3 Surprising Reasons Your Facebook or Instagram Ad Will Be Flagged as a Policy Violation & How to Appeal It
Why Following Facebook Ad Policy Is Important
If your ads don’t comply with Facebook’s ad policy, your ads won’t be allowed to run on Facebook. If your ads aren’t running, you’re not making any revenue. Not to mention if your ads are continually rejected by Facebook for breaking ad policy, you run the risk of Facebook completely disabling your ad account.
While some ad policies seem obvious (no weapons, drugs, or adult services) other ads frequently stump advertisers. There are 3 specific ad policies that we see brands struggle with the most.
- Ad Copy and Image Text
- Personal Attributes
- Adult Content
1. Too Much Text in an Image
When it comes to ad copy Facebook has a few very strict policies. Facebook forbids both profanity and insinuated profanity. For example altered curse words such as “sh*t” or “f!ck” will not be approved. Facebook also flags grammatical errors. If your posts consistently feature misspelled words or glaring grammatical errors expect an email notifying you of your ads disproval.
A common mistake we notice is the use of excessive text on the image itself. When launching a new product or starting a sale, it’s tempting to pack your photo with big and bold copy informing users of important details. However, save the details for the ad copy not your photo! Facebook will not allow ads containing over 20% of text to run. Ads that feature less than 20% text will run, but can still have their reach dampened if Facebook finds the percentage of text to still be distracting.
Fortunately Facebook provides an easy way for you to check if your image will pass the text approval process. We highly recommend visiting https://www.facebook.com/ads/tools/text_overlay prior to launching ads that feature text to ensure your ads are compliant with Facebook’s ad policy.
2. Referring to the User’s Personal Attributes
Facebook’s personal attributes policy frequently confuses advertisers. In short, your ad can not insinuate any characteristic of the user who may engage with your ad. For example, if you’re advertising an exclusive Yoga for Moms event your ad can say “Join us at Yoga For Moms” but can not say “Meet other Moms at Yoga For Moms.”
The easiest way to determine if your copy is following this policy is to ask yourself if your ad copy forces your customer to identify something about themself. Personal information may include but is not limited to, the users age, race, religion, sexual orientation, weight and financial status.
3. Adult Content – Real or Implied
You may find that Facebook’s adult content policy violation is even more stringent than the adult content policies typically enforced on basic cable. Images that feature implied nudity, feature “excessive skin” or show anyone in a position that can be interpreted as suggestive are not compliant with Facebook’s ad policy.
This policy can be especially difficult for swimsuit companies, underwear brands and other products that require featuring partially clothed models.
When walking the line there are two things you should always keep in mind. First and foremost, is it clear the model is wearing clothing? Even a photo of a woman completely submerged a in a bubble bath with only her head in view will be rejected if it isn’t 100% clear that she’s wearing a swim suit.
You should also determine if the model is in a suggestive position. If an image looks questionable to you, Facebook will likely reject the post. However, if you find your ad has been rejected and you’re positive it’s Facebook compliant you’re not out of luck! There are steps you can take to get your ad back in the game.
How to Appeal Rejected Ads
If your ad has been rejected you have two options: edit your ad or appeal your ad rejection.
If your ad has been rejected you’ll receive an email notification that will direct you back to the ads manager where you can view the reason your ad was not approved. If you find that your ad has broken Facebook policy you are welcome to edit your ad and resubmit it for approval.
However, sometimes you’ll find that your ad has been rejected when it definitely complies with Facebook policy. Most ads are not reviewed by human eyes so incorrect ad rejections occur often. If you fall victim to this you can always reach out to a DRM team member who can work directly with Facebook to appeal the ad for you. You can also submit an appeal for approval on your own by completing the form here: https://www.facebook.com/help/contact/1582364792025146/.
