Google Ads Identity Confirmation

Google makes advertisements more transparent and therefore requires an identity check of the advertiser. This allows end users to see who is placing the corresponding advertisement and where the company is placed. Either the actual company or the supporting agency can be displayed here.  In regular Google Ads search ads, clicking on the "Why am I seeing this ad" icon leads to the corresponding data. For display ads, navigation is via a small triangle icon. For Youtube, the info icon must be clicked to recognize the advertiser.

From March 2022, Google is merging the current advertiser identity verification and business confirmation processes into a unified advertiser verification process. This is intended to simplify and improve the process. Similar to the current process, advertisers will be notified via email and in their account when they need to go through the verification process. For companies that have outsourced their advertising activity to agencies, this notification will be sent to the agencies in charge.

After receiving the message, the confirmation procedure must be initiated within 30 days. After that, there are another 30 days to perform all the necessary steps, such as confirming the advertiser's identity, business activities, or both.

What changes for advertisers?

Company information

In the first step of the unified review process, Google asks advertisers some basic questions about their Google Ads account and their business in a new "Company Information" section. These include questions about the advertiser's industry and country of billing address, as well as information indicating whether they are a direct or indirect (third-party) provider of the products or services advertised with Google Ads. Advertisers have 30 days to submit their responses. If they have not sent the responses by the end of the 30th day, their account will be paused.

Changes in the time frame for the review

Verification requirements depend on the answers in the "Company Information" section. According to these answers, advertisers will be directed to additional verification steps, such as confirming their identity, business activities, or both. Advertisers have 30 days to successfully complete these additional verifications. If they fail to meet the deadline, their account will be paused. The pause at the end of the 30th day will only occur if the advertiser has not completed the required steps or met the requirements.

• Identity verification: so far, advertisers have 30 days to start the verification process and another 30 days to successfully complete the identity verification.
• Confirmation of business activities: So far, advertisers have 21 days to successfully complete this confirmation. There is also a grace period of 7 days before the account is blocked.
• Unified verification process for advertisers: Going forward, advertisers will have 30 days to answer the questions in the "Company Information" section and an additional 30 days to successfully complete all required verifications, such as confirming their identity, business activities, or both.

Changes in the confirmation of business activities

Under the advertiser review process, enforcement actions for all review requirements will be aligned. This is intended to reduce the administrative burden and standardize the process for advertisers. Therefore, in the future, failure to comply with the requirements that apply to confirming business activities or failure to perform the required steps will result in the account being paused rather than suspended. Thus, the advertiser's account remains open, but its ads cannot be delivered again until it successfully completes the process. In order to be able to serve ads again, advertisers must successfully complete the verification process and answer the questions asked in the form, as well as submit the relevant documents, if applicable.

Changed criteria for the selection of advertisers who must undergo a review

As part of the unified verification process, the selection criteria that apply in the current procedures for verifying the identity of advertisers and confirming business activities will be optimized. In this regard, additional criteria will be introduced to provide users with increased protection. In addition, this will clarify the cases in which advertisers' accounts can be paused immediately.

• Additional criteria: Google may require advertisers to complete the verification process. This is the case, for example, when they run ads on brand-related searches or on searches for industries that are vulnerable to abuse and fraud (e.g., travel, customer support, tech support, and financial services). If an advertiser needs to go through additional verification, it can impact campaign performance - for example, if they want to run ads on search queries for topics that are subject to restrictions. Successfully completing the required reviews may contribute to better campaign performance.
• Criteria for immediate pausing of account: Under certain circumstances, advertisers' accounts will be paused immediately after the review process is initiated. Immediate pausing is possible in the following cases:

1. When ads are deemed to violate Google Ads advertising policies, such as policy topics like "Misleading Representation," "Unsubstantiated Claims," "Unidentified Company," "Company Name Requirements," "Fundraising," "Sensitive Events," and "Coordinated Deceptive Practices"
2. When it is suspected that advertising or business practices may negatively impact users in a physical or financial way; examples: Misrepresentation of the advertiser in the ad content, advertising financial products or services under false pretenses, or unauthorized customer support services on behalf of third parties.
3. If it is believed that the review process is being bypassed.
4. If identity or advertising behavior is unclear

Transparency and disclosures

As with the current process, advertisers must submit their company's legal name or their own name along with the required evidence to confirm identity and/or business activities in the unified verification process. As specified by the advertiser, Google will insert the advertiser's name and location in the disclosure in ads. As part of our ongoing transparency efforts, Google Ads account and ad campaign information will also be made publicly available.

Improved user interface

Advertisers can initiate the review, monitor its status and progress, and read the reasons for an unsuccessful review, if applicable, in a new user interface on the billing and payment settings tab. This interface is accessible via in-product prompts and notifications.

Conclusion

There is no alternative to identity verification. Anyone who does not allow this check can no longer place campaigns. Companies can only differentiate between whether the company or the supporting agency is to be displayed as the advertiser.

We will be happy to continue to support you in confirming your account and managing your campaigns.