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Google’s Misleading Ad Restrictions

Google’s Misleading Ad Restrictions

Everyone is talking about Google’s Better Ads Standards and how it might affect websites. We’re here to tell you that TrafficStars has you covered. Here’s what you should do to stay compliant.

WHAT TO DO TO STAY GOOGLE COMPLIANT

If you have a lot of Google search traffic on your website and you need to take care of staying compatible with Google regulations, we have a solution for you.

Our team of compliance experts reviews every single ad to identify misleading elements and apply relevant flags to advertising campaigns, according to our interpretation of the conditions outlined by Google.

To stay Google compliant simply go to your account and untick the following flags that are not matching Google regulations.

You can do it in 1 click with the button “Google Compliant creatives only” that will automatically deselect all non-compliant flags for your advertising spot. Non-compliant flags are highlighted in red.

Google’s Misleading Ad Restrictions photo 1

By clicking this button, the following items will be automatically blocked from your ad spot:

Misleading Ads

(everything except for animated / rotating / video / site mimicking should be removed)

  • Drop down menus or check boxes

  • Microsoft Windows Fake Elements

  • Fake Disclaimer

  • Fake video players

  • Fake play button

  • Fake Download Button

  • Site mimicking (layout, logo, elements)

  • Exit Button (as this refers to "fake" exit button)

  • Closing Button (as this refers to "fake" closing button)

  • Fake calls/messages/notification

  • Features that do not work

  • Fake mouse pointer

Low Ad Quality

(“Aggressive flashing” should be removed)

  • "Aggressive Flashing" - Ads that animate and “flash” with rapidly changing background and colours

Landing Page aggressive ads

  • JS pop-ups on top of the active screen

  • Auto sound on pop-up / pop-under

  • Pre-filled SMS window on mobile devices

  • Automatic redirects to mobile marketplaces

  • Auto Redirect

We recommend you keep showing these kinds of ads on browsers that are not in “Better Ads Coalition” to increase advertisers’ competition for your traffic using the switcher “Keep showing NON-Google Compliant ads on other browsers”

Google’s Misleading Ad Restrictions photo 2

GO NATIVE

Native advertising looks like a part of the content of your website so it’s always Google compliant as there are no misleading elements. Therefore, it is less disruptive to users and goes in line with the Better Ads Experience Program.

Google’s Misleading Ad Restrictions photo 3

Video Pre-Roll Ad Format

It is important to set up a video Pre Roll ad on your website so it would stay compatible with Google regulations:

  • Length of your Video Pre-Roll ad shouldn’t be more than 30 seconds

  • Skip button (x) on the ad is obligatory

  • Skip button (x) countdown delay can be not more than 5 seconds

Full Page Interstitial Ad Format

Another full-page format that can be a good alternative to Popunder ads.

This ad format loads only by a click between two pages of the site content and is immediately dismissible by a user, which provides better user experience on the site and is not covering the actual content the user is viewing. All these settings make Full Page Interstitial compatible with Better Ads Standards.

FURTHER SUPPORT

We understand the implications of these changes to publishers, which is why we’re here to help you, every step of the way. Feel free to ask your account manager in the Intercom Chatbox on the platform or ping us at support@trafficstars.com.

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