You may be wondering what to do after violating facebook's ad policies. Your entire funnel is shut down and revenue isn't coming in! As much as you feel you know common Facebook ad mistakes you should avoid, somehow you're stuck with a disabled ad account or a disabled Business Manager.
If you’re restricted from advertising, you may get a notification on Business Manager. If your email notifications are enabled, you’ll also receive an email. Facebook will say, "To learn more about what you can do next, go to Meta Account Quality."
But in the real world that's straight up bullshit and useless. Because you'll get no info there about which piece of ad copy got you shut down or why.
So, you're still looking for a pathway forward to get your Facebook ads live again. Facebook | Meta's Advertising Standards also provide guidance on advertiser behavior that may result in advertising restrictions being placed on a Business Account or its assets (an ad account, Page or user account).
Except - they don't. Well, some tips they give are helpful but Meta won't provide these tips in context of your specific ad.
If you've read How to Navigate Facebook’s Advertising Policies as a Business, you know Facebook's ad review process now. Part of this process means weeding out the spammers and clickbait fucks that ruin Facebook for legit advertisers like yourself.
The problem is that the automations doing the censoring are so heavy handed, after violating Facebook's ad policies you aren't given a clear plan of action to get your ads live again.
Previously, a Business Manager's ad account creation limit was 50 ad accounts, then for the past few years it was limited to just 3 ad accounts. But as of last year?? Your ad account creation limit is reduced to ONE ad account!!!
Seems a bit unfair right? Facebook gives you one chance to advertise and if you get shut down Meta is basically saying, "tough shit buddy."
This leads to countless advertisers ripped off googling How to Recover Facebook Ad Accounts.
BUT you are in luck because I've worked with the engineers at Facebook for years and understand what they intended the automations to do versus what they actually do to businesses everywhere.
Just like I provided solutions for one of my many clients, Boomerang Ideas, a Swiss tech start-up, you'll learn how to avoid the land mines that shut down millions of businesses a year on Facebook. Click here for a free discovery call.
If I decide you're a good fit, we can work together and I'll reveal why FB shut you down and how to get compliant again. (In a rush? Skip the line with prepaid funnel audits with VIP Access).
Advertising restrictions for policy violations
You wake up, make some coffee, and check your email. You open up Ads Manager to take a look at your conversions today and see that you've been flagged for violating facebook's ad policies. Perhaps a few ads have been rejected that were previously running fine and bringing you income for your clients.
But now, that income has dropped to 0 for these ad sets. Why??? (Check out: Top Reasons Why Facebook Disabled Ad Accounts).
You take a look and see this message:
Well, that's not helpful. Which ad policy did you violate? How severe was this ad rejection? And what should you do next?? Keep reading for more info on what to do after violating Facebook's ad policies.
Violating content in facebook's ad policies
There's a small piece of text that most advertisers ignore. Small but huge as far as impact. It's the whole "edit the ad to have it reviewed again."
You know what I see most of the time? Ad agencies simply resubmit the same ad that was rejected again because they don't know why it was rejected.
That is not a smart move buddy. It's almost belligerent.
You want to make money with Facebook ads right? It's like...don't piss off the landlord if you don't want your rent raised. Because resubmitting the exact same ad creative and ad copy without having a clear answer on why it was rejected will put you in a world of hurt.
Let me explain:
Evading enforcement of facebook's ad policies
When you're flagged for violating Facebook's ad policies Step 1 is to really take a close look at your ad copy and determine what policy it violates. You know how many advertisers skip this step? 95%.
The way that Facebook looks at you, if you are resubmitting the same ad and haven't edited it to be compliant, is - you are evading enforcement of Facebook's ad policies. They think you're trying to game the system. This is direct from Facebook:
Here's the problem with Facebook's approach: it leaves no room to allow advertisers to learn from their mistakes.
Just like a racist cop assumes all Black driver's are criminals when they flash the red and blues with guns drawn, for like, not putting on a turn signal changing lanes - Facebook is just as prejudiced against advertisers who are only trying to learn how to run ads that don't get shut down.
The whole "shoot first ask questions later" approach Meta | Facebook has decided to take jeopardizes millions of small businesses all over the world. Because what if your ad account was disabled after just one rejected Facebook ad??
Seems a bit over-the-top to disable your ad account without giving you a chance to learn from this experience and create a new ad account that is compliant.
For the record - everything I consult with for my Facebook ad policy consulting, is white hat. No hacker shit or blackhat tactics because you can't build a brand that way or do retargeting with burner accounts.
Just as Tim Livingstone found out when I helped Tim restore access to advertising on his Strawberry Hill Farm FacebooK Page - locally celebrated as a community center - it pays to understand how Facebook flags content and avoid getting flagged.
Need an expert on Facebook ad policies and get the same high level of service Strawberry Hill Farm has? Schedule a call with me right now.
To recap:
Step 1: Audit your Facebook ads and determine which part got you flagged before editing your ad and resubmitting to Facebook.
Yes, it's fucked up that Facebook (and Apple with their bullshit i0S 14 update for tips on navigating that click here) has 0 empathy for advertisers. But that's why I am here to help you out when you're flagged for violating Facebook's ad policies.
Check out Essential Facebook Ad Policies to Know [Ultimate Guide] here.
If you've followed my advice and took a close look at your Facebook ads you may have discovered some possible triggers for the automations to flag you. Or you may still be stumped.
It helps to take a look at Facebook's attitude towards spam. Rather than just seeing your ad as a method of making money, look at it as part of the larger ecosystem of Facebook's nonadvertising world.
When scrolling, do you ever see ads that look particularly spammy?
Those spam ads hurt Facebook's ecosystem because if Facebook users get fed up with scam-looking ads they may leave the Facebook app.
Does your ad at all look spammy? Be honest. Be super critical of your ad. It'll save you more time than waiting on answers from Facebook.
You may still be drawing a blank - if so I can audit your funnel and help you determine why you were shut down and the best way to get compliant again. Facebook wants to make sure each account is authentic - and if your ads look spammy that isn't authentic.
Have your Facebook ads been blocked? Read this blog here.
Account authenticity
The top 3 things to avoid to NOT get banned for account authenticity are as follows:
1.Low quality graphics
2.Blurry images
3.Outrageous claims
If you make unrealistic sounding claims Facebook will damage your account authenticity. This is what Facebook | Meta has this to say about authentic accounts:
Here's the problem with Facebook's authentic account policy - it's not defined clearly and the automations will false flag a legit account for inauthentic behavior just because a Facebook ad is a little too salesy.
Ideally Facebook would be able to give you the kind of white glove VIP treatment I give my clients and tell you exactly where the line is for being so salesy that you're viewed as inauthentic and flagged for violating Facebook's ad policies. Alas, they don't.
Here's what I can say, make sure you don't have any of the top 3 things above that will make Facebook flag you for account authenticity. This is especially true if you are trying to relaunch after a shut down. You must fill out everything no skeleton profiles!
Step 2: Scan your landing page for ad copy or ad creatives that sound too salesy or inauthentic
This includes making sure you are using only high definition images. And nothing that looks like clickbait farm ads.
For top tips on making a landing page compliant read this.
Violating facebook's ad policies - the truth
The truth is when you are flagged for violating Facebook ad policies you don't have a lot of chances to get compliant in the modern era. Back in 2015, 2016, Facebook allowed you more chances to make a mistake.
One of the reasons why it's so hard to simply get compliant is Facebook doesn't explain things as well as I do here. Because they have scaled so large, they don't really train anyone to have my level of expertise.
They hire out low paid workers who have never made a profit running Facebook ads or owned a business or taken a business course or digital marketing course. So the people you get on Facebook ad support chat? They have no clue what the hell they are talking about.
The second reason it is so damn hard to be given a chance to learn how to follow Facebook's ad policies is because the amount of clickbait farms in the past 3 years have exponentially increased.
Fraud, identity theft, hacking someone's Facebook ad account or personal profile have become a business model for many 3rd world countries.
You may see people get emails from fake Facebook emails like this:
A real world effect of the increase of these incidents is that Facebook is making sweeping judgements and bans on everyone even those like yourself who are innocent of any identity theft, hacking or spam.
That's why the ad account creation limit was strictly cut recently. And it's why you as an ad agency owner, or business owner running Facebook ads will always be looked at by Facebook the same way a cop looks at a POC at a traffic stop. Guilty until proven innocent.
Violating networks or associations
You can also be assumed guilty by association. If anyone else who is connected in any way to your ad accounts or Business Manager | Business Suit gets into trouble elsewhere, Facebook's machines will follow that person back to you.
And more than likely shut you down for something you didn't even do.
There is no accountability from Meta that you are not responsible for someone else's actions. They blame you as well for being connected with this person. As Facebook says here:
If you hired a marketer and put them on your Business Manager, and they run ads independently of your Business Manager, in another Business Manager, and those ads get flagged, then your Business Manager is now at risk too.
Facebook assumes that you automatically endorse any and all spammy ads that anyone connected to a role on your Business Manager does even if it's for another company separate from yours entirely. You are guilty by association. Just like the police hosed down the white hippies protesting with Martin Luther King.
Step 3: Make sure everyone in your Business Manager is running compliant ads elsewhere. Or better yet, not running any ads you don't know about elsewhere.
Advertising restrictions for unusual activity in facebook's ad policies
One of the most confusing things about being shut down for violating Facebook's ad policies is the vagueness of their boiler plate answers. And saying "answers" is probably too generous.
Have you ever been shut down for "unusual activity"? Or had a fellow advertiser shut down for "unusual activity"?
It isn't that helpful to see this flag because it doesn't tell you which activity is unusual or how you got on the radar. This is what Facebook says:
Nothing specific right? Surprise surprise! Another nonanswer from Facebook. Let me help you understand why this flag happens:
If you log in from a different IP address than you normally access Facebook from, Facebook can flag this as unusual and temporarily or permanently suspend your access to ads.
Also, if your bank mistakes a Facebook ad charge for a fraud charge, and rejects collection of payment for your ad spend from Facebook, then Meta will also determine this is "unusual activity," and flag you for it.
Step 4: Make sure you haven't logged in to Facebook from a new location, new computer or mobile device
How to appeal advertising restrictions
Facebook falsely advertises their automated appeal button which my YouTube video shows - this is blatantly wrong.
By clicking "Request Review" you are asking another machine to review what the first machine did and be objective!
Yes this does hurt your standing with Facebook because you have a limited amount of appeals before a permanent ban hammer is dropped.
This is like asking Internal Affairs - run by cops - to objectively side with cops or civilians when a complaint of excessive force is made. Or getting a fox to guard the hen house.
As one of my clients in West Virginia, PJ Bell found out when we worked together on getting her Real Estate ads compliant - it's super important to audit your marketing funnel before starting any appeal with Facebook.
[Want to benefit like PJ did with ads pre-screened for compliance? Book a discovery call today]
Otherwise you're asking Facebook to grant clemency for a noncompliant ad. In essence, when appealing an ad account that is noncompliant you are saying, "Facebook - break your own rules because i didn't bother to learn them!" Do you think that improves your chance at an appeal?
Step 5: Get your marketing funnel facebook ad compliant first before requesting any reviews
If you haven't had a chance yet, read my break down of Common Facebook Ad Policy Violations [Explained]
What to do after violating facebook's ad policies 5 Types of Flags
Let's get down to the nitty gritty details of a few specific flags you may be hit with and some pro tips.
1. Promotion of prohibited products violating facebook's ad policies
Facebook has a pre-determined list of things that you just can't advertise at all on their website (it saves you more time to be compliant).A few to mention include cryptocurrency, drugs, tobacco products, live animals and some medicine.
Definitely nothing in porn or porn-like. Weapons aren't allowed either - so you'll have to be careful if you have a sporting goods store that sells hunting equipment but also Facebook friendly products too. Ammunition for guns isn't allowed on Facebook either. While there is a slight gray area for training programs on how to use firearms, I'd steer clear of that niche on Facebook. It isn't worth the headache IMO.
2. Unauthorized conditions of competitions violating facebook's ad policies
Facebook's policies on competitions (listed here), are pretty strict. You have to adhere to them to the letter or risk getting everything shut down. Here's the deets:
Step 6: Make sure your specific niche doesn't have additional policies you may have violated (special ad categories etc).
3. Sensational content
Be sure that you are not exaggerating the claims of what your service or product can do for a Facebook user. While a great ad communicates the emotional "after state" of what you're advertising, you have to make sure it sounds realistic.
And please don't go all tabloid newspaper on your ad copy. Making controversial comments just to get a reaction (like the Fox News channel's organic content on Facebook usually does) is a fast way to get shut down.
Taking a popular topic that relates to health in any way, and challenging the status quo is another good way to get banned fast. Facebook sources the World Health Organization for their official take on medical topics so if what you have to say doesn't align with that narrative, expect to be at risk for getting banned.
Step 7: When auditing your funnel ask if any of your content could be considered sensational and tone it down
4. Personal assumptions about the targeted person
This is a clunky way of saying Personal Attributes policy. Is your ad making a smaller group of people feel too called out negatively? Then you may have violated Facebook's ad policies for the Personal Attributes flags.
As the Vice President of Marketing Operations for Apollidon Learning found out when working with me, as I audited his ads for my alma mater, the University of Texas, the devil is in the details.
Sometimes the smallest things can cause a shut down, but with one tweak - your funnel can get compliant with Facebook's advertising details.
Want the same white glove treatment and VIP service Apollidon got? Schedule a discovery call today.
5. Engagement-bait
It's a paradox in a way - the highest converting ads will sometimes be the least compliant on Facebook. That's because sometimes you feel a little bit daring with your ad copy and made it sound too much like clickbait. Remember all these ads?
This is exactly the type of clickbait ad copy Facebook loves to hate.
Step 8: Examine your ads for clickbait qualities - any of them lean in that direction? Rewrite them to sound more realistic.
Thousands of people each month come to my blog to get pro tips on Facebook ad policy because Facebook is rather obtuse on explaining how their automations work in real life for businesses who rely on marketing to pay the bills.
( Read: What to Do If Your Facebook Ad Account Gets Disabled – Everything You Need To Know [2023 Updated])
I think one of the keys to not getting Facebook ban hammer is prevention. Preventing yourself from violating facebook's ad policies is easier than getting banned then trying to recover.
What if you had a guarantee that your ads were compliant before they went live on Facebook? What if you knew 100% without guessing why your ad account was disabled? What if you knew why your Facebook ads were blocked and had a path to get ads live again?
Keep reading for these answers and more:
New Solution to Facebook Ad Policy Violations
After years of working at Facebook, I understand exactly what ad copy in your funnel is triggering the automations and how to get compliant. I'm a Facebook ad policy specialist and can audit your funnel, and share what to say that Facebook wants to see instead - but just isn't telling you.
Want to book a call to talk to Facebook and get results? Get solid answers directly from the source instead guessing, googling, and playing roulette? Schedule a call with me and I can easily tell you proven reasons why the automations flag you and how to become compliant.
You'll be swapping out walking in a minefield of ad flags, to have a sure path to having your Facebook ad accounts protected from being disabled.
My clients have included the social media marketing agencies of Tony Robbins, Harv Eker, and Dean Graziosi. I'm featured on the Queen of Facebook Mari Smith's Marketing Essentials Course.
Save energy and money - how much is it costing you to not know why Facebook is shutting you down?
If you want to skip the line before this offer ends, immediately secure an expert-level Facebook consulting call from someone at Facebook. Book a call with me now!
If you're ok with waiting a bit longer, and entering the waitlist to see if you're eligible - Schedule a call or contact me via email.
