every suspension and advertiser is unique, we evaluate each suspension situation independently. Sometimes that means we have to tell you we don’t see a path forward for you to advertise with Google again. Other times the root problem is solvable and we’re able to work with you and Google to resolve Google’s concerns and get you back online.
Throughout the entire process, we will be direct and transparent with you and ask that you be the same with us. We don’t have time for advertisers who are trying to trick Google and who knowingly violate Google’s policies. But if you’re operating a legitimate business and simply need help navigating and resolving Google’s sometimes complex policy requirements, we’re here to help!