Google is one of the biggest online platforms for advertising, reaching billions of people around the world. With its advanced targeting options and powerful analytics tools, Google Ads is a popular choice for businesses and organizations looking to promote their products, services, or ideas. However, with political ads being a sensitive topic in recent years, many advertisers have been hesitant to run them on this platform.
In this guide, we will walk you through the process of running political ads on Google and provide tips on how to ensure your ads are effective and compliant with Google’s policies. So if you’re ready to reach a wider audience and make an impact with your political campaign, let’s get started!
Understanding Political Ads On Google
Before we dive into the process of setting up political ads on Google, it’s important to have a clear understanding of what constitutes political advertising on this platform. According to Google, any ad that promotes a candidate for elected office or advocates for legislative, judicial, or executive action is considered political advertising.
This includes ads that mention specific politicians, political parties, ballot measures, and advocacy groups. It’s also worth noting that even if your ad does not explicitly mention these entities but still promotes a particular issue related to them, it may still be classified as political advertising.
So why does Google have such strict regulations for political advertising? The answer lies in the power and influence that digital ads can have on shaping public opinion. With billions of people using Google every day, the platform has immense reach and potential to sway voters’ opinions. As a result, political ads on Google must be transparent and clearly labelled as such.
But what about non-political ads that touch upon social or economic issues? For example, an ad promoting sustainable energy may indirectly support a particular candidate or party’s stance on environmental policies. In these cases, Google may also classify the ad as political if it falls under their definition of political advertising.
As a marketer or advertiser, it’s important to carefully review and understand Google’s policies on political advertising before launching any campaigns. Failure to comply with these guidelines can result in your ad being disapproved or even your account being suspended.
Once you have a solid understanding of what constitutes political advertising on Google, you can proceed with setting up your campaign. In the next section, we’ll discuss the steps involved in creating and running a successful political ad on this platform.
Step 1: Create A Google Ads Account
The first step in running political ads on Google is to create an account on the Google Ads platform. If you already have an account, you can skip this step. To create a new account, simply go to the Google Ads website and click on the “Start now” button.
You will then be prompted to enter your email address and create a password for your account. Once you’ve completed this step, you will need to fill in some basic information about your business or organization, such as your country, time zone, currency, and payment details.
Step 2: Familiarize Yourself with Google’s Political Advertising Policies
As mentioned earlier, political advertising on Google is subject to specific policies that must be followed for your ads to be approved and shown on the platform. It’s crucial to familiarize yourself with these policies to avoid any potential issues or rejections of your ads.
Some key policies to keep in mind include:
- Ads must comply with all applicable laws and regulations, including those related to political advertising.
- Ads cannot contain false or misleading information, including claims about a candidate, political party, or issue.
- Ads must identify who is paying for the ad by including a disclosure statement within the ad itself.
- Ads promoting candidates must be approved by Google before they can run on the platform.
To ensure full compliance with these policies, it’s recommended to thoroughly review them before creating your ads. You should also regularly check for updates or changes to these policies as they may be subject to change.
Step 3: Set Up Your Campaign
Once you have created your Google Ads account and familiarized yourself with the political advertising policies, it’s time to set up your campaign. This involves creating a new campaign, choosing your target audience and keywords, and setting a budget for your ads.
When selecting your target audience, keep in mind that you can narrow down your reach by location, demographics, interests, and more. This allows you to effectively target the specific audience you want to reach with your political ads.
In terms of keywords, think about what terms or phrases your target audience would use when searching for information related to your ad. These keywords will help your ads appear in relevant search results on Google.
Lastly, it’s important to set a budget for your campaign. This can be done by choosing between a daily budget (the maximum amount you are willing to spend each day) or a total budget (the maximum amount you are willing to spend throughout your campaign).
Step 4: Create Your Ad
The next step is to create your ad. This involves writing compelling ad copy and selecting eye-catching visuals that will capture the attention of your target audience. Keep in mind that political ads on Google have character limits for headlines and descriptions, so make sure to craft concise yet impactful messaging.
Additionally, as per Google’s policies, your ad must include a clear and prominent disclosure statement that identifies who is paying for the ad. This can be done by including phrases such as “Paid for by” or “Sponsored by” followed by your organization’s name.
Step 5: Submit Your Ad for Approval
Once you have created your ad, it’s time to submit it for approval from Google. This process involves a review of your ad to ensure compliance with policies and may take up to three days. During this time, make sure to regularly check for any updates or requests from Google regarding your ad.
If your ad is approved, congratulations! It will now start running on Google and reaching potential voters or supporters. However, if your ad is rejected, make sure to carefully review the reasons for rejection and make any necessary changes before resubmitting it for approval.