Ad platforms review every ad, mostly automatically, and reject the ones that seem to break their policies. The reasons repeat across businesses, so most rejections can be avoided.
Common reasons on both platforms
- Misleading or exaggerated claims: “guaranteed results”, “lose 10 kg in a week”, or prices and offers that don’t match the landing page.
- Restricted products and services: health products, supplements, financial services, alcohol, gambling and others are restricted and may need certification or targeting limits.
- Landing page problems: a broken link, a page that doesn’t match the ad, pop-ups that block content, or a site that looks unsafe.
- Intellectual property: using another brand’s logo, trademark or copyrighted images without permission.
- Low-quality or disruptive content: fake buttons, flashing images, sensational wording.
Meta-specific points
- Personal attributes: ad text must not assert or imply things about the person seeing it, such as their health, finances or identity. “Are you struggling with debt?” is a classic rejection; “Get help with debt” is fine.
- Before-and-after images are limited for health, weight-loss and some cosmetic products.
- Special ad categories: housing, employment, credit and social issues or politics require you to declare the category, which limits targeting.
Google-specific points
- Editorial standards: excessive capitalisation, symbols and gimmicky punctuation get ads disapproved.
- Destination requirements: the final URL must work, load properly and match the ad’s display domain.
- Trademarks in ad text can be restricted if the owner has filed a complaint.
How to fix and resubmit
- Read the exact policy named in the rejection notice.
- Edit the specific part it refers to: the claim, the image, the landing page.
- If you believe the decision is wrong, request a review or appeal through the platform’s tools.
- Don’t duplicate a rejected ad unchanged; repeated rejections can affect the account. See disabled ad accounts.
Check the landing page too. Many rejections are really about the page the ad sends people to, not the ad itself.
The Content Risk Scanner can check ad text and images against platform rules before you submit, and Business Ads Management is coming soon.
Frequently asked questions
Why was my Facebook ad rejected for personal attributes?
Because the text asserts or implies something about the viewer, such as their health or finances. Rephrase it to describe your offer instead of the person.
Can I appeal a rejected ad?
Yes. Both Meta and Google let you request a review of a rejected ad from their ad tools.