Google Ads Policy: No More Clickbait

[engine]

Google has updated it misrepresentation ads policy on "Clickbait Ads", meaning that any ads with sensationalist or clickbait text or imagery are not allowed.

The following is no longer allowed.

Ads that use clickbait tactics or sensationalist text or imagery to drive traffic Examples (non-exhaustive): Ads that claim to reveal secrets, scandals or other sensationalist information about the product or service being advertised; ads which use clickbait messaging such as ‘‘Click here to find out”, “You won’t believe what happened” or phrases synonymous or similar to encourage the user to click on the Ad in order to understand the full context of the ad; ads which use clearly altered zoomed in body parts, mugshots, or real life accident or disaster photos to promote a product or a service; or ads which use “before and after” images to promote significant alterations to the human body

Ads that use negative life events such as death, accidents, illness, arrests or bankruptcy to induce fear, guilt or other strong negative emotions to pressure the viewer to take immediate action.

Examples (non-exhaustive): Ads that pressure the user to purchase, subscribe to or stop consuming a product or service in order to avoid harm; ads which use depictions of severe distress, pain, fear or shock to promote a product or service.

[support.google.com...]

I'm surprised this hasn't been dealt with more comprehensively in the past.

Of course, we're bound to continue to see the clickbait ads on other networks.

[JorgeV]

Hello,

So Google will have to remove 80% of its inventory...

Google is also, supposedly forbididng deceptive ads, but I can't count how many times, I see an ads, which lead to a page, which is totally unrelated to the ad content ...

The good point, is that "good" advertisers will be able to have a better exposition, hopefully.


edit: an other good point, may be it will save me time, reviewing ads (at adsense), to block those which are wrong "to me".

[lucy24]

Now, if only they would apply the same rule to YouTube news stories, where you generally have to follow the link just to see the full headline--including one or more significant words cleverly deferred to the very end as if YT were a German newspaper--never mind the actual story :(

[aristotle]

So Google will have to remove 80% of its inventory.

Wouldn't this show up in google's financial reports as a huge drop in revenue? What do the latest reports show?

[tangor]

Is this now verbotten?:

<a ref >MORE:</ a whatsit>

I mean, who decides what is click bait, and is there a method to appeal?

[2clean]

This made me laugh.