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Meta Advertising Standards and Community Standards
Learn why certain ads may not be approved and review best practices to create ads that comply with Meta Advertising Standards for Facebook and Instagram.
This lesson prepares you to:
- Recognize the importance of Meta Advertising Standards.
- Identify common reasons ads are not approved.
The ad review process
Meta Advertising Standards are designed to help keep people safe. Since the Advertising Standards apply to content that is subject to paid distribution, the ad review process is strict. All ads, new and edited, are subject to a review that checks for content that goes against these standards.
The Community Standards define what is and what is not allowed on Facebook. The Community Guidelines define what is and what is not allowed on Instagram. Both the Community Standards and the Community Guidelines apply to everyone, from individuals posting personal status updates to news outlets sharing information to businesses promoting ads. For ads that click to message, the message threads must also comply. As you create your ads, adhere to the Advertising Standards, Community Standards and Community Guidelines to help your ads run smoothly and without delay.Feroldi’s
Feroldi’s is a clothing and lifestyle store that focuses on unique new designers. Nina, the owner, is working on an ad for a new activewear campaign. What might Nina want to consider while creating this ad to make sure it is approved?
By understanding the Advertising Standards and the review process, Nina can increase the chances that her new campaign will launch on time.Disclaimer: Feroldi's is a fictitious business designed by Meta. Any similarities to content produced by real-life businesses are not intentional.
Feroldi’s is a clothing and lifestyle store focusing on unique and upcoming designers. The retail locations offer a mix of luxury products and artisan goods.
Common reasons ad are not approved
There are many reasons an ad may not be approved, but some reasons are more common than others. For example, one of Feroldi’s activewear ads wasn’t initially approved. Instead of showing the activewear model’s full body, the image in the ad was cropped on the model’s torso. It wasn't approved because the creative only showed a portion of the model's body, which goes against the Advertising Standards on personal health and appearance.
If you can identify the reasons ads aren’t approved and understand why, you may experience greater success in creating your own ads and getting them approved. Some of the most common reasons an ad may not be approved include:Nina would like to show before-and-after images of a model wearing Feroldi’s activewear, accentuating her physique. But she reviews the Advertising Standards and realizes that before-and-after images go against them. Nina decides to showcase Feroldi’s activewear with an ad featuring a single image of a model working out.
Ads related to housing, employment and credit
Housing
Employment
Credit
This category includes ads that promote or directly link to a credit opportunity, including but not limited to credit card offers, auto loans, personal or business loan services, mortgage loans and long-term financing. This category also includes brand ads for credit cards, regardless of whether the ad includes a specific offer.
Nina would like to hire some new staff on her team at Feroldi’s. After reviewing the advertising standards, Nina realizes she is creating an ad for a job posting, she must choose a Special Ad Category to comply with the standards.
How to check your notifications
- To access Page quality:
- Switch to your Page in your Facebook app.
- Select the three lines in the bottom right.
- Tap the settings icon in the top right.
- Select Page settings.
- Select Page quality.
- To access Business Support Home:
- From a laptop, go to https://business.facebook.com/business-support-home.
- From a notification email, follow the link.
Nina would like to see whether Feroldi’s has gone against the Advertising Standards. She accesses her Page quality through Feroldi’s Page on her app and checks the status.
When ads go against the Advertising Standards
The ad review process includes both technology and people. If you submit an ad that goes against the Advertising Standards, the following actions may be taken.
If your ad is rejected, you’ll typically be provided with an opportunity to edit the ad to bring it into compliance. You can also request another review if you believe an ad was incorrectly rejected.
- Severely or repeatedly going against the Advertising Standards
- Acting deceptively or inauthentically, such as by impersonating
- Attempting to work around the ad review process, or engaging in other malicious or abusive behaviors
- Connecting to other abusive business accounts or content, displaying behavior similar to those business accounts or displaying content that has already been taken down
Nina receives a notice that her Facebook Page has been disabled because her ad goes against the Advertising Standards. She cannot access her Page. To gain access, she must request a review of her account or complete integrity checks through business support.
How to appeal rejections and restrictions
You can appeal a rejection or restriction. Here’s how.
Feroladi’s Instagram account has been restricted for going against the Advertising Standards. In order for Nina to gain access to the account, she must submit an appeal.
Key takeaways:
- The Advertising Standards are designed to help keep people safe, foster trustworthy experiences and enable businesses to succeed.
- All ads, new and edited, are subject to a review to ensure they comply with the Advertising Standards.
- Adhere to the Advertising Standards to increase the likelihood that your ads are approved and published.
- If you disagree with a decision, you can request another review via business support.
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