If your ads aren't being approved on Facebook or you're not seeing the results you expected, the issue may lie with your ad copy. To reduce spam, create a positive experience for users and prevent the use of profanity or the promotion of illegal activities, Facebook has established strict advertising standards.
Most of these are fairly reasonable but some will make it challenging when it comes to the copy.
Facebook's policies include restrictions on:
- Prohibited Content: Ads must not promote illegal products or services, adult content, violence, or discriminatory practices.
- Misleading or Deceptive Claims: Ads related to products or services should not make false promises or mislead users about the features or benefits of what is being promoted.
- Non-compliance with Community Standards: Ads that promote hate speech, harassment, or other forms of offensive content will be rejected.
To break these down, here is a list of words and topics you should avoid:
1. Prohibited Content
These may not only cause ad rejection but may also lead to account or page restrictions and suspensions.
2. Identifying People
Facebook's advertising standards discourage ads that identify or call out specific personal attributes of users, such as their age, race, gender, health status or other identifying characteristics. For instance, using phrases like "Students, this is for you" could violate these guidelines because it implies knowledge of personal information about the audience.
Instead, Facebook recommends using more generalised language, such as "Ideal for students" or "Perfect for anyone in school", which speaks to the demographic without directly identifying individuals. This helps avoid privacy concerns and aligns with Facebook's standards.
3. Misleading or Deceptive Claims
Spam-like behaviour - red flags will be raised over excessive use of clickbait or deceptive tactics. "Get Rich Quick Schemes" fall under this category and include words such as:
- Money
- Financial freedom
- Fortune
- Wealth
- Work from home
- Laptop lifestyle
- Quit your job/ quit my job
- Specific numbers (e.g., Earn $200k)
- Doubled*
- Easy*
- Step-by-step*
*These words may be used in other context that is appropriate
Facebook recognises these as deceptive and unrealistic claims. If you’re offering legitimate income opportunities, use wordings that would highlight the realistic benefits of your product/ service.
4. Sales and Deals
These words are not outrightly banned by Facebook, but they can sometimes trigger closer scrutiny from Facebook’s review system, especially if used in a way that could be seen as misleading or spammy.
- "Free" – Ads offering something for free are allowed, but Facebook reviews these carefully to ensure that the offer is legitimate. Be sure to clearly disclose any terms or conditions associated with the free offer (e.g., "free with purchase"), to avoid being flagged as misleading.
- "Enter" – This word is often used in contests or sweepstakes, which Facebook allows, but such promotions must follow specific rules. Ads using "enter" should provide clear terms and conditions and avoid encouraging misleading behaviours or actions, like forcing users to share content to win.
- Contest
- Giveaway
- Deal
- Discount
- Win
Facebook aims to maintain a balance between promoting products and services and ensuring that ads provide genuine value and engagement for users.
The algorithm may flag or limit reach for ads that seem too pushy or contain excessive promotional language, so it's a good idea to use persuasive language thoughtfully.
5. Time Limitations
- Today only
- Closing soon
- While supplies last
- Limited offer
- Only x days left
By restricting these urgency-driven terms, Facebook aims to create a more comfortable and trustworthy advertising environment where users feel less pressured and more inclined to engage with content on their own terms.
6. Brand Names
- Third-party trademarks such as iPhone or PlayStation
Some advertisers might use these to imply an affiliation or endorsement by these brands that does not exist.
If you still want to mention a well-known brand, you'll need to be inventive and focus on the brand's industry or key values, allowing your audience to deduce the brand you're referencing.
7. Sensitive topics
Facebook does not want these topics on people’s feeds:
- Race
- Religion
- Age
- Diet
- Weight
- Weight loss
- Fat
If you have a product that falls into one of these categories, you will have to reword. For example:
"Ladies, are you ready to get rid of those five extra kilos?" to
"Are you ready to feel fit and fabulous?"
Facebook doesn’t like it when you target a particular group so just leave this out. Think about how you could highlight the benefits and features of your products and services.
8. Profanities
Facebook blocks organic posts with profanities and this extends to ads as well. Facebook is also improving its algorithm to reject attempts of censoring curse words by using other symbols such as #*@%$
All of the above guidelines are fairly understandable however, these are some other words you will need to avoid or use sparingly.
9. Names; You/ Your
It may be confusing why innocent words such as "you" and "your" are on the list. Facebook lends itself to ad personalisation however, the algorithm may be triggered due to ‘over-personalised’ content that can appear invasive, pushy and intrusive.
10. Incorrect grammar
This may seem harmless but Facebook may reject ad copies with excessive incorrect grammar usage as this may also negatively affect users’ experience in the platform.
This also includes improper use of symbols, incorrect spellings and unnecessary capitalisation of words and letters.