Was your Google Ads account suspended? Google’s page on suspensions lists several reasons, including a billing and payment problem, a policy violation and unauthorized activity in the account. A suspended account can’t run any ads. An appeal is the way back. But Google says it reinstates accounts only in compelling circumstances, such as in the case of a mistake.
So the leads those ads bring in stop while you work out the cause. Google treats a suspension as permanent unless an appeal is submitted and the account is reinstated. And opening another account to get around it won’t help: Google says that one may be suspended too. Find the stated cause. Fix it. Then file one appeal.
Google Ads Account Suspended: What Does It Mean?
It means your ads are off. According to Google Ads Help’s page on account suspensions, advertiser behavior that puts users, Google or its partners at risk can lead to a suspension from using Google Ads. The same page says suspended accounts cannot run any ads.
You can still get in and look around. Google says advertisers can still view their suspended accounts and any associated reports. It also says advertisers may not be able to access suspended accounts after an extended period. So pull the reports you need and keep copies while you can. That’s a habit worth having, not a Google rule.
Google says advertisers whose accounts are suspended get an in-account notification and an email. You’ll find the policies named in the email, with a link to the appeal. Read both before you do anything else.
Why Does Google Suspend Accounts?
Google’s page lists several reasons. The notice and the email name the one that applies to you, so don’t guess. Three of the reasons Google lists:
- A billing and payment problem.
- A policy violation.
- Unauthorized activity in the account.
Check billing first, because the triggers there are concrete. Reasons listed on Google’s page on billing and payment suspensions include unpaid balances, or concerns about your ability to make future payments. Instructing your bank or card company to reverse a charge paid against a legitimate Google Ads balance is on it too. So is attempting to sell promotional codes, or using more than one promotional code on an account. Those are reasons Google lists, not the whole universe of them.
Not every stop is a suspension. Google says an account may be paused temporarily instead, and that in those cases the account is not suspended. Only admin users can go through the challenge to unpause it, so you’ll need the right person logged in. Unauthorized activity gets its own handling: Google says it temporarily suspends the account to protect against unauthorized charges.
Will Google Warn You Before It Suspends an Account?
Sometimes, and sometimes not. It depends on the kind of violation. Google says a violation of its egregious policies and terms means suspension immediately, without prior warning. There’s no notice first. Egregious means serious enough to be unlawful, or to cause significant harm to users or the ad system. Circumventing systems and unacceptable business practices are two Google lists.
Repeat violations run on a different track, and there’s a sequence to it. Google says it sends the notification at least 7 days before a suspension action. It also says no strikes are issued for the first policy violation. A strike is a count Google keeps against the account. Google says temporary holds apply at the first and second strikes, for three days and seven days. The third strike, it says, results in an account suspension.
One thing to rule out. If your ads still run but show up less than before, that points somewhere else — a limit on how often your ads show, which isn’t a suspension at all.
How Does an Appeal Work?
If you believe Google made an error, you can appeal, and Google sets out the steps. You file from inside the account, explain what happened in a form, and then watch for an email with the outcome. Here’s the sequence Google describes.
- In your Google Ads account, select the Contact Us link in the notification at the top of your screen.
- Explain your situation in the form. Google shows the relevant policy information as you fill it in.
- Submit one appeal at a time, and a separate appeal for each suspended account.
- Watch for the email that carries the outcome.
- If your appeal is rejected, you can re-appeal through the same process.
There’s a gate in front of some advertisers. Google says certain selected advertisers must complete advertiser verification successfully to appeal a suspension. That’s Google’s check on who the advertiser is.
Billing appeals carry one extra step. Google says you may be asked to verify your payment method within 30 days.
Set your expectations from Google’s own wording. It says accounts are only reinstated in compelling circumstances, such as in the case of a mistake. So be thorough, accurate and honest in the form. Google also says a suspension is considered permanent unless the appeal is submitted and the account is successfully reinstated. Advertisers have at least 6 months from the date of account suspension to submit one, it says.
Starting over isn’t a shortcut. Google says any new accounts the advertiser tries to create may also be suspended. It recommends reinstating all the suspended accounts first, before attempting to create others. So a second account doesn’t get you out of the first one.
What Can You Do Before Anything Goes Wrong?
None of this is a Google rule, and none of it prevents a suspension. They’re habits. Put them in place on a quiet week, not a bad one. What they do is make the stated cause findable, and keep the account’s basics in order so you aren’t guessing under pressure.
- Read the notice and the email for the stated cause before you do anything else.
- Check billing first: an unpaid balance, or a payment method that got declined.
- Check that only people you know have access to the account.
- Keep copies of the reports Google still lets you view.
- Keep the account’s admin and billing contacts up to date.
Then mind the order. Fix what caused the suspension first. File one appeal. Wait for the email instead of sending a second form, because Google says to submit one appeal at a time.
When Is It Worth Getting Help?
Spilt Media’s Google Ads management page says the team goes live with conservative bids and full tracking.
The same page says phone calls, form submissions, chats and purchases are all tracked and attributed to specific keywords and ads. Conversion tracking is how an account records a call or a form fill as a lead.
Some signs it’s time to ask. They’re rules of thumb, not Google’s rules. You can’t tell from the notice which cause applies. Nobody on your team can say who the account’s admin is. Or you depend on Google Ads leads, and you want a second pair of eyes on billing, access and notices before you appeal. If any of those fit, book a consultation with Spilt Media.
Frequently Asked Questions About a Suspended Google Ads Account
Is a suspension permanent?
Google says a suspension is considered permanent unless the appeal is submitted and the account is successfully reinstated. So it stands until an appeal changes it. Google also says accounts are only reinstated in compelling circumstances, such as in the case of a mistake.
Will Google warn me first?
Not for an egregious violation. Google says those accounts are suspended immediately, without prior warning. For repeat violations, Google says it sends the notification at least 7 days before a suspension action.
Can I open a new account?
Google says any new accounts the advertiser tries to create may also be suspended. It recommends reinstating all the suspended accounts first. So treat the suspended account as the thing to deal with.
How long do I have to appeal?
Google says all advertisers have at least 6 months from the date of account suspension to submit an appeal. That’s the window Google gives. It doesn’t say how long a decision takes, so file once and wait for the email.
