In June 2026, Google will update its Limited ad serving policy to cover additional scenarios on Google Search. The new Google Search section of the policy and a list of best practices are included below for reference. Implementation will begin gradually and will be completed by 2028. This update also includes other changes to the policy page that are designed to improve readability.
Limited ad serving on Google Search
Google may limit ad impressions from unqualified advertisers on searches that are more likely than others to result in negative ads experiences.
Qualifying to advertise on searches with higher potential for negative ads experiences
When deciding whether an advertiser is qualified, we take user reports about that advertiser especially seriously. When users have persistently and disproportionately reported that an advertiser’s content, products, or behavior do not meet their expectations, we may consider that advertiser unqualified and limit its impressions on certain searches.
We also want to ensure that the identity of the advertiser the user chooses to engage with is unambiguous. While an advertiser may not intend to purposefully mislead a user or misrepresent themselves, ads that reference other brands and generic ads that have no branding at all may confuse users about the identity of the advertiser. In these cases, we may limit impressions on certain searches for all branded and generic ads for that advertiser.
Additional restrictions, like certification requirements, may apply to advertisers advertising in certain high-abuse verticals.
Best practices for qualifying on Google Search ads
Apply the best practices outlined in the “What can I do to become a qualified advertiser?” section of this page.
Maintain clear branding to avoid confusion about your identity or your association with other brands.
- Clearly display your own brand in your ads and on your landing page.
- If you reference other brands, be clear about your association with them and make sure your own branding is clear.
- Use specific language: Avoid generic ad copy and landing page content.
- Clearly identify your brand by pinning your domain. Pin your domain to the front of the ad title, especially if you're a new advertiser or your brand is less well-known. This feature may not be available for all ad or campaign types. Learn more about how to Pin headlines and descriptions to specific positions.
Steps to pin your domain
- On the Ads page in your Google Ads account, create or edit a responsive search ad.
- For the field that contains your domain, select the Pin icon
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- Select Show only in position 1.
- Select Save.
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