Having trouble with Facebook’s ad policy guidelines and Pixel implementation? This blog post will help you navigate and answer any questions you may come across with your Facebook and Instagram campaigns.
Ad Review
Before ads show up on Facebook or Instagram, they’re reviewed to make sure they meet FB’s Advertising Policies. Typically most ads are reviewed within 24 hours, although in some cases it may take longer.
During the ad review process, they check the ad’s images, text, targeting, and positioning, in addition to the content on the ad’s landing page. The ad may not be approved if the landing page content isn’t fully functional, doesn’t match the product/service promoted in the ad or doesn’t fully comply with FB’s Advertising Policies.
Common Ad Rejection Reasons
Personal Attributes : Ads must not contain content that asserts or implies personal attributes. This includes direct or indirect assertions or implications about a person’s race, ethnic origin, religion, beliefs, age, sexual orientation or practices, gender identity, disability, medical condition (including physical or mental health), financial status, voting status, membership in a trade union, criminal record, or name.
Personal Health: Ads must not contain “before-and-after” images or images that contain unexpected or unlikely results. Ad content must not imply or attempt to generate negative self-perception in order to promote diet, weight loss, or other health related products.
Prohibited Content Topics
- Community Standards
- Illegal Products or Services
- Discriminatory Practices
- Tobacco and Related Products
- Drugs & Drug-Related Products
- Unsafe Supplements
- Weapons, Ammunition, or Explosives
- Adult Products or Services
- Adult Content
- Third-Party Infringement
- Sensational Content
- Personal Attributes
- Misinformation
- Controversial Content
- Non-Functional Landing Page
- Cheating and Deceitful Practices
- Grammar & Profanity
- Nonexistent Functionality
- Personal Health
- Payday Loans, Paycheck Advances, and Bail Bonds
- Multilevel Marketing
- Penny Auctions
- Misleading Claims
- Low Quality or Disruptive Content
- Spyware or Malware
- Automatic Animation
- Unacceptable Business Practices
- Circumventing Systems
- Prohibited Financial Products and Services
- Sale of Body Parts
- Vaccine Discouragement
Restricted Content
- Alcohol
- Dating Services
- Online Gambling
- Online Pharmacies
- Promotion of Over-The-Counter Drugs
- Subscription Services
- Financial and Insurance products/services
- Branded Content
- Ads about Social Issues, Elections, or Politics
- Cryptocurrency Products and Services
- Drug and Alcohol Addition Treatment
- Cosmetic Procedures and Weight Loss
- Social Casino Games
Special Ad Categories
If you’re creating a campaign that includes any of the following, you must choose the category that best describes your ads. These categories apply to ads that have specific requirements in certain countries, such as authorization and “Paid for by” disclaimers for issue, electoral and political ads or limited audiences selection tools for ads about credit, employment or housing opportunities to help protect people on Facebook from unlawful discrimination.
Social Issues, Elections or Politics: Ads made by, on behalf of, or about a candidate for public office, a political figure, a political party or advocates for the outcome of an election to public office. Or, about any election, referendum, or ballot initiative, including “go out and vote” election campaigns. Ads regulated as political advertising. About social issues in any place where the ad is being placed.
Social issues are sensitive topics that are heavily debated, may influence the outcome of an election or result in/relate to existing or proposed legislation. Ads about social issues seek to influence public opinion through discussion, debate or advocacy for or against important topics, like health and civil and social rights.
Credit Opportunity: Ads that promote or directly link to a credit opportunity, including but not limited to credit card offers, auto loans, personal or business loan services, mortgage loans and long-term financing. This also includes brand ads for credit cards, regardless of a specific offer.
Employment Opportunity: Ads that promote or directly link to an employment opportunity, including but not limited to part- or full-time jobs, internships or professional certification programs. Related ads that fall within this category include promotions for job boards or fairs, aggregation services or ads detailing perks a company may provide, regardless of a specific job offer.
Housing Opportunity or Related Service: Ads that promote or directly link to a housing opportunity or related service, including but not limited to listings for the sale or rental of a home or apartment, homeowners insurance, mortgage insurance, mortgage loans, housing repairs and home equity or appraisal services. This does not include ads designed to educate consumers or housing providers about their rights and responsibilities under fair housing laws. You can include the Equal Opportunity Housing logo and slogan to help differentiate your ads as non-discriminatory.
Ad Limit
Running too many ads at once can hurt performance. Generally, when a Page runs too many ads at the same time, fewer ads exit the learning phase and more budget is spent before the delivery system has optimized performance.
For this reason, FB is implementing a limit per Page on ads running or in review. The information below applies to when ad limits take effect starting on February 16, 2021.
Since each ad’s performance improves the more it is shown, advertisers of different sizes should use different ad volumes to improve ad performance. There are four ad volume tiers to encourage advertisers of different sizes to use the ad volume per Page that optimizes their performance.
Ads that go against Facebook’s advertising policy’s will get rejected, often it’s a mistake due to FB’s review process. But other times we experience ads that may quite not be within compliance of FB’s policy’s. However, Facebook can reject ads for any reason if they feel like, as well.
What to do if your Facebook Ads get rejected
Edit the Ad: If the ad isn’t approved for not fully complying with FB’s policies, you can edit it and resubmit for review. FB refers by linking you to the policy that your ad interferes with to help better understand the issue.
Appeal the Decision: If you can’t edit the ad or if you feel it was a mistake that it wasn’t approved, a request for a review of the decision in Account Quality can be made. Typically, this process takes 24 hours but can go longer.
