Forbidden Content
Last updated
Last updated
To ensure a healthy, fair, and safe social media landscape, all the big platforms enforce their ad policies rigidly.
Any ad they perceive to be in breach with their policies will automatically, and instantly, be rejected and disabled. If that happens, your only option is to edit the ad in question and add content that complies with the policies.
The ad policies can sometimes be too restrictive. Their enforcement can be perceived as arbitrary and unjust. Content that you see as completely harmless is rejected, and you don't understand why. This is in large because of the review process they apply. First, each ad is scanned by the platforms' AI tools. Second, if the AI finds any content suspicious, a person will review it. However, this person might be from a different part of the world and doesn't have any topical or cultural context to judge your ad's content. Each social media platform applies the principle of "Better to convict than to acquit".
It is always your responsibility to comply with each policy. However, Adway has put together this page as a guide to avoid the most common pitfalls.
To review the policies in full, please use the links below:
Non-existent Functionality Ads must not contain images with non-existent functionality. This includes imagery that replicates play buttons, hyperlinks, notifications or checkboxes, as well as ads containing features that do not work, such as multiple choice options in the ad creative itself.
In the example on the right, the issue isn't with the call-to-action (CTA) itself; rather, it's that it resembles a clickable button. Conversely, the left-hand example also features a CTA, "Join our team!", but it seamlessly integrates with the overall design. Logos containing arrows can be problematic. If your company logo contains anything that could ressemble an arrow, Adway recommends that you do not use it.
External logos Including external logos to highlight your company's awards should be avoided. Social media platforms cannot verify whether your organization is legitimately entitled to use such logos, and will assume you are attempting to leverage another's reputation.
Sensitive Industries
Certain industries, such as pharmaceuticals, tobacco, alcohol, gambling, and cosmetics/beauty, are considered sensitive. As such, both copywriting and imagery are prone to rejection. When recruiting talent in these fields, it's recommended to thoroughly edit any imagery before use, or alternatively, choose a different style for your image repository.
Sustainability Don’t write anything related to sustainability. Whether you’re referring to environmental, social, or economic sustainability doesn’t matter. Sustainability as a topic should be avoided. "Sustainability" and "Renewable" as words are considered "Political", and you need a special permit to run political ads.
Work from home Even if you offer remote roles you should avoid mentioning that in yor social media ads. Ads with such phrases often fall under same umbrella as "get-rick-quick-schemes".
Age, sex, origin, preference and identity Even if you write the content with the best of intentions, it might be picked up as discriminatory. Avoid any references to the above.
Personal & physical attributes Don’t mention personal attributes. Examples of words to avoid: “You/your”, “grow”, “Stress”, “others”, “happy”, “sad”, "smile". E.g. phrases such as "Do you want to go to work with a smile on your face?" or "Do you want to grow with us?" could be interpreted as references to a person's physical attributes, and content must not imply or attempt to generate negative self-perception in order to promote diet, weight loss, or other health-related products.
