Destination requirements

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We want consumers to have a good experience when they click on an ad, so ad destinations must offer unique value to users and be functional, useful, and easy to navigate.

Below are some examples of what to avoid in your ads. Learn about what happens if you violate our policies.

Destination experience

The following is not allowed:

Not allowed Destinations or content that are unnecessarily difficult or frustrating to navigate

Examples: Websites with pop-ups or interstitials that interfere with the user's ability to see the content requested; sites that disable or interfere with the browser's back button; websites that don't load quickly on most popular browsers and devices, or require download of an additional application to view the landing page (aside from common browser plug-ins)

Not allowed Links that initiate a direct download from the ad or that lead to an email address or a file

Examples: Images, video, audio, documents

Note: Pharma advertisers are allowed to use PDF landing pages. There needs to be a caveat that PDF landing pages are approved for pharmaceutical certified ads/accounts.

Not allowed Destinations that contain abusive experiences.

Examples: Websites that auto-redirect the page without user action; websites that contain ads that resemble system or site warnings or error messages.

Troubleshooter: Destination experience

  1. Find the problem. Use the policy above and additional explanations below to identify the problem.

    Pop-ups: We consider a pop-up to be any window, regardless of content, that opens in addition to the original landing page. Here are some examples:

    • Timed pop-ups
    • Self-closing pop-ups
    • Intermittent pop-ups
    • Pop-ups generated from the ad itself
    • Download pop-ups
    • Pop-unders

    We allow interstitials as long as they don't hinder a user from exiting a site. Though similar to a pop-up, an acceptable interstitial is a type of graphic that appears within the landing page instead of opening a new browser window, and it does not hinder a user exiting a site or app.

    If you don't control the functionality of your landing page, please contact your hosting provider or the owner of the website or app and ask them to remove any pop-ups from the landing page.

  2. Fix the ad's destination. If you can't fix the ad's destination, update the ad with a new destination that complies with this policy.

  3. Edit the ad. This will resubmit the ad and its destination for review.

    Most ads are reviewed within 1 business day, though some can take longer if they need a more complex review.

If your website contained abusive experiences, follow the instructions below to resolve the violation:

  1. Check the status of your site in Google Search Console.
  2. Remove any abusive experiences from your website.
  3. Follow these re-consideration guidelines.
  4. If the review shows that the website no longer contains abusive experiences, your ads will be approved to run.

If you aren't able to fix these violations, or you choose not to, please remove your ad to help prevent your account from becoming suspended in the future for having too many disapproved ads.

Insufficient original content

The following is not allowed:

Not allowed Destination content that is designed for the primary purpose of showing ads

Examples: Driving traffic (through "arbitrage" or other methods) to destinations with more ads than original content, little or no original content, or excessive advertising

Not allowed Destination content that is replicated from another source without adding value in the form of original content or additional functionality

Examples: Mirroring; framing; scraping content from another source; templates or pre-generated websites that provide duplicate content

Not allowed Destinations that are solely designed to send users elsewhere

Examples: Bridge page, doorway, gateway, other intermediate pages that are only used to link to other sites

Not allowed Using a parked domain as an ad destination

Examples: A site that is only intended to reserve a web address

Not allowed Destinations that are incomprehensible or don't make sense

Examples: Blank pages, gibberish landing page content

Troubleshooter: Insufficient original content

There are two options for resolving this violation:

  1. Fix the ad's destination. Focus on providing the user with useful, unique, and original content immediately, and don't overload the destination with ads, regardless of how relevant the ads are to your ad text. Remove all HTML framesets that copy content from domains other than the ad landing page domain. If your site or app has search functionality, make sure that the search results aren't just copied from other sites or apps. Check to see if your site's registration has expired.

    Once you've updated the destination to comply with our policies, make an edit in the ad and save it. This will resubmit the ad and its destination for review.

  2. Choose a different destination. If you can't or don't want to make changes to the destination, edit the ad's final URL to point to a different part of your website or app that does comply with the policy.

If you aren't able to fix these violations, or you choose not to, please remove your ad to help prevent your account from becoming suspended in the future for having too many disapproved ads.

Destination mismatch

The following is not allowed:

Not allowed Ads that don't accurately reflect where the user is being directed

Examples: Using the display URL "www.google.com" but leading to a landing page with the URL "www.youtube.com"; using the keyword insertion feature in the top-level or second-level domain of your display URL, such as "www.{keyword}.com"

Not allowed A domain or domain extension in the display URL that doesn't match the final and mobile URLs

Examples: Display URL: google.com and Final URL: example.com; Display URL: example.com and Final URL: example.org

Not allowed Failing to use a subdomain to clearly identify a site from all other sites hosted on that domain or from the parent domain

Example: Display URL: blogspot.com and Final URL: mycompany.blogspot.com

Note: A subdomain is not required if the domain is used exclusively by one company.

Not allowed Redirects from the final URL that take the user to a different domain

Example: The final URL http://example.com redirects to http://example2.com

Not allowed Tracking templates that don't lead to the same content as the final URL

Example: The final URL leads to a product category page, but the tracking template directs the user to a specific product page

Troubleshooter: Destination mismatch

  1. Review your URLs. The website or app shown in your ad (that's your display URL) needs to accurately show which website or app people will be taken to when they click your ad (that's your landing page). The landing page is where people actually end up after passing through any redirects associated with the destination URL, final URL, or tracking template that you set.

    Your disapproval email shows you the domain that your ad pointed to at the time of review. You can also use Search Console to check the final landing page of your URL to make sure that the resulting domain matches the domain of your display URL.

    Keyword URLs: This policy applies to keyword URLs that don't match the display URL. Learn how to edit keyword URLs.

    Tracking: A tracking parameter in the final URL can cause a destination mismatch if there is no {ignore} inserted before the tracking parameter. If you use tracking in your final URL, including dynamic ID from a third-party tracking system, you need to include {ignore} before the tracking parameter in your final URL.

    Not allowed Not allowed: http://example.com/?tracking=123&id=DynamicId

    Not allowed Allowed: http://example.com/?{ignore}tracking=123&id=DynamicId

    Tracking templates: If you need to redirect to a different domain, consider setting up a tracking template. Remember that tracking templates must lead the user to the same content as the final URL. Any difference that the tracking template introduces to the URL, including to parameters and subdomains, could lead the user to different content than the final URL.

    Changes to tracking templates at the ad, keyword or sitelink level will automatically be reviewed. But if you created the tracking template for an entire ad group, campaign, or account, you'll need to request a review once you've fixed the template.

    Proxy display URLs: Certain shopping platforms, pharmaceutical terms, resellers, and domains with inappropriate language can sometimes use a different domain in order to avoid showing the inappropriate language. Request a review to see if you qualify. Note that this option is not available for expanded text ads.

  2. Edit your URLs so that they comply with the policy.

    Once you edit and save your ad, it gets sent for review. Most ads are reviewed within 1 business day, though some can take longer if they need a more complex review. If we find that you've removed the unacceptable content from your ad and landing page, we can approve your ad to start running.

If you aren't able to fix these violations, or you choose not to, please remove your ad to help prevent your account from becoming suspended in the future for having too many disapproved ads.

If you aren't able to fix these violations, or you choose not to, please remove your ad to help prevent your account from becoming suspended in the future for having too many disapproved ads.

Destination not working

The following is not allowed:

Not allowed Destinations that don't function properly or have been incorrectly set up

Examples: A site that returns an HTTP error code, such as 403 Forbidden or 404 Not Found; a site that doesn't work in all locations or on common browsers and devices; DNS lookup errors; internal server errors; site under construction

Troubleshooter: Destination not working
  1. Check the URL that you entered. Check landing page URLs, keyword URLs, dynamic tracking URLs, and deep link URLs to make sure they are correct and don't contain typos.
  2. Fix the ad's destination. If the URL that you entered is correct, then it's possible that your site or app isn't working properly. Here are some things to check:

    Sites and apps: Your ad can't lead to an app currently under development or a website that returns an invalid HTTP status code. Even if your site loads successfully for you, it might not be loading properly in other circumstances, such as other web browsers and devices, or by the Google Ads system. Your site or app must work properly for all locations, regardless of where you're targeting your ad. Check the ad's destination on various browsers and devices to make sure that it always links to a working website or app. Apps can't be promoted in places where the application is not available for download.

    HTTP response codes: Find out which error is happening on your destination and where it occurs. Note that a specific component on your page (like Javascript) can cause an error. Here are examples of HTTP header tools that can help:

    • http://www.fiddler2.com/fiddler2
    • https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/3829/ (for Firefox)
    • https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools

    Once you know which code your landing page produces, see a definition and tips to fix each of these HTTP status codes. If you still can't identify the problem with your landing page, contact your webmaster or web hosting provider for help.

    For sites that have recently migrated from HTTP to HTTPS, you should either set up a redirect to the new HTTPS URL or update the URLs in your ads and extensions. If you don't, the URL may be inaccessible, which would result in ad or extension disapproval.

    App engagement ads: Check that you have set up your deep link URL correctly and that you are not using a third-party tracker. This is currently not supported for app engagement ads.

    App promotion ads: Ensure that any third-party trackers correctly redirect the user to the right app on the right app store.

  3. Submit the campaign for review. Once we confirm that the destination is working, we can approve your ads.
  4. If you can't fix your site or app, consider using a different destination for your ad that works. Edit your ad's final URL to point to another part of your website or app that doesn't violate our policies, then save your ad so we can review it again.
If you aren't able to fix these violations, or you choose not to, please remove your ad to help prevent your account from becoming suspended in the future for having too many disapproved ads.

Destination not crawlable

The following is not allowed:

Not allowed Destinations that are not crawlable by Google Ads

Examples: Using exclusion files (such as "robots.txt") to restrict access to an entire site or to the majority of a site; restricting crawl capacity disproportionately to the number of ads being submitted

Troubleshooter: Destination not crawlable

Check your website or app settings to make sure that you aren't blocking Google Ads from crawling your content. You can also use Google Search Console to see how to make your pages accessible and to check for crawl errors. Then, see how to fix your exclusion files.

If you're not blocking Google Ads from crawling your content, you might be inadvertently limiting efficient crawls. This is particularly likely if you have recently submitted a large volume of ads to Google. To make sure that you are not excessively restricting crawls, please check if you have set a low crawl rate in Google Search Console. If you use a click tracker for your ads, please check if that might be affecting the crawl capacity. If your website doesn't have sufficient crawl capacity, consider breaking up your ad submissions into smaller batches spread across several days.

Once you've made the necessary changes, submit the campaign for review. Once we confirm the problem has been resolved, we can approve your ads.

App or web store policy violation

The following is not allowed:

Not allowed Destinations that violate their app or web store policies

Examples: Extensions that violate Chrome Developer Program Policies or apps that violate Google Play Policies

Troubleshooter: Destination experience

For details on the violation(s), please review the notification that the app or web store (i.e., Chrome Web Store or Google Play Store) sent you. Once there is resolution with your app or web store, ad serving can resume.

Unacceptable URL

The following is not allowed:

Not allowed URLs that do not follow standard syntax

Not allowed Using an IP address as the display URL

Example: 123.45.678.90

Not allowed Display URLs that use unacceptable characters

Examples: Characters such as !, *, #, _, @

Unrecognized app

The following is not allowed:

Not allowed Apps that cannot be recognized by Google

Examples: Malformed App ID or App store, app deleted or suspended in app store

Unverified phone number

The following is not allowed in call-only ads, call extensions, and location extensions:

Not allowed Phone numbers that haven't been verified by Google

Troubleshooter: Unverified phone number

  1. Verify your phone number. There are two ways to verify a phone number:

    Display the number on your site. The phone number in your ad must be present on the website featured in your ad. This means that if the phone number appears in ads for different websites, then that phone number must appear on at least one page for each of those websites. Remember that the verification URL must have the same domain as your ad's display URL. The number must appear in text and will not meet the policy if it appears as an image. Your phone number will be more easily detected and verified if it is featured on a landing page that is visited frequently.

    Verify domain ownership. You can also verify your phone number by proving ownership of your ad's display URL domain. Do this by linking your Google Search Console and Google Ads accounts or by adding your unique Google Ads conversion tracking tag or remarketing tag to your website.

  2. Edit your location extension. If you're using a location extension, the associated phone number must follow the requirements above. There are two ways to edit your extension based on the address you want to use.

    Google My Business address: If the disapproved location is an address from Google My Business, you'll need to sign in to your Google My Business account and update your location information there, which will automatically transfer over to Google Ads. Learn how to edit a Google My Business listing.

    Manually entered address: If you manually entered the address, hover over that address and click the pencil icon to edit your location information. Review the company name and ensure you're not using an unauthorized trademark.

  3. Edit your call-only ad or call extension. Change the phone number in your ad or extension so that your ad can be approved.

    Once you edit and save your ad or extension, it's sent to us for review. Most ads are reviewed within 1 business day, though some can take longer if they need a more complex review. If we find that you've removed the unacceptable content from your ad and landing page, we can approve your ad to start running.

Unacceptable phone number

The following is not allowed in call-only ads, call extensions, and location extensions:

Not allowed Phone numbers that are inaccurate, inactive, irrelevant, or that don't connect to the advertised company.

Note: Google may occasionally place short test calls to the phone number provided in order to confirm its validity, accuracy, and relevancy, and may also record these test calls.

Not allowed Fax numbers, premium numbers, or vanity numbers

Example of premium numbers: Any number that requires additional fees or charges to complete the call, such as 1-900 numbers in the United States or 871 numbers in the United Kingdom

Example of vanity numbers: Phone numbers where numbers have been replaced by letters, such as "1-800-GOOG-411" instead of "1-800-466-4411"

Note: You can use shared cost phone numbers, but they'll show with a disclaimer stating that additional charges may apply.

Not allowed Phone numbers that are not local or domestic for the country you are targeting

Example: Using a local German number in an ad that targets Canada

Not allowed Virtual phone number services or personal numbering

Note: This service is only available in certain countries, such as the United Kingdom and Spain.

Not allowed Phone numbers that do not have an active voicemail service

Country-specific restrictions: Brazil

For phone numbers in Brazil, make sure you include a carrier code for the carrier of your choice. For example, instead of "11 5555-1234" use "0XX11 5555 1234" (where "XX" stands for the carrier code). For toll-free or shared cost numbers such as 4004 or 0800, no carrier codes are necessary.

Troubleshooter: Unacceptable phone number
  1. Fix your phone number. Provide a functional, relevant phone number that connects to the advertised company and is domestic to the country you want to target.
  2. Edit your location extension. There are two ways to edit your extension based on the address you want to use.

    Google My Business address: If the disapproved location is an address from Google My Business, you'll need to sign in to your Google My Business account and update your location information there, which will automatically transfer over to Google Ads. Learn how to edit a Google My Business listing.

    Manually entered address: If you manually entered the address, hover over that address and click the pencil icon to edit your location information. Review the company name and ensure you're not using an unauthorized trademark.

  3. Edit your call-only ad or call extension. Enter a phone number that complies with the policy.

    Once you edit and save your ad or extension, it's sent to us for review. Most ads are reviewed within 1 business day, though some can take longer if they need a more complex review. If we find that you've removed the unacceptable content from your ad and landing page, we can approve your ad to start running.

If you aren't able to fix these violations, or you choose not to, please remove your ad to help prevent your account from becoming suspended in the future for having too many disapproved ads.

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