What is the Google Ads Advertiser Verification Program
Over the last few years, Google has progressed in its commitment to only showing safe and trustworthy adverts on its platforms, and the identity verification policy although unenforced, has been around since 2018. In 2020 Google announced that advertisers will be required to complete a verification program, and this started rolling out in the US initially and to most UK advertisers from 2022 onwards.
The advertiser verification program allows Google to collect identity and business operations information to enable trustworthy advertising across the platforms and continue to reduce fraudulent activity from advertisers. There are a series of steps for advertisers to complete and once notified of your need to complete the verification, there is a 30-day window to initiate the verification and another 30 days to complete it.
Why is Google asking for identity verification?
This program will make it simple for audiences to identify who the advertiser is behind the ads they see from Google, allowing them to make accurately informed decisions. According to Google (Canfield, J. 2020), “It will also help support the health of the digital advertising ecosystem by detecting bad actors and limiting their attempts to misrepresent themselves”.
So, it helps advertisers build their credibility with online searchers, building trust that the information they are seeing in the search results is from a regulated source. It’s a positive step forward in online security and safety from Google.
What are the benefits of verifying your Google Ads Account?
Here are some of the key points that Google states are benefits of the advertiser verification program within the Google Ads interface:
- Build trust: Show your audience that you’re an authentic voice for your brand
- Empower your audience: Help them make better choices about the content, products and services that they use
- Limit fraud: Make it harder for fraudsters to impersonate the brands that you represent
- Get more out of Google Ads: Encounter fewer limits and access more features available to verified accounts
Most importantly, once Google has asked you to verify your identity you do need to do this, or you risk your advertising being stopped until you do verify your identity.
What documentation do I need to complete advertiser identity verification on Google?
Before you start the program, you will need to consider what type of documentation you need to complete the process. Here is a list of acceptable documentation for UK individuals and businesses, all other country requirements can be found here: https://support.google.com/adspolicy/answer/9872280
Organisations are required to submit one of the following registration documents for advertiser identity verification. Acceptable documents include:
- Certificate of incorporation
- VAT registration certificate
- Certificate of registration of charity
- DUNS number
Individuals and authorised representatives must submit a government-issued photo ID as part of the verification program. Acceptable documents include:
- Driver’s license*
- EU national ID
- EU or UK passport
- UK residence card
* If you are selecting to provide a copy of a driving license, you must provide copies of both the front and back.
How do I complete advertiser identity verification on Google?
When a Google Ads account is selected for the Advertiser verification program, advertisers will be notified through in-account notifications and it will also be displayed in the recommendations section of the Google Ads Interface.
Initially, there may not be a time limit on when you have to complete this. However, you will find once a time limit has been applied to the completion of the program you will also receive a notification via email to the admin and primary contact names listed on the account.
When you are ready to start the process, you can click on the email link provided or navigate to the verification section of your Google Ads account from the notifications.
There will be a series of questions you will need to answer to give Google some initial information about your business. These questions will vary depending on your answers but here are the most common details you will be asked to provide:
For organisations:
- Is your organisation an advertising agency?
- Who pays for the advertising spend on your Google Ads account?
- The full organisation name
- The full organisation’s registered address
- A registration number (optional)
For individuals:
- Name of the authorised representative
- Type of photo ID being supplied
- Personal address
Once you are happy that you have answered all questions correctly and have attached the documentation and photo ID you can submit the information to Google.
How long does the Google Ads verification take?
The initial process of completing the advertiser verification program should take no more than 30 minutes. However, once you have provided Google with all the information and documentation it can take 3-5 working days for Google to review and approve.
You must take this review period into account if you are completing this program within the 30-day window that Google has set. If you start the Google advertiser verification process 1-2 days before the deadline your account is likely to be suspended until after the review has been completed and the verification has been approved. This means your ads will stop running.
We recommend starting this process as soon as the 30-day deadline has been set to avoid any account suspensions.
What next?
Provided that you have given Google all of the information required you will receive email confirmation once the verification process is complete. If your account had been suspended pending advertiser verification your ads will automatically start running again.
Once you have this confirmation from Google your ads will now include a disclosure to show your verified name and location.
When a Google search triggers your advert, once your verification is complete you will see 3 dots next to the sponsored URL, hover over this and you will see “Why this ad?”:
Click on these 3 dots and it will take users to the ‘My Ad Centre’ where details of the advertiser can be found:
If you would like a member of our team to support you through this process, or if you are a business that requires further additional support for one of Google’s many verification policies, from trademark help to the UK Financial Services Verification then fear not, we have years of experience in resolving all types of policy issues for our clients and are here to help advertisers to jump through the many hoops needed to get up and running with Google Ads.
What about verification in your Microsoft Advertising account?
We are seeing some clients with notifications for the UK Financial Services Verification in the Microsoft Advertising platform too. An email notification will be sent out if you are required to do so and as with most elements of the Microsoft Advertising platform, it is very similar to Google Ads, only simplified. Our recommendation would be to complete your Google Ads verification program first and once complete then check your Microsoft Account and complete this when needed.
Do you still have questions about Google’s Advertiser Verification Process?
Get in touch with a member of our Paid Media team by emailing team@keyprinciples.co.uk or calling 0115 880 0211.
References and Sources:
Canfield, J. 2020 – Increasing transparency through advertiser identity verification, Google, https://blog.google/products/ads/advertiser-identity-verification-for-transparency/
