Overview
Google Ads may disapprove campaigns if they believe your website or ads misrepresent information or mislead users.
This doesn’t always mean your business is untrustworthy — but something on your site or in your ads is not meeting Google’s trust and transparency standards.
Misrepresentation falls under Google’s Unacceptable Business Practices policies. In serious cases, violations can result in account suspension without warning.
Common causes include:
Missing or hidden business details – No visible contact email, phone, or physical address.
Incomplete or inaccessible policy pages – Privacy, Return/Refund, Terms & Conditions, or Shipping policies are missing.
Discrepancies between ads, feeds, and site – Product title, price, or availability doesn’t match across Google Ads, Merchant Center, and your site.
Unsubstantiated claims – “#1 in the world” or “guaranteed results” without proof.
Technical issues – Broken pages, 404/500 errors, or blocking Googlebot/geo-restrictions.
False affiliation or impersonation (2024 update) – Suggesting a link to a public figure, brand, or organization without authorization.
Sub-Policies & Related Rules
Unreliable claims – Unsupported or exaggerated performance claims.
Misleading ad design – Ads formatted to look like system warnings or unrelated content or the images are stock images or found on other URLs.
Dishonest pricing practices – Hidden fees or unclear recurring charges.
🔗 See full details: Google Ads Policy Update – Dishonest Pricing Practices (Effective October 2025)
🚫 What Is a “Misrepresentation” Disapproval?
Google’s disapproval for misrepresentation can lead to the immediate suspension of campaigns. If this occurs, campaigns will be canceled, and no further billing will be conducted. Ensuring compliance with Google's policies is essential to prevent disruptions.
This policy is designed to protect users from misleading or deceptive websites. Google may flag your site if:
Key business or policy information is missing or hard to find
Product data doesn’t match your ads or feeds
Promotions are false or unavailable
The site is broken or inaccessible in some regions
Step-by-Step Checklist to Review
1. Clearly identify your business
Make sure your site includes:
Your business name and logo
A working contact email and/or phone number
A physical address (if applicable)
A visible contact form
💡 Place these details in a consistent location like the header, footer, or “Contact Us” page.
2. Include standard policy pages
Your website should publish and link to the following pages:
Privacy Policy
Return & Refund Policy
Shipping Policy (if applicable)
Terms & Conditions
These should be easily visible and accessible from every page — ideally in your footer. Ensure they are not blocked or region-restricted.
3. Match your product listings and promotions
If you’re using Google Shopping or Merchant Center, the information on your website must exactly match what’s in your feed:
Product titles and descriptions
Pricing, discounts, and availability
Product images and variants
🛑 Avoid mismatches — for example, promoting “Free Shipping” on your site when it is not associated to your products in your catalog. If promotions are listed (e.g. “Free Shipping,” “BOGO”), they must be honored and visible.
4. Use accurate and supportable claims
Avoid exaggerated or unverifiable statements such as:
“#1 in the world” or “guaranteed results”
Customer reviews making extreme or unproven claims
Health, financial, or performance promises without documentation
💡 Stick to honest, clearly explained benefits — and back up any strong claims with certifications or disclaimers.
5. Fix technical or accessibility issues
If Google cannot access or load your website reliably, it may trigger disapproval regardless of content.
Ensure that:
Pages do not return 500 (server) or 404 (missing) errors
The site loads consistently and quickly across regions
No geolocation/IP blocks prevent access from Googlebot.
Robots.txt and other settings allow Google to crawl key pages -
Address "Missing AdWords Link" notifications for Shopping Ads campaigns if applicable.
Know that this linkage is optional for Google Product Listings campaigns.
🛠 Tools to help:
💡 Google’s automated systems may disapprove your site if it experiences downtime or inconsistent performance.
🛠 Example: What Might Be Flagged
We’ve seen merchants flagged for issues like:
Homepage returning a 500 internal server error
No listed business contact information
Promotions shown in ads that aren’t honored on the landing page
While these issues don’t guarantee disapproval, they commonly contribute to it. Addressing them may improve your chances of passing Google’s review.
💡 Quick Reference Checklist
Area | What to Check |
Business Identity | Clear name, logo, contact info, address |
Policy Pages | Refund, privacy, shipping, and terms visible |
Product Feed Match | Titles, prices, promos match the live website |
Honest Claims | No unsubstantiated or exaggerated claims |
Site Functionality | No server errors, fast load, global access |
Crawlability | Googlebot can reach all key pages |
🧾 Important Reminder
If your campaigns are suspended or canceled, review the possible reasons in your Google Ads account and ensure all required updates are made before submitting an appeal. Campaign suspension prohibits ad serving until Google approves your account upon review.
Making these updates does not guarantee that your account will be reinstated. These are best practices and recommendations to help you meet Google’s expectations. Only Google can evaluate and lift a disapproval after you let us know all of the above has been reviewed, and we submit an appeal.
💬 Need guidance?
If you’re not sure where to begin or have questions about the items above, feel free to contact us. While we can’t overturn Google’s decision, we can help you review your setup before you submit an appeal.