YouTube and Discover Feed ad requirements

About YouTube and Discover Feed ad requirements

YouTube ads enable advertisers to create ad campaigns to engage customers on YouTube. Discover Feed ads enable advertisers to show ads alongside content on Discover.

YouTube ads and Discover Feed ads are subject to the standard Google Ads policies. Google also requires ads on these 2 products to comply with additional creative quality requirements to ensure a high-quality, safe, and positive user experience.

This page outlines the additional creative quality requirements for ads running on YouTube and the Discover Feed.

In this article

• How ad review works
• Prohibited content
  • Exaggerated or inaccurate claims
  • Negative events and imagery
  • Improper content
• Sensitive applications
• Quality checks
• Considerations for professional media
• YouTube Masthead content requirements
• Common reasons for disapproval

How ad review works

After you create or edit an ad, the review process begins automatically. The content in your ad will be reviewed, including any associated assets like images, text, and videos. Google Ads uses a combination of automated and human reviews to check that your ads comply with these policies.

If your ad passes the review, its status will change to "Eligible" and it will start to run. If the review indicates that your ad is not compliant with Google's ad requirements, its status will change to "Disapproved". You’ll be notified of the violation and informed about what you can do next.

Learn how to Check the review status of an ad or asset.

Fix your disapproved ad

If your ad is disapproved, refer to Fix ads with policy violations for more information. If you disagree with the decision or have fixed your ad to comply with these ad requirements, you can appeal the decision directly from your Google Ads account using Policy manager For additional assistance, contact Google Ads support.

Appeals may not be available in all circumstances, such as in the case of certain court-ordered removals. You should receive more information about your appeal options in the notification sent to you about your content or account.

Prohibited content

The following is not allowed on YouTube or the Discover Feed:

• Exaggerated or inaccurate claims
• Negative events and imagery
• Improper content

Exaggerated or inaccurate claims

YouTube and Discover Feed ads must comply with all Google Ads policies, including Misrepresentation. Google additionally prohibits ads that contain specific types of exaggerated or inaccurate claims that promote unrealistic expectations on YouTube and the Discover Feed. This is broken down as follows:

Clickbait

Ads containing exaggerated or inaccurate claims about a product or service, or that mislead users are not allowed.

Examples (non-exhaustive):

• Ads promising overnight financial success, “free money” or suggesting users will receive money without a clear, legitimate business or action being performed, such as:

  • "Make $5,000 in 5 minutes!"
  • Promoting cash giveaways without clear terms

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• Ads containing misleading or exaggerated claims about the price, availability, quality, or effectiveness of an offer, product or service, like advertising a $1,000 item for "$1 ONLY!" or guaranteeing unlikely outcomes.

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• Ads that use language intended to elicit a strong negative emotional reaction, such as making the user feel bad for not clicking, or that create a false sense of urgency, like "Only 5 minutes to save a life!"

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• Ads containing false or exaggerated claims related to curing diseases or other health conditions, such as:

  • Promising a secret cure
  • Guaranteeing unrealistic personal transformation
  • Showing a misleading "before-and-after" image
  • Claiming a product is "100% effective"
  • “Cure all allergies instantly!”
  • Claiming a supplement replaces chemotherapy

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Examples of allowed content

• Ads promising money that clearly indicate the legitimate steps required from the user to obtain the money are allowed.
• Ads containing user testimonials, provided that they do not contain exaggerated or inaccurate claims or content intended to elicit strong negative emotions are allowed.

Negative events and imagery

YouTube and Discover Feed ads must comply with all Google Ads policies, including Inappropriate Content, Sensitive Events, Dangerous or Derogatory Content, Shocking Content. Google additionally prohibits ads that contain specific types of negative events and imagery on YouTube and the Discover Feed. This is broken down as follows:

Mentally distressing

Ads containing content that is intended to shock or scare, using repulsive imagery or footage of distressing or negative unhappy events that are likely to make the user uncomfortable, distressed, or feel negative emotions are not allowed.

Examples (non-exhaustive):

• Ads showing funerals with people weeping, mourning, or screaming, including severe emotional breakdowns, close-up shots of people collapsing from grief, or frantic, wailing mourners

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• Ads designed to scare you intentionally or that contain simulated or real footage of distressing accidents, natural disasters, civil unrest, or riots. This includes unedited news footage of a violent confrontation, uncensored footage of a severe car crash, or jump-scares.

They lost everything. Is your insurance really going to cover you? Get a free quote now.	Society is breaking down. Secure your family's future with our survival kits.
Stay informed, not influenced. Witness every perspective as it unfolds with [Brand Name]. Start your free trial today.	Your home could be next. Buy homeowners insurance to prepare for the next wildfire.

• Ads that focus on abuse or addiction and that are likely to cause distress, such as clear depictions of domestic violence, emotional abuse, highly graphic images of self-harm, or overdose symptoms

Ads containing disturbing, repulsive, or gross content related to injuries or death are not allowed.

Examples (non-exhaustive):

• Dramatized or animated content that is excessively gory, realistic, or gruesome, such as highly detailed or gory presentation of real body parts, cadavers, dismemberment, or exposed internal organs
• Gratuitous portrayals of blood or other bodily fluids being projected or splattered, such as exaggerated squirting blood, exposed organs spilling out, a large quantity of blood, blood gushing from a wound, words written in dripping blood, or a person dramatically vomiting a fluid
• Exposed organs, internal tissue, bones, or skin that’s been partially or fully removed

Examples of allowed content

• Ads containing content that is presented neutrally and that avoids any distressing themes or imagery are allowed.

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Improper content

YouTube and Discover Feed ads must comply with all Google Ads policies, including Sexual Content, Healthcare and Medicines, Sexual Health and Wellness, Dangerous Products or Services, Dating and Companionship and Inappropriate Content, including Dangerous or Derogatory Content, Sexually Explicit Content, Child Sexual Abuse Imagery, Adult Themes in Family Content, Shocking Content, and Animal Cruelty. Google additionally prohibits ads that contain specific types of improper content on YouTube and the Discover Feed.

This is broken down into the following categories:

• Body parts and health conditions
• Violent and dangerous acts
• Racy content
• Recreational drugs
• Inappropriate language

Body parts and health conditions

Ads that focus on specific body parts or health conditions are not allowed.

Examples (non-exhaustive):

• Ads containing medical or dental surgery procedures that show blood, guts, gore, bodily fluids, or tooth decay. This includes an exposed internal organ, large amounts of blood from a procedure, or a gory abscess.

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• Ads showing bodily symptoms like fluids, rashes, visible pus, or close-ups of an infection

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• Ads emphasizing body parts when the content is likely to make viewers feel self-conscious or uneasy such as close-ups of symptoms like wrinkles, stretch marks, or acne with negative sentiment

Examples of allowed content

Ads for weight loss, hair loss, skin conditions, or other health conditions are allowed as long as the imagery isn’t disturbing.

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Violent and dangerous acts

Ads containing graphic violence, weapons, or illegal activity are not allowed.

Examples (non-exhaustive):

• Ads containing realistic or graphic depictions of violent acts like violent fights, depictions of harm with a weapon, graphic wounds, or excessive bloodshed
• Ads containing content that depicts weapons or illegal activity such as drug trafficking, trafficking of animal parts, or close-up images of military-grade weapons being used

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• Ads containing dangerous actions that could result in bodily harm or encourage imitation, such as dangerous challenges like "Cinnamon challenge, who can eat the most!" or "How many laundry pods can you eat?"

Racy content

Ads containing nudity or that include racy or sexually suggestive topics or content are not allowed.

Examples (non-exhaustive):

• Adult content promotions where the majority of the ad is focused on nudity or sexual topics. This includes visible genitalia, female breasts including the exposed lower or outer curve of the female breast, focus on groin, majority of buttocks exposed, and people in sexually suggestive poses.

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• Ads that promote dating using sexually suggestive imagery or language like promotion of "hook-up", "no strings attached", or "naughty singles" or close-up images of models in revealing attire

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• Ads featuring sexual entertainment such as strip clubs, sexually suggestive live streaming or live chat, or sexually suggestive role playing games

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Examples of allowed content

• Promotion of products or services like swimwear or spa treatments is permitted as long as the content is not overtly sexualized.

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• Displays of affection are acceptable, provided they are not sexually suggestive or explicit.

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• Promotion of sexual health products is allowed if not sexualized. This includes condoms, sexual lubricants, prescription drugs for erectile dysfunction (ED).

  • Note: A generic or a brand name must be mentioned.

Protect yourself and your partner For reliable STI and pregnancy prevention, trust [Brand name] condoms.	Your health is a shared responsibility [Brand name] condoms are triple-tested for safety and reliability

Recreational drugs

Ads that contain or promote illegal or harmful substances are not allowed.

Examples (non-exhaustive):

• Ads that show the sale, consumption, or glorification of recreational drugs, illegal substances, cannabis leaves, marijuana products, nicotine products, or other accessories commonly associated with recreational drugs like bongs, pipes, and rolling papers.

Unwind Naturally Discover the smooth, calming effects of our premium, farm-grown product.	Context: A movie trailer depicts a character using drugs

 Examples of allowed content

• Ads for educational purposes, such as preventing addiction or drug trafficking, are allowed, provided they do not feature explicit or sensationalized imagery related to drug use such as visceral or shocking portrayals of the consequences of drug abuse.

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Inappropriate language

Ads that include inappropriate or offensive language are not allowed.

Examples (non-exhaustive):

• Ads containing obscene, profane, or offensive language or gestures, which may offend users, including all translations of inappropriate or offensive language and local language equivalents. This includes swear or curse words, variations, misspellings of profane language, and hand gestures.

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• Derogatory language that incites hatred against, promotes discrimination of, or disparages an individual or group that is associated with systemic discrimination such as slurs relating to race or sexuality, variations and misspellings of derogatory language

Sensitive applications

YouTube and Discover Feed ads must not promote sensitive applications as defined below. Application ads must comply with the Google Ads app ads requirements.

Applications that fall into one of the following categories are considered sensitive and cannot be promoted using YouTube and Discover Feed ads:

Ads for applications that fall into one of the following categories:

• Social applications with adult content where the app contains nudity or sexual topics
• Social applications whose primary purpose is meeting new people
• Social applications whose primary purpose is facilitating dating and relationships

Sensitive applications as described above are allowed only when the following requirements are met:

• The application does not have live stream features
• The application does not facilitate live chats with strangers
• The application or ad does not have racy or suggestive content

Quality checks

YouTube and Discover Feed Ads must meet the Google Ads Editorial standards.

Assets that do not meet YouTube and Discover Feed Ads quality requirements.

Examples (non-exhaustive):

• Assets that lack clarity, correct spelling, and use of capitalization or symbols
• Blurred, distorted, or poorly cropped images

Considerations for professional media

Ads that contain content from professional media such as movies, TV shows, video games, literature, and theater are evaluated under a modified standard for the Negative events and imagery and Improper content policies. This allows for a contextual review and is not a blanket policy exception.

Source requirement

To qualify for this modified standard, the ad must clearly identify the source media so the viewer understands the context, such as by explicitly mentioning the name or title.

Amateur or self-published forms of media are not eligible for this modified standard.

YouTube masthead content requirements

YouTube masthead ads are the ads that YouTube users see at the top of the YouTube homepage. This type of ad is the most prominent Google advertising placement available to advertisers. To ensure that we provide a high-quality consumer ad experience, YouTube masthead ads must comply with all Google Ads policies, the YouTube and Discover Feed ad requirements listed on this page, and the Masthead format requirements.

Google will review each YouTube masthead ad asset for compliance with the Masthead format requirements, which apply in addition to the Google Ads policies and the Ad requirements for YouTube and Discover Feed YouTube and Discover Feed ad requirements. Please review the Masthead format requirements for the additional requirements your ad assets must meet in order for your campaigns to serve as YouTube masthead ads. The Masthead format requirements may be more restrictive than the ad requirements for other platforms and surfaces, meaning disapproved YouTube masthead ad assets may continue to run on Google’s other owned and operated properties.

Common reasons for disapproval

Review your ad against these common reasons for disapproval on YouTube and Discover Feed and refer to the provided examples of common ways to fix these issues before filing an appeal.