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In this blog, we'll dive deep into Facebook ad policies, revealing what you can - and can't - advertise on the platform. From the latest updates to the intricacies of compliance, we've got you covered.
Struggling to navigate Facebook ad policies? There’s constant confusion around what and how to advertise on Facebook. Here’s what you should know about Facebook ad policies so you can make ads that won’t get blocked.
Any social platform is an essential advertising tool. And, like any tool, it has its performance standards and safety regulations. What is allowed on Google will never pass on Facebook.
As the digital landscape evolves, so do the Facebook ad policies. So, whether you're a seasoned marketer or just dipping your toes into the world of social media advertising, understanding these policies is crucial.
In this blog, we'll dive deep into Facebook ad policies for 2023, revealing what you can - and can't - advertise on the platform. From the latest updates to the intricacies of compliance, we've got you covered.
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You might also be interested in:
- Why is my Facebook ad still in review? Understanding the holdup
- Facebook ads rejected: 9 reasons, fixes and tips
- Facebook account restricted from advertising? Here's why and how to fix it
Facebook advertising policy principles are based on the following key points:
1. Protecting People from Unsafe and Discriminatory Practices: Advertisers must follow the local laws in their area, avoid discriminatory practices, and not promote illegal or harmful substances.
2. Protecting People from Fraud or Scams: Ads that use deceptive or misleading tactics, including those aimed at defrauding people or asking for personal information, are strictly prohibited.
3. Promoting Positive User Experiences: Ads should make the Facebook experience better, not worse. This means violent, shocking, dirty, or mean content is not allowed.
4. Promoting Transparency: Facebook wants you to know what ads you're seeing. They keep a library of all the ads and show who paid for them. This way, advertisers are responsible for what they show. The Ad Library offers insights into all current ads, especially those related to social issues, elections, or politics.
These principles guide Facebook's advertising policies, ensuring a safe, honest, and transparent advertising environment for its users.
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Facebook ads policies, also known as Facebook advertising standards, are a set of advertising policies and guidelines that advertisers must adhere to when running ads on Facebook. These policies are designed to ensure a safe and positive experience for users and to maintain the integrity of the Facebook advertising ecosystem. Facebook ads policies include:
Facebook advertising policies can change over time. As of September 2023, there are the key aspects of the latest Facebook advertising policies in 2023.
Let’s dive in!
Ads must follow Facebook's Community Standards and Instagram's Community Guidelines. These guidelines set the minimum requirements for ad content.
According to Facebook community guidelines, ads cannot:
Ads cannot contain illegal or highly objectionable content. This includes:
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Ads must not use deceptive or misleading tactics. These rules ensure that ads are honest and don't mislead people. This includes:
Ads must not promote substances, products, or activities that can harm people's health and safety. These rules protect people from potentially harmful content and products. This includes:
Exception: Ads promoting approved cessation products, following local laws and guidelines.
Ads must not contain content that can lead to negative experiences. These rules aim to create a positive and respectful advertising environment. This includes:
The exception here is nude figures in paintings, sculptures, and other forms of art, as long as there's no focus on private parts or sexual acts.
Confused? Here's an example:
Certain types of businesses or products have specific content rules. These rules ensure that content associated with specific businesses or products is handled appropriately and legally. These include:
Ads must not violate the intellectual property rights of third parties or Meta. These rules protect intellectual property rights and prevent misuse of Meta's brands. This includes:
Advertisers can run ads related to social issues, elections, or politics, but they must follow all relevant laws and Meta's authorization process.
Different types of ads have specific requirements. These policies ensure that ads meet specific requirements for different formats and maintain relevance and transparency. These include:
The Facebook ads review process is like a computerized checker that looks at the many ads on Facebook to make sure they follow the rules for advertising.
But, Facebook doesn't just rely on computers. They also have people who help the computer system get better. Sometimes, these people even check some ads by hand.
When Facebook decides if they need to check an ad more closely, they think about how well the advertiser has followed the rules in the past.
The review process usually checks different parts of an ad, like:
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Read more: Why is my Facebook ad still in review? Understanding the holdup
Facebook uses computer checks and sometimes humans to make sure ads follow the rules. They watch how advertisers behave and can block accounts if they break the rules. But not all rulebreaking ads get caught. Ads are always checked and can be rejected if they break the rules. Advertisers must follow Facebook's rules, local laws, and other guidelines.
If an ad is rejected, advertisers can fix it and ask for a second check.
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Related: Facebook ads rejected: 9 reasons, fixes and tips
People can report ads they think break the rules. They can also see why they see certain ads and control what ads they get in their feed using the ad preferences tool.
In addition to rejecting ads that violate policies, Facebook reviews and takes action on advertiser accounts and their assets for various policy violations.
This can include restrictions on advertising ability. Actions are taken for violations such as:
Advertisers facing these issues can request a review if they believe the restriction was incorrect.
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Read more: Facebook account restricted from advertising? Here's why and how to fix it
We are sometimes asked whether you can avoid being banned by using Revealbot or any other automation tool. No, you can’t: ads that are not compliant with the Facebook policy can’t be posted through any other program or extension suddenly making them okay.
There are some rumors that Facebook is more lenient towards advertisers with the huge spend, but there’s no solid proof to support these theories. Sometimes Facebook algorithms block ads that have nothing outrageous about them. Like that story about onions being too sexy.
Here’s what Facebook has to say about this:
“We reserve the right to reject, approve or remove any ad for any reason, in our sole discretion, including ads that negatively affect our relationship with our users or that promote content, services, or activities, contrary to our competitive position, interests, or advertising philosophy.”
If that’s your case and your ad got rejected for an unknown reason, there is a review dispute procedure you can follow:
If things went far and your ad account got restricted or blocked for reasons unclear to you, the procedure is as follows:
Facebook also suggests ways you can improve your ad accounts when it comes to eCommerce and a few tips to make your ads better in general.
There is a way of making a Facebook advertiser’s life less stressful. When using Revealbot for your ad posting you are minimizing the chances of your ad being rejected. Revealbot being an official Facebook partner is making us partially responsible for any violation of ad policies.
This is why there is a review procedure we follow:
your account is checked by our AI and manually. It might take up to a few hours, but usually, the procedure runs much faster. If you think it’s been “In review” for too long, feel free to contact us.
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As with any other area of your work, you can either use your best judgment while advertising, or trust other professionals to use theirs. In general, think about what will happen if someone you care about will see this ad you’re posting. If your ad is cringy, provocative, or just meh, try to work on your creatives a bit more and present your best.
Key takeaways