Welcome to the digital age, where your audience is just a click away. But as anyone who has dabbled in Facebook advertising knows, not all content is created equal.
Comprehending the restrictions on what can’t be advertised on Facebook is essential not only to sidestep ad disapproval and potential blocks on your Facebook account, but also, more critically, to fine-tune and maximise the efficacy of your campaigns.
Let’s delve into 15 specific no-nos for Facebook advertising. These guidelines are critical for advertisers to maintain the integrity and user-friendliness of the platform:
1) Illegal Products or Services: Facebook doesn’t allow advertising for anything that breaks the law. This includes illegal drugs, unsafe supplements, and unauthorised streaming devices.
2) Tobacco and Related Products: This includes cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco, tobacco pipes, hookahs, hookah lounges, e-cigarettes, vaporised delivery devices, and related products.
3) Drugs and Drug-related Products: Prescription pharmaceuticals, recreational drugs, and drug paraphernalia are not allowed.
4) Unsafe Supplements: Any supplement that Facebook considers dangerous, such as anabolic steroids, chitosan, comfrey, dehydroepiandrosterone, ephedra, and human growth hormones, are not allowed.
5) Weapons, Ammunition, or Explosives: This policy includes ads for firearms, firearm parts, ammunition, paintball guns, bb guns, or other weapons, including knives, daggers, swords, bows, etc.
6) Adult Products or Services: This includes sexual enhancement products, services, or adult clubs and shows. However, family planning and contraception are allowed with restrictions.
7) Alcohol: Sales of alcohol must abide by local laws and target only people of legal drinking age. Some countries, like Norway and Russia, have further restrictions.
8) Third-Party Infringement: Any product that infringes upon the copyright, trademark, privacy, publicity, or other personal or proprietary rights of any person or entity is not allowed.
9) Sensational Content: Ads that feature shocking, sensational, disrespectful, or excessively violent content will not be approved.
10) Misinformation and False News: Ads containing deceptive, false, or misleading claims, offers, or methods are prohibited.
11) Payday Loans, Paycheck Advances, and Bail Bonds: Facebook does not allow ads promoting predatory financial services.
12) Discriminatory Practices: Ads must not discriminate or encourage discrimination against people based on personal attributes such as race, religion, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, or medical condition.
13) Surveillance Equipment: Devices used for spying, such as hidden cameras, audio recorders, or other surveillance equipment, cannot be advertised.
14) Multi-level Marketing Schemes: You can’t advertise income opportunities that are multi-level marketing schemes or that offer commissions solely for recruiting other members.
15) Cryptocurrency Products and Services: Facebook places restrictions on the advertisement of cryptocurrency products and services to prevent misleading or deceptive promotional practices.
These guidelines reinforce the importance of maintaining a safe and respectful community. Understanding and adhering to Facebook’s advertising policies is essential for a successful ad campaign.
How Does the Facebook Ad Review Process Work?
Before your ad gets in front of your target audience, it must pass through Facebook’s ad review process.
This review process is designed to ensure all ads align with Facebook’s Advertising Policies, which prioritise the safety, integrity, and respect of its global community.Every ad you submit is examined against these policies.
The review covers everything from the ad’s text and imagery to the post-click content. This includes your website’s user experience, how quickly the page loads, and whether the content is shocking, disrespectful, or excessively violent.
How Long Does Facebook Ad Review Take?
Typically, most ads are reviewed within 24 hours, but in some cases, the process may take longer.
During peak advertising periods or when launching a new campaign, the process could extend up to 48 hours.
Factors that can influence review times include ad content, the volume of ads you submit for review, and the historical performance of your account.
What To Do if Your Ad is Disapproved?
If your ad does not comply with Facebook’s Advertising Policies, it may be disapproved, but this doesn’t have to be the end of the road.
Here are the steps to take if this happens:
1) Review the Policy: Look for the disapproval reason in the ad level error message in Ads Manager. Cross-reference this with the specific policy in the Facebook Advertising Policies. Understanding the policy will prevent future disapprovals.
2) Edit Your Ad: If possible, edit your ad to make it compliant. This could involve changes to the text, image, targeting, or even landing page.
3) Request a Review: If you believe your ad was wrongly disapproved, you can request a manual review. Facebook will re-evaluate your ad, and if it complies with their policies, it will be approved.
Facebook Ads Best Practices 2023
To avoid ad disapproval and ensure a successful campaign, here are some best practices for 2023:
1) Embrace Transparency: Be clear about what you’re promoting. Misleading or “clickbait” ads are likely to be disapproved.
2) Respect User Privacy: Don’t use personal attributes to target or shame users. This includes race, religion, sexual orientation, or health conditions.
3) Prioritise High-Quality Content: Use high-quality images and text without spelling or grammar errors. An ad that looks and reads professionally will be more successful and less likely to be disapproved.
4) Understand Prohibited Content: Familiarise yourself with the type of content Facebook prohibits. This includes ads promoting illegal products or services, adult content, harmful or unsafe supplements, or third-party infringement.
5) Focus on Positive User Experience: Ads that lead to websites with disruptive or poor user experiences may be disapproved. Make sure your landing page is mobile-friendly, fast-loading, and free from disruptive pop-ups.
Key Takeaways
Understanding the Facebook ad review process and prohibited content can help streamline your marketing efforts and avoid unnecessary delays.
By respecting Facebook’s guidelines and focusing on creating high-quality, relevant ads, you can successfully navigate the Facebook advertising landscape.
At Owendenny Digital, we are dedicated to helping SaaS CEOs and CMOs like yourself understand the intricacies of Facebook Advertising and achieve marketing success. Get in touch today and let’s start crafting your high-performance, compliant Facebook ads campaign.
