Navigating platform advertising restrictions

Navigating platform advertising restrictions

Marketing across different digital platforms ensures that you are reaching the greatest number of people possible with your ads. However, it’s important to remember that all platforms have their own set of advertising restrictions. Your ad running on Hulu may not comply with Facebook’s ad standards. In almost every industry, there are prohibitions that businesses and media agencies must work with to ensure that ad guidelines are met.

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Because platforms and providers consistently update guidelines, we created this page to use as a resource to keep up to date on ad policies and restrictions across these popular platforms:

  • TikTok
  • Google Ads
  • Meta/Facebook
  • Hulu
  • Spotify
  • Pandora

TikTok advertising restrictions

TikTok, the fast-growing social media app, shouldn’t be ruled out when it comes to advertising your business. Using 15-second to 3-minute videos, TikTok can be a great place to show off what your business can do and offer. Like all social media, TikTok has restrictions and prohibitions for marketers that every business needs to acknowledge.

TikTok logo

As part of the TikTok Ads review process, the following are taken into consideration:

  • Ad creative (caption/text, images and visual content, audio)
  • Targeted region and age group
  • Landing pages

TikTok has specific advertising policies for ad creatives and landing pages. These policies include:

  • Format and functionality
  • Landing page content
  • Landing page consistency
  • Language and targets
  • And more

Find the complete advertising policies for TikTok ad creatives and landing pages here, and click here for the list of TikTok prohibited advertising industries and products.

Google advertising restrictions

Google’s ads network has strong advertising policies and restrictions. With 91.56% of the global search engine market, Google wants its ad experience to be safe, trustworthy and transparent, and to work for users, advertisers, and publishers. With this in mind, there are restrictions to be aware of as you design your ad creatives and target audience.

Google advertising policies cover 4 areas:

  • Prohibited content – things you can’t advertise on the Google Network
  • Prohibited practices – things you can’t do on the ads network
  • Restricted content – content that is advertised with limitations
  • Quality standards – standards for ads, websites, and apps

A comprehensive overview of Google Ads policies, including information on restricted industries content, legal requirements, and more can be found here.

Google advertising targeting restrictions

Some sectors face targeting restrictions on Google Ads. Housing, employment, and credit products (HEC) cannot be targeted to audiences based on:

  • Gender
  • Parental status
  • Age
  • Marital status
  • ZIP code

More information on Google advertising HEC campaigns can be found here.

Meta/Facebook advertising restrictions

Meta owns and operates Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and WhatsApp. To help keep businesses and organizations who use their ad tools in a brand-safe environment, they have extensive Advertising Standards and Community Standards in place.

Facebook logo

Hulu advertising restrictions

Hulu ads are 15-to-30 second videos streamed on ad-supported plans. The platform has limited targeting options for industries that fall under its Special Ads category.

Hulu logo

Hulu special ads categories include:

  • Consumer banking
  • Credit cards
  • Employment
  • Real estate
  • Financial planning
  • Investment brokerage
  • Tax services
  • And more

Special ad restrictions also apply to promotions for the following categories. These categories can change with Hulu’s discretion.

  • Credit opportunity
  • Employment opportunity
  • House opportunity or related service

Hulu also has limited audience targeting in the Political Ads category. These types of ads include:

  • Gubernatorial, Congressional, and Senatorial Political campaigns
  • Political advocacy
  • Other Political categories

Talk to your marketing agency for more information on Hulu targeting guidelines.

Spotify advertising restrictions

Spotify prohibits and restricts certain ads on its platform. Products and services that are totally prohibited fall under the dangerous products and services category.

Spotify logo

Spotify’s prohibited content list includes, but is not limited to:

Restricted ads can promote certain content, products, and services with some limitations. Restricted categories include:

Pandora ad restrictions

Pandora radio has community and content policies that advertisers must follow.

Pandora has a strict policy against promoting regulated goods and services including:

Do advertising restrictions have you worried?

It’s important to pay close attention to ad restrictions across platforms. These rules impact all businesses, but are especially important for the Finance, Banking, Credit, Housing, Political, and Healthcare industries.

Each platform has its own set of guidelines about advertisements that are allowed and prohibited. Breaking the rules can have severe ramifications for your business. It may be as simple as ads that are taken down or blocked after uploading, or worse, losing access to your accounts for violating terms. Staying on top of all the rules can be tough – that’s why working with a marketing partner who can steer you in the right direction will keep your ads running in front of the right people and give you peace of mind.