All bid responses on Authorized Buyers are screened before they enter the auction. During the screening process, some bids are rejected from entering the auction. This is called bid response filtering. Filtered bids represent lost bid opportunities.
For an illustration of how bid response filtering works and detailed developer documentation related to bid response filters, see Bid Response Filtering.
When a bid response is rejected, it's because of
- an automatic Google filter, or
- a mismatch between your bid and a publisher configuration, or
- auction dynamics
The most common reasons are shown here, with corresponding troubleshooting steps and additional information.
Google filters
Google reviews bid responses to determine if both the creative and the bid are compliant with Google policies and standards. The following are some of the most common reasons a bid response may be filtered by Google.
Deal's buyer_network_id is invalid
The bid is filtered by Google because a billing ID has been provided for an account for which the deal has not been configured. This filtering reason corresponds to creative status code 116.
Poor landing page quality
The bid is filtered by Google because of poor landing page quality from the click-through URL. This filtering reason corresponds to creative status code 5.
Malware detected
The bid is filtered because malware was detected in the landing page of the creative used in the bid response. This filtering reason corresponds to creative status code 6.
Creative URL not yet been reviewed
Before an ad can be shown, the landing page URL needs to be crawled and reviewed by Google. This filtering reason corresponds to creative status code 7.
When a creative ID is labeled “Unknown”, Google has not logged the creative ID for the filtered bids yet. This process may take up to a few hours to complete, after which the corresponding creative ID will be displayed.
Creative was not approved
The bid is filtered because the creative is not approved. If your ad does not comply with Authorized Buyers policies, the ad will be disapproved and then filtered from the auction. This filtering reason corresponds to creative status code 10.
Declared size not present in request
The bid is filtered by Google because the declared width and height in the bid response do not match the bid request. This filtering reason corresponds to creative status code 25.
click_through_url is too short
The bid is filtered by Google because the click-through URL is less than the required 12 characters. This filtering reason corresponds to creative status code 56.
click_through_url could not be parsed
The bid is filtered by Google because the click-through URL contains errors or could not be verified. This filtering reason corresponds to creative status code 57.
Expandable direction missing
The bid is filtered because an expandable ad was declared in your bid response, but an expandable direction is missing from the Ad.attribute field. This filtering reason corresponds to creative status code 63.
max_cpm_micros not greater than 0
The bid is filtered because the maximum CPM in the bid response is either 0 or negative. This filtering reason corresponds to creative status code 67.
Awaiting review by publisher
The bid is filtered because it's awaiting review by the publisher. This filtering reason corresponds to creative status code 77.
Agency disallowed by publisher
The bid is filtered because the publisher disallows ads from this agency. This filtering reason corresponds to creative status code 84.
Creative requires additional review
The bid was filtered because the creative requires additional review before it's allowed to serve. This filtering reason corresponds to creative status code 85.
Invalid advertiser in deal
The bid is filtered because it doesn't match the advertiser mentioned in the deal terms. This filtering reason corresponds to creative status code 117.
Creative language could not be detected
The bid is filtered by Google because the language could not be detected and the publisher has language restrictions. This filtering reason corresponds to creative status code 120.
Ineligible to serve on Android
The bid is filtered because it contains Flash and is not allowed to serve on the Android platform. This filtering reason corresponds to creative status code 123.
Ineligible to serve on iOS
The bid is filtered because it contains Flash and is not allowed to serve on the iOS platform. This filtering reason corresponds to creative status code 124.
Unapproved for serving to China
The bid is filtered because it is ineligible or unapproved for serving to a user in China or property (based on browsing IP or billing address of the publisher account).
Creatives attempting to serve to a web property or user in China are held for full geographic policy review before they are allowed to serve on Authorized Buyers. There may be a delay before your ad is reviewed and approved to run. This filtering reason corresponds to creative status code 129.
Unapproved for serving to Russia
The bid was filtered because it is ineligible or unapproved for serving to a user in Russia or property (based on browsing IP or billing address of the publisher account).
Creatives attempting to serve to a web property or user in Russia are held for full geographic policy review before they are allowed to serve on Authorized Buyers. There may be a delay before your ad is reviewed and approved to run. This filtering reason corresponds to creative status code 130.
Too many active snippets
The bid is filtered from the auction because your account has too many active creatives IDs with creatives that have not yet been reviewed or creatives that are not currently active. The limit is set on an account-level basis. This filtering reason corresponds to creative status code 131.
Width not in permitted range
The bid is filtered by Google because the width of the image in a native ad bid response is not within the permitted range. This filtering reason corresponds to creative status code 132.
Aspect ratio not in permitted range
The bid is filtered by Google because the aspect ratio of the image in a native ad bid response is not within the permitted range. This filtering reason corresponds to creative status code 132.
No bid reason
Bidders can respond to a bid request with an optional no bid reason if they decide not to bid.
Missing SKAdNetwork response fields
The bid is filtered because SKAdNetwork response was included in your bid response, but some required fields are missing from the SKAdNetwork response. This filtering reason corresponds to creative status code 211.
Google video filters
Google reviews bid responses for video inventory to determine if the creative is compliant with Google policies and standards. You can find more information in the Video Best Practices section of the Real-time Bidding Protocol. These are some of the common reasons a bid response for video may be filtered by Google.
Video creative throttled
The video was filtered because it has historically had a high error rate or very low view rate. Video ad throttling prevents problematic video ads from competing in the auction. This filtering reason corresponds to creative status code 74.
Video ad contains invalid VAST XML
The bid is filtered by Google because of incorrect technical specifications or compliance. This filtering reason corresponds to creative status code 76.
Publisher filters
Once the bid makes it through a Google review, it is reviewed again to ensure it complies with publisher requirements. For every piece of ad inventory, the publisher can add exclusions. These are some of the most common reasons a bid response may be filtered by a publisher.
Ad format was excluded by deals
The bid is filtered because it doesn't match the format of the chosen deal. This filtering reason corresponds to creative status code 206.
Filtered manually by publisher
The bid is filtered due to manual publisher ad review and disapproval. This filtering reason corresponds to creative status code 12.
Excluded sensitive category detected
The bid is filtered because one or more sensitive categories were excluded by publisher settings or Google policy. Authorized Buyers detected the same sensitive category based on the click-through URL. This filtering reason corresponds to creative status code 14.
Excluded product category detected
The bid is filtered because one or more detected product categories were excluded by the publisher through the bid request. Authorized Buyers detects product categories based on both declared and detected click-through URLs. This filtering reason corresponds to creative status code 15.
Excluded vendor_type declared
The bid is filtered because the bid response declared a vendor or creative attribute that is excluded in the bid request by the publisher. This filtering reason corresponds to creative status code 17.
Excluded sensitive category declared
The bid is filtered because one or more sensitive categories were excluded by the publisher and declared in the bid response. This filtering reason corresponds to creative status code 19.
App ID excluded by publisher
The bid is filtered because the app to be downloaded (from a click-to-download ad) is blocked by the publisher. This filtering reason corresponds to creative status code 188.
URL excluded by publisher
The bid is filtered because the publisher does not allow this creative's URL (click-through URL in the bid response). You can change your bidding strategy to avoid bidding on behalf of this advertiser on this publisher. This filtering reason corresponds to creative status code 71.
Advertiser excluded by publisher
The bid is filtered because the publisher has excluded the advertiser. This filtering reason corresponds to creative status code 72.
Ad language disallowed by publisher
The bid is filtered because the ad language is not allowed by the publisher. This filtering reason corresponds to creative status code 82.
Creative attribute: Native Not Eligible
The bid was filtered because the ad slot requires a non-native ad, but a native ad was submitted in the bid response. This filtering reason corresponds to creative status code 103.
Filtered by publisher rules
The bid is filtered because of the publisher's exclusion rules. Publishers are allowed create rules to determine the type of ads that are allowed to run on their inventory. The rules include, but are not limited to
- targeting rules (such as tags, URLs, geography, inventory sizes, Google Tag Manager key values, operating systems, and device categories), and
- pricing and blocking rules (such as branded or semi-transparent price).
This filtering reason corresponds to creative status code 119.
Creative attribute: NonSSL
The bid is filtered because it was not SSL compliant, but attempted to serve to secure inventory. This filtering reason corresponds either to creative status code 142 or creative status code 18 and excluded attribute 48.
Creative attribute: RichMediaCapabilityHTML5
The bid is filtered because the publisher doesn't allow HTML5. This filtering reason corresponds to creative status code 18 and excluded attribute 39.
Creative attribute: RichMediaCapabilityFlash
The bid is filtered from the auction because it uses Flash, but Flash is not available or not allowed for this request. This filtering reason corresponds either to creative status code 143 or creative status code 18 and excluded attribute 34.
Creative attribute: In-Banner Video
The bid is filtered because the publisher does not allow in-banner videos. This filtering reason corresponds to creative status code 18 and excluded attribute 95.
Creative attribute: IsCookieTargeted
The bid is filtered because the publisher does not allow cookie targeting. This filtering reason corresponds to creative status code 18 and excluded attribute 8.
Creative attribute: VPAID Flash
The bid is filtered because the publisher does not allow VPAID Flash. This filtering reason corresponds to creative status code 18 and excluded attribute 30.
Creative attribute: IsUserInterestTargeted
The bid is filtered because the publisher does not allow user interest targeting. This filtering reason corresponds to creative status code 18 and excluded attribute 9.
Creative text filtered by publisher
The bid is filtered by publisher's creative text filter rules. Publishers can set blocking rules against certain text phrases. Bids with creatives detected to contain these phrases are filtered from the auction. This filtering reason corresponds to creative status code 144.
Publisher blocked open auction bids
The bid is filtered because it was not associated with a deal, the publisher is only allowing deals in the request. This filtering reason corresponds to creative status code 198.
Auction filters
After the bid response passes both a Google and publisher review, it makes its way to the auction. These are the reasons a bid response may be filtered by the auction.
Creative was outbid
The bid successfully entered the auction but was outbid. This filtering reason corresponds to creative status code 79.
Below minimum threshold
The bid is filtered because the maximum CPM in the bid response is below the applicable auction floor price. This filtering reason corresponds to creative status code 80.
Note that a bid above the minimum CPM (min_cpm_micros) in the bid request may still be filtered as the minimum CPM in the bid request does not include floor prices applicable to specific attributes of a creative, such as advertiser specific floor prices.
Private Auction (PA) bids must be above the respective PA floor and any applicable publisher floor prices to be eligible to transact.
Learn how to troubleshoot callout filtering.