You may have heard about Google’s new “three-strikes, and you’re out” policy that starts next month. We’re here to break it down for you.
What is the new policy?
Starting in September 2021, Google will issue a warning and subsequent three strikes for violations of its policies. Once you have been issued a third strike, your account will be suspended indefinitely.
Here’s how the system works:
Warning
The first instance of ad content that violates Google’s policies. No penalties beyond the removal of the ad.
First Strike
A violation of the same policy that you received a warning for within 90 days. Your account will be placed on a temporary hold for 3 days, and ads will not be permitted to run.
Second Strike
A violation of the same policy that you received a first strike for within 90 days of that strike. Your account will be placed on a temporary hold for 3 days, and ads will not be permitted to run. This will serve as your final warning for you to avoid account suspension.
Third Strike
A violation of the same policy that you received a second strike for within 90 days of that strike.
Why is Google doing this?
While ads violating these policies have been prohibited for some time, there have not been penalties in place for non-compliance. Google wants to show that they are protecting their users and taking user data security seriously. This policy aims to make advertisers accountable and ensure they are advertising correctly.
Will it affect me?
The short answer is that it won’t affect you if you don’t violate Google’s policies.
If you violate Google’s policies, you will be notified via email of these warnings and strikes. If there are no additional violations, the strikes expire after 90 days.
In addition, advertisers will still be able to appeal any enforcement decisions to Google.
How can I get ahead of it?
- Stay up to date with Google’s ad policies
- Resolve issues in 90 days - or delete your ads
- Regularly check your ad accounts
- Ensure you don’t miss notifications
If our team manage your Google Ads on your behalf, you can rest assured that we are doing everything strictly within Google’s policies. If you are managing your ads yourself, get in touch to see how we can help.