The source – ppc.world
A newsletter from Google Ads has announced that Google will now verify commercial activity and advertiser identity under a single program. The update will go into effect on March 31, 2022 and will take about 2 months to implement.
There will also be changes to the timeline and the action taken in the event of noncompliance.
- Advertisers will still be notified by email and in their Google Ads account when they are selected for verification. But now they'll need to answer questions from the "Company Info" section within 30 days of receiving the notice. Specifically, they'll need to tell:
- the industry of the business,
- country where the billing address is located,
- suppliers of goods and services advertised in Google Ads.
The first stage of verification must be completed within 30 days, otherwise the account will be suspended.
- The second stage of verification varies. Advertisers may need to complete, for example, proof of identity, proof of business, or both. This also has 30 days to complete.
Again, Google will suspend the verified account after the 30th day if the advertiser fails to complete the required steps or the business does not meet the requirements. The advertiser's account will be available, but no ads will be shown until the check is passed. But the account will not be blocked as before.
Also in the new verification program, Google:
- will combine criteria for verifying the advertiser's identity and commercial activity;
- will add additional criteria aimed at protecting users;
- will update the conditions for immediate account suspension.
The additional verification criteria will affect advertisers who show ads for branded queries or queries from industries or activities where abuse and fraud are common: tourism, customer support, technical support, financial services.
Google will suspend an advertiser's account as soon as the check begins if:
- the ads violate Google Ads rules or appear questionable;
- the advertisement or business model is likely to harm users;
- suspects the advertiser is trying to circumvent the verification system;
- insufficient information about the advertiser's identity.
Advertisers will be able to start the verification process themselves, monitor its progress and learn about the reasons for failure in the "Bills and Payments" tab in the new Google Ads interface. The tab can be accessed from tooltips in the service and alerts. Once the advertiser is verified, Google will make the business name and address information publicly available.
