Google’s next move!
How can I prepare for Google’s updated rules on destination requirements?
In October 2022, Google is updating the rules for destination requirements, requiring that advertising experiences on destinations (i.e. blogs and landing pages) meet the standards of the Coalition for Better Ads. The impact on publishers and advertisers could be significant, as they are used to having more control over the placement of their ads.
To help you prepare for the new advertising policy requirements, we’ve put together a list of resources including information on what to expect and how best practices can be used.
What are the new requirements?
The new requirements stipulate that advertising experiences on landing pages must comply with the standards of the Coalition for Better Ads. This means that ads must be less intrusive and more user-friendly. Google will take a number of factors into account when determining whether an advertising experience is annoying. These include the number of ads on the page, their layout and placement, and their intrusiveness.
According to Google, the following ads do not meet the standards for best ads:
On the desk
- Pop-up ads
- Autoplay video ads with sound
- Prestigious ads with countdown timer
- Adhesive large ads
On your mobile
- Prestigious ads (ads that appear on a mobile page before the content is loaded)
- Advertising density greater than 30%.
- Flashing animated announcements
- Autoplay video ads with sound
- Prestigious ads with countdown timer
- Full-screen scrolling ads
- Big sticky ads
Google will let you know if your landing pages are non-compliant via the Ad Experience Report, and any ads that lead to a non-compliant destination will be disapproved immediately.
Why is Google doing this?
Our answer: ad blockers.
Google’s answer: To improve user experience. A bad advertising experience can ruin a user’s entire online experience, and Google wants to avoid this. After all, satisfied users are good for business.
Google decided on these changes with the help of the Coalition For Better Ads. As stated on their site, “The Coalition’s ‘Better Ads’ standards identify advertising experiences that fall below a threshold of acceptability by consumers and are most likely to prompt them to install ad blockers.” To date, more than 150,000 consumers have participated in the research conducted by the Coalition to develop its set of “Better Ads” standards.
According to the Coalition For Better Ads:
- Advertisers can use “Better Ads” standards to develop and execute their campaigns.
- Publishers and app developers can use “Better Ads” standards to improve their audience’s experience.
- Advertising technology platforms can use the Better Ads Standards in the process of developing new advertising experiences.
- Measurement technology providers can use the Better Ads Standards to develop new ways of assessing the market prevalence of consumers’ preferred advertising experiences.
What does this mean for you?
The new rules introduced by Google will improve the experience of Internet users and increase revenues for website owners who display ads. To comply with the new requirements, website owners must avoid using any of the ad types listed above on their pages.
By doing so, they can ensure that their ads won’t be considered annoying or intrusive, and therefore won’t be penalized by Google. In addition, they can also take steps to improve the overall layout and design of their ads, to make them more user-friendly.
If you’re a website owner, it’s important to take steps to prepare for Google’s updated policy on destination requirements. This will help you avoid any potential penalties and ensure that your ads comply with the new standards.
What’s more, you can also help improve the overall user experience on your site by creating better ads for your visitors.
How do you prepare?
Here are a few steps you can take to prepare for Google’s updated rules for destination requirements:
Review updated rules regarding destination requirements: Familiarize yourself with the updated policy requirements to ensure that your advertising experiences will be compliant. Further information can be found on the Coalition for Better Ads Standards website.
- Create better advertising experiences: Take steps to improve the overall user experience on your website by creating better advertising experiences. This includes avoiding intrusive ad formats and placing ads in strategic locations.
- Monitor your site’s performance: Keep an eye on your website’s performance to make sure it meets Google’s standards. You can use tools such as Google PageSpeed Insights to help you identify potential problems.
- Monitor the performance of your ads: Keep an eye on your ad account to ensure that all your advertising experiences comply with the requirements of the new rules. You can use Google’s Ad Experience Report to help you identify any potential problems.
By following these steps, you can ensure that your site complies with Google’s updated policy on destination requirements, and that your users have a positive experience on your site.
Tips for creating better ad experiences
Keep these tips in mind to create better advertising experiences for your users and avoid suffering the consequences of Google’s updated rules on destination requirements.
- Make sure that the ads displayed on your site are relevant to your site’s content. Irrelevant ads can be intrusive and annoying for users.
- Make sure ad placement is consistent throughout your site. Advertisements placed in unexpected places can confuse users.
- Pay attention to the placement of your ads, and make sure they are not placed where they interrupt or interfere with the user’s experience on your site.
- Make sure there aren’t too many ads on your site. Too many ads can be overwhelming and intrusive for users.
Or follow our general guideline: If an ad bothers you on other sites (we’re looking at you, clickbait spammers), it will bother your users on your site.
What happens if you violate the policies?
If you violate the updated policy on destination requirements, your ads may be rejected and your account may be suspended. It is therefore important to ensure that your ads comply with the new policy before it comes into force.
Conclusion
Google’s updated rules on destination requirements are just another example of how the company is cracking down on bad ads. While this can be frustrating for publishers and advertisers who are used to having more control over the placement of their ads, it’s important to remember that these changes are intended to improve the user experience.
By following the advice in this article, you can ensure that your advertising experiences comply with the new standards and avoid any penalties from Google.
