Preparing a landing page for ad review
An ad is approved on the strength of the page behind it.
4 min read
Key takeaways
- The page must say who you are, what you sell and how to reach you, on the page itself.
- Every claim in the ad must be visible on the page, and supported.
- Price, subscription terms and cancellation must be clear before checkout, not after it.
- Reviewers and visitors, on every device, must see the same page.
On this page8 sections
Most ad disapprovals are not about the ad. They are about the page the ad sends people to: a claim the page does not support, a business that cannot be identified, a price that appears only at checkout, a link that redirects somewhere unexpected. Platforms review destinations because their users land there, and U.S. consumer protection law applies to the page as much as to the ad.
What a reviewer is looking for
Platform policies are long, but most destination reviews come down to five questions:
- 1Does the page work on a phone, without errors, at the URL in the ad?
- 2Can I tell which business this is and how to contact it?
- 3Does the page deliver what the ad promised?
- 4Are the claims supported, and are the terms clear?
- 5Is the product allowed, and if it is restricted, does the advertiser hold the certification it needs?
Identity: who is behind the page
A reviewer, like a customer, should be able to identify the business without leaving the page. Platforms treat a business that cannot be identified as a misrepresentation risk.
- The legal or trade name, matching the name you used for verification.
- A physical business address and at least one direct way to get in touch: an email address, a phone number or a contact form that works.
- Links to a privacy policy and terms of service that exist as real pages.
- A refund or return policy if you sell anything.
Claims: say only what the page can support
The Federal Trade Commission's standard is simple to state: advertising must be truthful, must not mislead, and must be backed by evidence when it makes objective claims. Platforms enforce their own versions of the same idea, and they read the page to check.
On the page
A number, like 'cuts energy bills by 30%'
- What makes it reviewable
- The basis for the number, with the conditions it depends on, on the page
On the page
Reviews and testimonials
- What makes it reviewable
- Real customers, any material connection disclosed, and results described honestly
On the page
'As seen in' or partner logos
- What makes it reviewable
- Only where the coverage or relationship actually exists
On the page
Before-and-after images
- What makes it reviewable
- Restricted on most platforms for health and weight-loss topics; check the policy first
On the page
Countdown timers and 'only 3 left'
- What makes it reviewable
- Only when true. Timers that reset on reload are deceptive
| On the page | What makes it reviewable |
|---|---|
| A number, like 'cuts energy bills by 30%' | The basis for the number, with the conditions it depends on, on the page |
| Reviews and testimonials | Real customers, any material connection disclosed, and results described honestly |
| 'As seen in' or partner logos | Only where the coverage or relationship actually exists |
| Before-and-after images | Restricted on most platforms for health and weight-loss topics; check the policy first |
| Countdown timers and 'only 3 left' | Only when true. Timers that reset on reload are deceptive |
Pricing, subscriptions and checkout
Pricing problems are among the most common reasons a destination fails review, and they are also the most likely to turn into chargebacks later.
- Show the price, or how the price is calculated, before the visitor enters payment details.
- For subscriptions and free trials, state the amount, how often it bills, when the trial converts and how to cancel, next to the button that starts it. The Restore Online Shoppers' Confidence Act (ROSCA) requires clear disclosure of material terms and express consent before an online subscription is charged.
- Make canceling as easy as signing up, and explain how it works.
- Show shipping costs and delivery times before checkout, not in the confirmation email.
One page, for everyone
The page a reviewer sees must be the page every visitor sees. Showing the review system something different from what real visitors get, by location, device or any other signal, breaks every major platform's policies and usually ends with the advertiser's accounts suspended. The same goes for redirects that send people to a domain other than the one shown in the ad.
- Link straight to the final URL, on the same domain as the ad's display URL.
- Keep your tracking parameters, but avoid redirect chains through domains you do not control.
- Do not change the offer on the page after approval. If the offer changes, the ad should be reviewed again.
Technical checks reviewers notice
- The page loads on a phone, on a mobile connection, without errors.
- No pop-ups block the content on arrival, and the back button works.
- Nothing downloads unless the visitor asks for it.
- HTTPS everywhere, with a valid certificate.
- Forms say what happens to the data, with the privacy policy linked beside them.
Restricted categories
Some categories are allowed only with the platform's own certification or authorization: online pharmacies, gambling, some financial services, addiction treatment, and political or social-issue ads, among others, with requirements that vary by platform and by state. The certification comes from the platform or the third-party program it names, and no landing page can stand in for it. Check before you build the page, not after the disapproval.
A pre-launch checklist
- 1Open the ad's link on a phone and confirm you land on the final page, on the same domain.
- 2Find the business name, address and a way to get in touch, at the latest in the page footer.
- 3Read the ad, then find each of its claims on the page.
- 4Check that price and terms are visible before payment details are requested.
- 5Confirm the privacy policy, terms and refund policy pages load.
- 6Look for every label the format needs: 'Advertisement', testimonial disclosures, trial terms.
- 7If the category is restricted, confirm the certification is in place on that platform.
Write the page for the reviewer, and you have written it for the customer too.
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Written by
Krög editorial team
Account managers, compliance and billing
Written by the people at Krög who open, fund and support advertising accounts for verified businesses every day. Platform rules change often. If something here is out of date, tell us on Telegram.
Meet the team