A few weeks ago, Atria discussed the importance of well-formed landing pages – how you must keep your websites in good order so your marketing campaigns will have a better chance of generating traffic. If you haven’t done so already, please click the link above and take a minute to read that post.

As it says near the end, there are some restrictions you will need to consider when building your ads and streamlining your landing pages. Adwords follows a number of specific policies that determine what type of content is acceptable on the Google Network. These policies, in general, define prohibited content, prohibited practices, restricted content, and editorial and technical standards – all which try to make the user experience consistent and pleasurable for everyone.

Although this may seem boring at first, you will want to pay close attention because these content restrictions determine how your ads rank and if they are displayed at all. Playing within the rules is necessary for your success as a marketer who uses Adwords; playing outside those rules could keep you entirely out of the game.

Prohibited Content

First, note that Adwords does not allow you to sell or promote counterfeit goods. It also forbids the advertisement of products that could be dangerous to the self or others – products such as drugs or weapons. Adwords forbids the promotion of dishonest behavior, such as fake document creation or hacking instructions. It also takes a stance against offensive content such as that containing hate speech or “content that’s likely to shock or disgust.”

Prohibited Practices

It largely goes without saying, but Adwords also prohibits any abuse of its network. Abuse can manifest in many ways, including as malicious ads or applications that hide IP addresses or send users to unwanted destinations. Marketers are also expected to handle sensitive user data with care by using secure networks and not misleading the public. Marketers should be straightforward with customers and represent their businesses in ways that are honest.

Restricted Content

Certain content is allowed in the Adwords network only on a limited basis. Your business may want to note that the promotion of adult-oriented content, alcoholic beverages, copyrighted or trademarked content, gambling-oriented content, or political or healthcare information could be subject to such restrictions. Not

everything in those categories may be suitable for all audiences, so to avoid stepping over legal or cultural bounds, Google may save this type of material for specific viewers.

Editorial Guidelines

Finally, as it relates to all content, you should remember to stick to editorial and technical standards that make your ads look good and keep Adwords functioning as a savory place for advertisement. Promotions of sites should be specific and honest about where users will land, such as a link to “Google.com” actually taking them to the Google home page. You will want to make your ads look as professional as possible by avoiding letter substitutions, like “fr$$” for “free.” And in general, the best landing pages are the ones that work well on all browsers and provide content that accurately represents your business.

These guidelines are not meant to scare you away. You should simply be aware of their existence because, of course, it’s always good to put your best foot forward. For a more detailed explanation of the rules, you can visit the Adwords policies page.

Professionals at Atria know how to navigate these rules and make your campaigns shine. Check out our services here, and schedule a consultation today.