Google Ads is one of the popular forms of advertising due to its high conversion rate and reasonable cost. However, Google has strict regulations in advertising policies that require advertisers to comply with to create the best experience for users and create a healthy and fair advertising environment. As an advertiser, if you want to deploy successful advertising campaigns, you need to understand the banned keywords on Google. Optimal Agency will provide useful information on this issue in the article.
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Why are there banned keywords on Google?
Any advertising platform has its regulations and policies that advertisers need to comply with if they want to deploy successful advertising campaigns. One of them is the list of banned keywords in Google Ads. The reason why Google bans these keywords is because:
Protect users
The world’s largest search engine always aims to bring the best experience to users. Therefore, Google has banned some keywords related to counterfeit, fake, and poor-quality goods that can deceive consumers and cause negative consequences for them to protect users. Google always wants all users to have a positive and safe experience on its platform. Therefore, providing a list of banned keywords is an effective solution to ensure trust and reputation on Google.
Comply with the law
Every business needs to comply with the regulations and laws in each country in which they operate. When running ads on Google, advertisers not only need to comply with the platform’s policies but also need to comply with the provisions of the law. Advertisers need to understand and avoid using prohibited keywords on Google as a way to demonstrate compliance with the law and advertising policies of the platform.
Creating a safe and healthy advertising environment
Google always wants to create a positive and trustworthy advertising environment for all users. Using keywords related to reactionary content, inciting violence, or boycotting to create controversy and dissatisfaction for users will be prohibited by Google. Because this giant wants to ensure that all ads displayed on its platform are positive and do not harm users.
Brand protection
Many businesses selling counterfeit, fake, and poor-quality goods have illegally used brand keywords in Google ads to increase product prices, misleading customers about product quality. This not only violates intellectual property rights but also violates Google’s advertising policies. This violation not only damages the reputation of the brand. Google has a policy to protect intellectual property rights and does not allow unauthorized use of keywords related to registered brands.
Avoid abuse of the advertising system
Some advertisers use irrelevant or uninformative keywords in Google ads, affecting the user experience. At the same time, this also affects the effectiveness of the advertising campaign. Because for ads to be displayed on Google depends on many factors, including the quality of the ad. Therefore, banning some keywords in Google Ads is a measure to prevent abuse of this system.
Protect the rights of advertisers
You need to use the right keywords to make ads on Google appear to the right target audience. Using keywords that are not relevant to the audience or that are not suitable for the ad content can reduce the effectiveness of the campaign. Therefore, Google has issued a policy to ban these keywords to protect the interests of advertisers.
Latest banned keywords on Google that you need to know
Brand keywords
With brand keywords, you can reach people who know and are interested in the brand. It helps raise brand awareness and expand the potential customer base. However, when running Google ads, brand keywords are banned and the ad group is for counterfeit and fake items. There are many ads containing trademarks or logos that are identical or difficult to distinguish from other items, imitating the brand’s characteristics or impersonating the brand’s ownership.
This seriously affects the reputation of the brand as well as causing counterfeit and fake goods to flood the market, so Google prohibits it. If you are a representative of the brand, you need to provide all relevant documents and certificates that Google requires to freely use the brand name. Compliance with this policy ensures the business’s interests and reputation and brings users the best experience.
Content about tobacco and related products
Tobacco and similar products seriously affect people’s physical and mental health. Google always wants to create a positive and safe experience on its platform. Therefore, advertising tobacco and related products is not allowed on Google. Therefore, keywords related to tobacco and similar products are not allowed in Google Ads.
Keywords about recreational drugs
Advertising content containing keywords introducing or promoting recreational drugs or products that change people’s emotions, feelings, and spirit for buying and selling, or encouraging the use of recreational drugs is also prohibited by Google. You should avoid using keywords such as crystal meth, heroin, marijuana, pipes, cocaine, etc. because it will cause the ad sample on Google to not be approved.
Keywords about weapons and explosives
According to Google’s policy, ads about weapons such as knives and swords that can injure opponents in combat, sports, or self-defense are not allowed. Ads related to how to assemble and purchase items are also considered violations. Keywords such as switchblades, daggers, combat knives, military knives, sword sticks, etc., if used, will cause the ad to be rejected.
In addition, Google also prohibits the use of keywords related to explosives in ads. Because explosives are included in the list of dangerous products that cause damage to people and property. Ads containing keywords related to explosives will not be distributed on Google Ads.
Sexual or violent words
These offensive words bring discomfort and discomfort to users because they incite violence or affect the mental health of users. Google has banned the use of these words. If you run Google ads using these words, your ads will not be approved.
Racist or religiously discriminatory words
Google prohibits racist or religiously discriminatory words because they will cause pain and suffering to users. At the same time, it will create a hostile, unfriendly environment for users. Everyone in the world has the right to equality and to be treated fairly and respectfully. Google prohibits racist and religiously discriminatory words when running ads to create a safe environment for users.
Political words
Each country in the world has its political regulations and institutions. Politics is a sensitive issue related to many other issues. Google prohibits the use of political keywords to comply with the law. Moreover, this platform always wants to ensure that ads are safe and healthy for all users.
Restricted content on Google Ads
In addition to understanding the keywords that are prohibited on Google, you also need to learn about the restricted content in Google Ads:
Pornographic content
Advertisements about sex toys, stripping, sex, arousal, etc. will be restricted from targeting minors. Depending on the specific legal regulations of each country, ads will be distributed to meet legal requirements.
Advertisements about alcoholic beverages
Alcoholic beverages can only be advertised in certain countries. In countries where Google does not allow ads, ads will be rejected. Running ads with alcoholic beverages must fully comply with the platform’s policies and regulations of the country where the ads are running.
Health and medicine content
Advertisements about medicine and health must meet industry standards and legal regulations. Therefore, some ads will be banned or need to meet the necessary documents as required by Google.
Content on financial services
Financial services are often associated with fraudulent and fraudulent actions, so to ensure transparency, advertising content related to these services will be limited. At the same time, advertising must comply with strict requirements on compliance with legal regulations.
Notes when choosing keywords to run Google Ads
Keywords will affect the quality score index or Google Ads advertising ranking factor. Therefore, when choosing keywords in Google Ads, you need to ensure full compliance with the platform’s policies. In addition, you need to clearly understand the prohibited or restricted content in Google Ads policies to avoid violations to help ads get approved quickly. Therefore, you need to understand Google Ads advertising policies to avoid unnecessary violations.
To improve the quality score of your ad, you need to choose keywords that are relevant to the ad and landing page. The ad content must meet the search needs of users to increase conversions at the most optimal cost. You can use tools such as Google Keywords Planner, Keywordtool.io, … to find keywords quickly and accurately.
With the banned keywords on Google that we have shared above, you have somewhat understood the advertising policy of the platform. From there, ensure full compliance with advertising regulations and legal regulations so that Google Ads campaigns achieve the best results!
You may be interested in:
- Steps to create a Google Search ads campaign
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Frequently asked questions
If you use banned keywords in Google ads, the ad will take a long time to approve or even be rejected immediately. Even when the ad is active, it is still reviewed and if a violation is detected, the ad will not be displayed or removed. More seriously, if the advertiser makes a serious error or violates multiple times, the advertising account will be disabled. The possibility of successfully resisting a policy-violating advertising account is very low.
In case you violate the error of using banned keywords and the ad is not approved. Change the content of your post, removing the prohibited words and replacing them with appropriate words that comply with the policy. Additionally, if you believe Google’s decision was made in error, you can file an appeal requesting the platform to reconsider.
