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AdSense for Search policy )

Updates to Referrer Ad Creative (RAC

         

dolcevita

4:39 pm on Oct 7, 2025 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member Top Contributors Of The Month



Dear Partner,

We're writing to inform you of an upcoming policy clarification regarding traffic sourced to your sites.

Overview of changes: To ensure the accuracy and effectiveness of our systems, all publishers will soon be required to provide the referrerAdCreative parameter (RAC) [developers.google.com]
when traffic arrives to a Related Search for Content page from a source that is under your control. This includes any third party network, service or affiliate you partner with.

In such instances, you're required to set the parameter to the precise and complete creative text of the advertisement or link source. To elaborate, "precise and complete creative text" signifies a literal transcription.

For example, within an upstream video source featuring an influencer walking down a street, speaking to the camera, with background music also present, the full transcript of the speech, the song lyrics, and any visible text on street signs, among other elements that might appear anywhere on the user’s screen, must be provided verbatim and in their entirety.

Omitting to do so will be considered a policy violation. [support.google.com]

For details, review the best practices to use related search [support.google.com] help center article.

Reminder: In addition to RAC, all usage of Related Search for Content must adhere to requirements, and provide accurate declarations for parameters per the implementation guide. [developers.google.com]

This change will come into effect on November 1, 2025.

Sincerely,
The Google AdSense Team

CommandDork

4:56 pm on Oct 7, 2025 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member Top Contributors Of The Month



Google needs to stop writing these emails like we were all sitting in on the meeting.

I dont even know what this is or what they are asking : /

dolcevita

5:15 am on Oct 8, 2025 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member Top Contributors Of The Month



As far as I understand, if all your traffic comes naturally (SEO, direct visits, social media, forums, etc.), you don't need to do anything.

The RAC parameter is only required if you actively promote your pages through paid ads or partner networks.

tangor

8:24 am on Oct 8, 2025 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member Top Contributors Of The Month



Heh! Their almighty AI can't figure out some things and require YOU to fill in the blanks---else there are penalties! OTOH, you need to snitch out who ELSE you are dealing with to make money so WE can get a cut or put them out of business!

</think-i'm-kidding?>

ember

6:33 pm on Oct 8, 2025 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member Top Contributors Of The Month



@CommandDork, I'm glad I'm not the only one!