How to Avoid Problems with Ad Moderation in Google Ads

What is moderation in Google Ads and how does it work

Let’s talk about how it really happens. Imagine you’ve prepared the perfect advertising campaign: crafted every word in the text, selected appealing images, and are confident this is your chance to succeed in the digital marketing world. And then you hit ‘Launch,’ holding your breath. And what do you get? ‘Your ad did not pass moderation.’

Yes, Google Ads has an entire army of algorithms and moderators that check every ad material, and they can’t be fooled! They, like experienced detectives, painstakingly look for the smallest violations: from incorrect keyword usage to mismatches between the image and the text. And all this is not just to create difficulties for us — but to ensure that your advertisement meets standards, does not deceive users, and does not harm the brand.

It’s important to understand that Google moderation is not just ‘yes or no,’ like in a good old exam. It’s a complex process combining automated checking and the human factor. And here’s the key to success: even if your ads didn’t pass moderation, it’s not the end. It’s a signal that some aspects need adjusting, and Google will give you a chance to do so.

Why is this important? Because, as practice shows, strict adherence to moderation rules is one of the simplest ways to get the most out of your advertising campaigns. And we’ll tell you how to achieve this!

Common mistakes leading to moderation rejection

So, you created an advertising campaign, invested loads of time, effort, and inspiration into it, hit ‘Publish’… and get rejected. The question immediately arises in your mind, ‘What didn’t they like this time?!’. Spoiler: there’s a list of typical mistakes due to which Google Ads frequently blocks ads. Let’s dissect them.

Text that contradicts rules or is misleading

Google is like a strict school teacher: it doesn’t forgive deceit. If there are promises in the ad that can’t be substantiated, or something sounds too grandiose (‘Guaranteed earnings of $1000 a day!’), the system immediately raises a red flag. Even if you didn’t intend to deceive anyone, the algorithms might decide otherwise.

What to do? Be honest and avoid loud, unfounded claims. It’s better to say: ‘The method that helped 500 clients increase revenue’ (if there is evidence).

Image does not match the content

Imagine: you are promoting an English course, and on the banner, there’s a photo from a vacation in Bali. As if after the first lesson, people are already packing their bags. This might entice someone, but Google doesn’t like such tricks. Any mismatch between the image and the text = risk of blocking.

What to do? Use only images that accurately reflect the essence of your offer.

The landing page does not match the advertisement

Google checks not only the advertisements themselves but also where they lead to. If one piece of information is promised in the ad, and another is on the site (or if the page does not open at all), moderation will not forgive such discrepancies.

What to do? Ensure the landing page content matches the ad text and that the site does not have technical issues.

Overuse of clickable words

“Buy urgently!”, “Lowest prices in history!”, “Only today, only now, only for you!”—do these headlines look suspiciously like clickbait? Google’s algorithms think so too. Excessive emotional pressure and aggressive calls to action often lead to ad rejection.

What to do? Use natural and non-intrusive calls to action: “Learn more”, “Try for free”.

Use of prohibited words

Google has a clear list of banned words. This concerns anything related to violence, fraud, alcohol, medicine (without a license), etc. Even the innocent word “magic” in the context of “magic anti-wrinkle remedy” can cause blocking, as Google considers it false information.

What to do? Always check the advertising platform’s policy on prohibited terms.

If your ad is blocked, don’t rush into panic. Most likely, the reason is one of these five mistakes. Correct them, and the ad will get the green light. In the next section, we will discuss how to avoid these problems at the campaign creation stage.

How to Avoid the Most Common Mistakes: Practical Tips

Advertising on Google Ads is like getting acquainted with a strict mother-in-law: if you do everything right, you’ll get the ‘green light’ and respect, but if you make a mistake, you’ll be explaining yourself for a long time. Google moderation operates by stringent rules, and though it sometimes seems like it disapproves ads just ‘out of spite,’ it’s a system that can spot even the smallest shortcomings. However, if you know where to dig, you can avoid most problems before they arise. So, here’s your set of ‘life jackets’ that will help avoid rejections and save time, budget, and nerves.

Think Like a Google Moderator

If you want to pass moderation on the first try, you need to learn to look at ads through Google’s eyes. Does it appear honest? Are there any inflated promises? Does the landing page match the content of the ad?

Remove ‘Red Flags’

There are a number of things that Google cannot tolerate. They were already mentioned above:

• Unrealistic promises (any ‘guarantees’ or claims without proof).
• Aggressive Call-to-Action (‘Hurry to buy in 3 seconds!’).
• Clickbait headlines (“This trick will help you earn a million!”).
• Fear manipulations (“Don’t buy—lose it all!”).

How to bypass this rule? Be specific. For example, instead of “80% discount!”, it’s better to write “Offer: save up to 80 UAH on each purchase.”

Landing Page = Your Best Friend

As previously mentioned, if the information on the landing page does not match reality or looks suspicious, rejection is guaranteed.

What to check:

• Is there clear information about the product/service on the page?
• Do the ad and page texts match?
• Does the site open quickly and correctly on mobile?

It’s not a joke, but you can receive dozens of moderation rejections due to the absence of company contact details on the site. Add a phone number and address—the ad will pass!

Check Your Images

Google is not a big fan of “creative freedom” in advertising images. If your banner looks like it was made in Paint 2003 or has too much text, there’s a chance the ad won’t be approved.

What to do:

• Use high-quality, real photos, not “stock clichés.”
• Do not add text over images (unless it’s policy-compliant).
• Avoid provocative images.

Test Until Your Eyes Hurt

One of the best strategies is to launch test campaigns with small budgets. Instead of immediately pouring thousands of hryvnias into ads, check if they pass moderation on a small sample.

How to do it:

• First, launch the ad with a minimal budget (e.g., $5).
• See if Google approves it.
• If everything is good — scale up!

Running ads on Google Ads is not a roulette game but a clear algorithm. If you think like a moderator, avoid “red flags,” and carefully check the page and visuals, you can pass moderation on the first try and not lose money on revisions.

How moderation can impact ad success (and how to use it to your advantage)

Suppose you’ve spent weeks creating an advertising campaign, thought through every detail, configured targeting, and wrote great copy. You launch it… and then Google Ads tells you, “No, thank you.” It feels discouraging, motivation disappears, and the budget burns out without yielding results. But is it really that bad? Let’s figure out how moderation can affect the success of advertising campaigns and why it should be seen not as an enemy, but as an ally.

Why moderation isn’t punishment, but a filter against “garbage”

Google Ads works not just as an advertising platform, but as a huge artificial intelligence deciding which ads people will see. Its main goal is not just to sell ad space, but to ensure users see only quality ads.

If moderation did not exist, we would all drown in ads like:

“Earn $10,000 in a day without investment!”

“A pill that makes you 20 years younger!”

“Buy one phone — get five more for free!”

Would there be customers for such ads? Maybe. But trust in the entire advertising system would be zero.

That is why Google Ads filters ads, so users see only what matches their queries, provides real value, and doesn’t look like a scam.

How this helps your business

Imagine you sell a quality product, write honestly about it in ads, and don’t use manipulative phrases. Now imagine your ad competes with some ‘black’ ads that promise nonexistent things.

If Google didn’t filter such ads, you would simply lose this battle because scammers know how to play on people’s emotions. But moderation removes all these ‘players’, leaving only real businesses in the results.

What this means for you:

• Fewer scammers = more trust in your product.
• The higher the quality of ads — the lower the cost per click.
• Your ad has a better chance to reach the top of the results.

Practical case: how moderation helped save on the budget

Situation: The company “EcoHome”, which specializes in the sale of eco-friendly home products, faced a problem with its ads being rejected in Google Ads. The main reason was the use of terms that Google considered misleading or unverified, such as ‘100% natural’ and ‘completely safe’.

Actions taken by the company:

1. Analysis of Google Ads policies: the “EcoHome” marketing team thoroughly reviewed Google Ads policies regarding advertising content, particularly sections related to misleading statements and medical claims.
2. Review and adjustment of ad texts: they replaced controversial terms with more neutral and substantiated facts. For example: instead of “100% natural,” they used “Made with natural ingredients.” Instead of “completely safe,” they wrote “Meets safety standards.”
3. Providing substantiation: to support their claims, they added links to quality certificates and results of independent tests that confirmed the safety and natural origin of their products.
4. Optimization of landing pages: the company ensured that the landing pages matched the content of the ads and included detailed information about the products, their composition, and benefits.

Result: after implementing these changes, “EcoHome” ads successfully passed moderation in Google Ads. Moreover, the updated ads showed an 18% increase in click-through rate (CTR) and a 12% increase in conversion rate over the following month.

This case underscores the importance of accuracy and transparency in advertising materials. Providing evidence for claims made and compliance with Google Ads policies not only help in passing moderation but also enhance consumer trust and the effectiveness of advertising campaigns.

How to Increase Your Ad Ranking and Lower Click Costs

Google loves quality ads, and if you follow its rules, the system rewards you. These are not just words—they are proven algorithms that work at all levels of advertising.

If your ads pass moderation on the first try and do not raise any suspicions:

1. CPC (cost per click) decreases.
2. Ads are displayed above competitors (even if their budget is higher).
3. CTR (click-through rate) increases because users trust quality ads more.

How to Create Ads That Guarantee Passing Moderation

You’re not the first, nor will you be the last, to be penalized by Google Ads with a refusal. But let’s be honest — most of the time, the reason is not that Google is ‘picky,’ but that we ourselves have not considered all the nuances. So let’s figure out how to create ads that pass moderation on the first try and save you the headache of figuring out what went wrong.

You need to not only adhere to general Google Ads guidelines, but also understand how the review system works. It’s not magic, but an algorithm with its own set of rules. To avoid unexpected rejections, we’ll explore a strategic approach to creating advertisements.

Understand the moderation logic: Google is not an evil censor, but a smart filter

Many believe that moderation is simply a list of banned words and topics. But in reality, it’s a large system working in the interest of users. Google filters out junk: fraudulent schemes, clickbait, misinformation. And if your ad triggers the slightest suspicious signal, the system stops it before it gets off the ground.

How it works:

• Automatic filter — algorithms analyze text, images, the landing page, and even your account history.
• Manual review — if something seems ‘off’, a human moderator will manually review the advertisement.
• Contextual analysis — the ad is analyzed not just by words but by content. For example, the word ‘medication’ is not banned, but if your ad promises ‘quick treatment without a license’, you’ll be immediately blocked.

Google hates manipulators — don’t be a fraud

We, marketers, love strong messages. But there is a fine line between ‘strong headline’ and ‘blatant lie’.

What Google considers manipulation:

• Unverified promises — “Earn $10,000 a month with no experience”.
• Exaggerated guarantees — “Guaranteed to get rid of wrinkles in 3 days!”
• Fake scarcity — “Last chance! Only 2 hours left before the sale closes!”

How to write correctly:

• Instead of “Drugs that destroy the virus instantly!” → “Immune support complex with proven components”.
• Instead of “Guaranteed profit!” → “A method used by 500+ entrepreneurs”.

Honesty Test: Check your landing page

Google not only reads the ad text but also checks your site. If you promise “free shipping” and there is a hidden fee on the site — you won’t pass.

What to check before launching:

1. Is there clear information about the product or service on the site?
2. Does the ad text match the page content?
3. Is there any deception? For instance, the ad mentions a 50% discount, but on the site, it’s only on one item out of 100.

If you want to pass moderation — make sure the ad and the site do not contradict each other.

Creativity is cool, but without clickbait

The visual in advertising is your chance to catch the user’s attention. But if the banner reads “DISCOUNT 90%” in red letters on a hellish background, algorithms won’t let you through.

What not to use in visuals:

• Excessive text on the image (unless it’s text advertisement).
• Manipulative images (e.g., photo of a sick person before and after treatment).
• Fake buttons (“Click here!”) that mislead.

How to do it right:

• Use high-quality images and minimal text.
• Use video if possible — it passes moderation easier than static content.

Creative should catch attention but not look like it’s trying to deceive you.

Test ads with a microbudget

You wouldn’t believe how many marketers failed at scaling campaigns without testing.

How the testing strategy works:

1. Launch test ads with a minimal budget ($5–10).
2. See if it passes moderation.
3. If all is well — increase the budget. If not — analyze the reasons and fix them.

Don’t blow the entire budget on a campaign until you verify that it will be approved by Google.

How to tame Google Ads moderation and make it your ally

Google moderation is a mechanism that filters out unfair ads and helps honest businesses gain more customers. But for this mechanism to work properly, a few important recommendations must be followed:

1. Write honest, transparent texts — without loud promises or “100% guarantees”.
2. Ensure the landing page matches the ad — if the ad promises one thing but the site delivers another, Google won’t approve.
3. Avoid manipulative CTAs — “Hurry, because everything will disappear tomorrow!” — this no longer works.
4. Ensure your visuals meet standards — no watermarks, low-quality stock images, or excessive text.
5. Test ads with small budgets — it will save you time and money.

If you follow these rules, moderation in Google Ads will not be your main headache but just another checkpoint in your checklist.

If you are rejected — what to do

Here’s how to act:

1. Check the reason for the rejection. This is obvious, but many immediately try to restart the ad without making corrections.
2. Revise the text — replace potentially “dangerous” phrases.
3. Prepare for manual moderation. Yes, sometimes algorithms make mistakes, and you can request a review.
4. Create alternative options — if the system “cuts” one option, create several backups.

Final insight: moderation — your ally, not an enemy

Consider moderation as a filter that helps improve the quality of your ads. If you work accurately, competently, and with an understanding of the rules, then:

• Ads will be more effective — people will trust them more.
• The cost per click will be lower — because Google promotes quality ads.
• You will save a lot of time — instead of endless restarts.

If you are advertising not just for the sake of it, but for results, then competent moderation is your competitive advantage.

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