Restricted ad account spoiling your Friday? In light of the Big Tech Lay offs Facebook, parent company Meta, is relying on automations instead of humans to decide if your ad account gets banned or not. I’ve blogged about this for years.
A robot FB ban can definitely put a damper on any TGIF sentiment. That being said, I’ve worked at Facebook and can assist with providing a lot more clarity about restricted ad accounts and what to do about them.
Recently, a doctor I was working with emailed me some questions:
I would consider your all-inclusive plan of starting a new account and having you audit our funnel. Having said that I have a few questions that if you can provide very brief answers to it will help me make a more informed decision.
1- If my ad account is disabled / restricted does that mean my Facebook and IG pages are also? Can I move those over to the new account?
2- Does the new ad account need to be under a different business manager? If yes, I presume that means it would have to be under my business partner business manager account?
3- Lastly, is there a scenario where I just create another ad account under my current business manager and use that instead but of course with ads that do not trigger any violations.
I emailed him back the answers to his Facebook restriction questions and realized I should probably create a page addressing some frequently asked questions about Facebook’s ban hammer, disabled facebook ad accounts and what to do when getting a restricted ad account.
Here ya go
FAQ for Facebook Ad Account Restriction
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How to fix ad account disabled on facebook or solve a restricted ad account
Your first step should always be to stop active ads running with the same copy as the rejected ad, then audit your funnel for flags, and appeal using the strategy outlined in the appeal section of the FAQs, to help with a restricted ad account.
2. How to enable my disabled facebook ad account or restricted ad account
If you have a spare ad account in your Facebook Business Manager that you can run ads from, feel free to. BUT, identify the micro and major flags FIRST, so as not to repeat the same mistake that leads to a restricted ad account.
3. How to appeal a disabled facebook ad account or or restricted ad account
As far as how to appeal a disabled Facebook ad account, you’ll get 48 hours to make your appeal. The best strategy is to communicate to Meta | Facebook that:
A. You understand WHY you were banned with a restricted ad account.
B. You are committed to following the policies from here on out.
C. You have identified and REMOVED the offending content from your funnel.
You can also get some top tips on facebook ad policy in this complimentary eBook: Top 5 Reasons Agencies Fail at Facebook
4. How to get disabled ad account / or restricted ad account up and running
Depending on how long your ad account was disabled, sometimes, if your appeal is written correctly, the appeal itself CAN potentially get you reactivated, if you understand to communicate with Facebook ad support correctly. But, for those who have not worked at Meta, it’s a challenge to recover a restricted ad account.
5. How Many Policy Violations Before Account is Shut Down? Restricted ad account tips
Typically, it’s a 1 to 10 ratio. For every single rejected ad that you get, you’ll want 10 Facebook ads that are approved. After a pattern of behavior is established by machine learning, from Meta’s automations, you may spiral rapidly into Facebook jail if your ratios aren’t correct. 2 to 3 consecutive ads getting rejected risks you getting a restricted ad account.
And, if this still all seems too confusing, your clients are yelling at you to get ads live to bring in money, simply schedule a complimentary Facebook discovery call here
6. How to remove restriction on facebook ad account for a restricted ad account
As far as removing a restriction on a Facebook ad account, if we’re talking about a disabled ad account, well, you can rehabilitate your funnel and then appeal, possibly getting it reactivated if you do this SMART (I have methods that work if you’re in the appeal window). But as far as removing a restriction from Facebook ads, see the previous FAQ answer: you need to get in a positive approval-cycle ratio to combat a restricted ad account.
7. How long does facebook take to review restricted ad account
Now, ask yourself, is it an election year? Have there been over 20,000 Meta employees laid off? Did you word your appeal using specific language Facebook ad support can and will respond better to? These are the factors in play when dealing with a restricted ad account. Typically, you get an answer within a week. If you have a more severe ban or are in the special ad categories, you may get an answer faster but it won’t be one you like. Severe bans end up as permanent restrictions and they deliver that ban hammer faster than other lighter Facebook ad policy restrictions.
8. how to fix your access can’t be reinstated because too much time has passed since we restricted your account
In a situation like this, your recovery options depend on what is banned:
a) Facebook Ad Account
b) Facebook Business Page
c) Facebook Business Manager
d) Facebook profile
So, each one may have a different recovery option, depending on your situation, and type of ban it is, as well as your particular niche or business’s vertical, and the health of the accounts before the ban. It’s tricky solving for a restricted ad account. Want to get a pathway to get Facebook ads live? Schedule your complimentary discovery call here.
9. How To Get Your Disabled Facebook Ad Account Back
First, let me also address the elephant in the room: personal and emotional attachments to disabled ad accounts. I’ve worked with tons of Fortune 500 level companies, and the amount of hair pulling and FML-ing over ONE restricted ad account, is incredible. Sometimes, it’s faster, and cheaper, to just start a new ad account, and relaunch, rather than recover a tainted asset.
That being said, the same answer applies here to the instructions above, for appeals.
10. How to unblock your Facebook ad account
Now, unblocking an ad account, may be possible if you get in fast enough with the right kind of messaging to Facebook ad support. While they are the gatekeepers, and don’t have any real power, they CAN talk to the right folks who, if you word your appeal right, can unblock your Facebook ad account. But, this will vary depending on why you were handed a restricted ad account. And of course, if you need next-level assistance, I’m always available to chat and see if it’s a good fit here.