Have your Facebook ads ever been rejected? Disapproved ads can be troublesome if Facebook Ads is your only source of sales and traffic. You have created the ads for your online business. Designed the creatives, wrote, and wrote until your ad copy is perfect. Everything seemed perfect. But when you submitted your ad to Facebook for review, it states your ad has been disapproved.
Rejected Facebook Ads campaigns can reduce your topline revenue. Your campaigns will not generate traffic or attract potential customers until you resolve the issues with your ads. Or worse, you may find your online business at a dead end.
The emotional shock can be unbearable when your promotional efforts are wasted. But don’t worry! It’s not the end of the world because you can adjust the way you run your ads so that they will not get rejected… again.
In this article, you will learn the common reasons why Facebook ads get disapproved. And we will give you some tips on how to avoid the rejection of your ads. The goal is to help you get more ads approved and grow your business in the long run.
Why Your Facebook Ads Were Not Approved?
There are several reasons for your Facebook ads to be rejected. Sometimes, your ads can be rejected by Facebook algorithms automatically, and you may be able to appeal and have them restored. But if you actually did not comply with Facebook’s policy, the same ads will be banned by Facebook’s human moderators the second time. Repeated offenses will most likely lead to your ad account being terminated, prohibiting you from running any Facebook ads.
Here are the 5 most common reasons for Facebook ads being rejected:
1. Your ad is promoting prohibited products
Advertising prohibited products on Facebook is the most common reason for ad rejection. The Facebook Commerce Policies state that advertisers must follow the guidelines before selling on the platform. Doing otherwise can result in various consequences, including the rejection of your advertisement.
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Violating Facebook’s Commerce Policies
There are product categories from the Facebook Commerce Policies that are prohibited on the platform. These categories include but are not limited to: weapons, ammunition, explosives, unsafe supplements, surveillance equipment, health products, cryptocurrency, adult products and services, and the like.
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Violating Facebook’s COVID-19 Policy
Advertisements that exploit an emerging crisis and controversial political or social issues can be subject to rejecting and banning the ads. During this time of the pandemic, Facebook released an advertising policy about COVID-19. The policy states that ads would be prohibited if they use the public health crisis to incite fear and create a sense of urgency or if the ad overstates the impact of these products on their health, safety, or prevention outcomes.
Writing copies like “COVID-19 IS ON THE RISE! Buy our masks today and stay protected” can lead your ad to be rejected. It has blatantly violated the policy. Writing misleading claims about the product you sell is also the primary cause why you end up getting your ads disapproved. Here’s an example: “Buy our facemask today and stay protected for months… GUARANTEED!”
2. There are issues with your ad copies
Facebook cares about its user experience with the content promoted on its platform. They do not want your ads to look spammy. Poorly written ads will not only make you look spammy, but it will also make you sound unprofessional. Here are the factors you should look out for when writing your ad copy:
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Assuming your target audience’s personal attribute
If your ad copies contain sensitive questions and assumptions about your target audience, Facebook will most likely deny your ads. Facebook does not allow you to tell right in the face of your audiences that you are targeting them. Quotes like “Are you a cancer survivor?” or “Meet other black singles near you!” can feel like an invasion of your audience’s privacy, which is something Facebook strives to protect.
According to Facebook, personal attributes may include “race, ethnic origin, religion, beliefs, age, sexual orientation or practices, gender identity, disability, medical condition (including physical or mental health), financial status, membership in a trade union, criminal record, or name.”
3. There are issues with your ad creatives
Facebook is very particular when it comes to creative content published on the platform. Here are some of the most common mistakes advertisers make with their ads creatives: Facebook is very particular when it comes to creative content published on the platform. Here are some of the most common mistakes advertisers make with their ads creatives:
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Usage of “before and after” comparison
You most probably have seen magazine ads showing before and after an overweight person getting slimmer or a thin man getting buffed after taking supplements. This approach is actually considered misleading and not allowed on Facebook. Instead of using side by side comparison of the before and after effect, try to use other more creative ways to convey the effect of your product. Chat with us and find out more!
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Making disruptive video ads
Using a promotional video with elements that are overly stimulating to the eyes can be denied by Facebook. Videos with an intense flashing of lights, optical illusions, or ever-changing neon colors can be painful to the eyes. They may trigger sickness like vertigo, lightheadedness, and dizziness that are discouraged by Facebook.
Facebook also, does not allow advertisers to use graphic contents or videos that are exclusively targeting adult viewers. This content may include but not limited to drugs, sex, alcohol, abuse, crime, etc.
Misusing Facebook Brand
You can use the word “Facebook” in your ad creatives. You can even use the Facebook logo. But you have to be extra careful while using the Facebook brand. You can promote a Facebook page, event, group, but you can’t advertise it in a way that makes Facebook the most noticeable aspect in your ad. Here are tips on how to properly use the Facebook brand.
The Word “Facebook”
– Capitalize the word “Facebook” since it is a proper noun. You are not allowed to write the brand in lowercase “facebook,” or in uppercase “FACEBOOK.”
– Write the full brand name in your copy. It is advisable to write the word “Facebook.” Not “FaceB,” “FBook,” or “FB” to clear things out to your audiences.
– Use the word “Facebook” as a singular noun. Do not use it as a plural form: “Facebooks” since the platform is considered as one entity.
– Same font size and font style as the text around it. Do not bold or italicize the word “Facebook” in your copy to make it stand out.
Facebook Logo
– Use the standard Facebook logo for your ads
Source: https://en.facebookbrand.com/facebookapp/
– Don’t use the Facebook corporate logo
Source: https://en.facebookbrand.com/facebookcompany/
Facebook Brand
– Don’t change any Facebook brand assets you’re using from their original design
– You can’t use Facebook as the main focus of the ad
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Using of irrelevant Images
Your advertisement should be relatable and relevant to the audience you are targeting. Every detail and element you include in your ad images must relate to the overall theme of the product or services.
Advertisers must ensure that the claims and facts they have inserted in the image must be accurate and non-misleading.
For example, you are selling detergent soap. Laundry soaps are normally used for clothes. Obviously, you cannot just use images of happy women scrubbing their faces with bubbles since it defeats the purpose of laundry soap. Facebook will take this ad down for being irrelevant and misleading.
4. There are issues with your landing page
The landing page is as important as your ad creatives. It is where the conversion takes place and where you show off the features and benefits of your product and service. If your landing page violates even one Facebook ad policy, your ad will have a great chance of being rejected. The landing page is as important as your ad creatives. It is where the conversion takes place and where you show off the features and benefits of your product and service. If your landing page violates even one Facebook ad policy, your ad will have a great chance of being rejected.
According to the Facebook Policy on Non-Functional Landing Pages, here are the factors that can lead to rejected ads:
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Error pages or sites that are under construction
Utilizing landing pages with visible errors like unfinished media elements, loading problems, broken links will cause your ads to be rejected.
The usage of broken landing pages may not only affect the user experience, but it can also hurt your wallet. After all, you will still need to pay for the ads, even when they are not converting due to broken links.
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Landing pages that are PDF or JPEG files
Using PDF or JPEG files makes no sense to your campaign since there will be no conversion in a static image. No clickable buttons. No forms to fill. Just images. As discussed above, it will only affect the users’ experience and increase the drop-off rate.
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Landing pages that don’t match the product or service promoted in the ad
Directing people to irrelevant content or an unexpected landing page can be confusing to your audience. This is the most common mistake advertisers do that leads their ads to be rejected.
Facebook is preventing this event from happening on their platform because it ruins the users’ experience. They don’t want their users to feel like they are cheated or misled into clicking on ads.
For example, you are selling a pair of white running shoes for men. When the users click the link, it redirects them to a page for high-heel shoes for women. It really is confusing for the users and will leave your page with no conversion at all.
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Landing pages that automatically download files to a person’s computer
This approach is often associated with viruses which put computers at risk. Facebook cares about online security and therefore would reject ads that automatically download files on the landing page.
So if your product is a file to be downloaded, the best way to do it would be to trigger the download only after the user has clicked a button or submitted a form. With the tracking set up, you can track the conversion in Facebook Ads Manager too. Talk to us if you need help with that.
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Landing pages that require you to download additional programs or software to access the content on the page
It always comes back to user experience and how it will increase the drop-off rate of your campaign. Requiring additional programs or software can only lower your conversion rate since it slows your audience from converting on your page. Filling up the forms can be time-consuming for them, how much more if they have to download and set up programs before they convert.
You also can’t link to a file that requires additional software to view the content you are promoting.
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Sending people to www.facebook.com
Redirecting people to the home page of Facebook does not make any benefit to you and your ads campaign. You will not get the conversion you are aiming for and it will just leave your audience in confusion and might report your ads for using non-functional links.
Tips on How to Prevent Your Ads from Being Rejected
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Make sure the product you sell complies with Facebook’s Ad Policy
As an advertiser, you need to comply with the guidelines and policies on the platform you are promoting on. Facebook has provided a set of commerce policies for Facebook Ad and you need to adhere to these to keep your advertisement live and running.
Products like pharmaceutical, alcohol, and adult products fall under the restricted category on Facebook. But it doesn’t mean you cannot advertise them. Actually, you can promote them, but there are restrictions or rules you need to apply so you can sell these categories on Facebook.
For example, you are selling products under the alcohol category. You can only promote products or equipment that are used for drinking such as shot glass, wine glass, corkscrew, etc. You are not allowed to sell beverages that are intoxicating or anything with alcohol content.
You are also allowed to sell products under the adult category. Consider that this type of product only focuses on the contraceptive features and not on sexual pleasure. You cannot sell genitilla enhancers or sex toys, but you are allowed to sell condoms and birth control pills.
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Ensure that the advertisement meets the Facebook Community Standards
In creating your copies and creatives for your advertisement, you need to consider if you have met the Facebook Community Standards. You need to make sure that the campaign you run is not any violent and criminal behavior, self-harm, graphic and sexual content, or misleading claims.
Consecutive and repeated violations of the Facebook Community Standards may not only prohibit you from advertising, but it also rejects and bans you from advertising on the platform. So maybe it’s time to check your account and see if you have any unresolved violations from the past.
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Follow the best practices in creating Facebook ad copies
Setting up a Facebook advertisement needs money to run your ad, so you need to make sure that the ad copy does its job to bring back the expenses you have spent. Facebook provided an ad copy cheat sheet for you to follow for your business.
Basically, Facebook recommends you to:
- Marry your text to your creatives
- Create different ads for different target
- Communicate to your audience
- Standout and be recognizable
- Keep your copy short and sweet
- Stick to one call-to-action
- Mention price on your copy (when appropriate)
- Add a sense of urgency
Conclusion
With Facebook Ads, minor ad rejections may cost you precious time and money. Repeated violations will leave a negative score on your ad account, leading to account termination and impact your business tremendously. Try to avoid the common pitfalls of Facebook ad rejections above, so you will not have your ads disapproved again. After all, following these guidelines will improve your ads, get better sales, and help you build trust with your target audience.
If you are still unsure how to fix rejected Facebook ads and adhere to Facebook Policy, BOOST is the best digital marketing team you can trust. Contact us and get the most out of your advertising efforts.
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