What the 2024 Google Ads Safety Report Means for Advertisers

Google has published its 2024 Ads Safety Report, outlining how it responded to misuse, fraud and policy violations over the past year.

If you use Google Ads to promote your business or organisation, especially in regulated industries, this isn’t something to gloss over. Below are some of the highlights from the report and what they could mean for your campaigns.

AI is Redefining How Google Detects and Prevents Abuse

One of the key developments in 2024 was Google’s use of Large Language Models (LLMs) to improve how it detects and blocks policy-violating ads. These models can recognise suspicious behaviour using far less data than previous machine learning systems. This means Google can now detect potential violations at an earlier stage and prevent harmful ads from ever being shown.

This is great news for legitimate businesses because there’s less chance of competing with dishonest or misleading ads. But the margin for error has narrowed. Ads containing ambiguous claims, unclear calls to action or anything that falls outside Google’s updated policies are more likely to be restricted or blocked.

Billions of Ads Blocked and Millions of Accounts Suspended

Google blocked or removed 5.1 billion ads, restricted 9.1 billion more and suspended over 39.2 million advertiser accounts in 2024. In the UK alone, 411.7 million ads were taken down and 1.1 million accounts were suspended​.

The most common reasons for enforcement were:

• Trademark misuse
• Abuse of the ad network
• Financial services violations
• Failure to meet legal requirements
• Gambling and gaming-related content

These figures show how seriously Google is taking enforcement. If your ads fall under a regulated area, such as promoting investment services, legal advice or medical treatments, expect your campaigns to face closer scrutiny. Every element, from ad copy to the supporting landing pages, must meet current policy requirements.

Impersonation Scams Have Prompted Stricter Enforcement

A particularly concerning trend in 2024 was the rise in AI-generated impersonation scams. These involved fake imagery and audio to falsely associate fraudulent products or services with public figures. Google responded by forming an enforcement team of over 100 specialists and introduced updates to its Misrepresentation policy. As a result, over 700,000 advertiser accounts promoting these scams were permanently suspended and reports of these scams dropped by 90% year-on-year.

Source: Cryptocurrency scammers using AI deep fake videos of Keir Starmer and Prince William to target victims

From a business point of view, this has made Google more sensitive to anything that might be construed as misleading or exploitative. That includes claims of endorsement, association or exaggerated outcomes – even when there’s no bad intent. They all need to be accurate and presented in a way that can’t be misinterpreted.

Advertiser Verification is Becoming a Standard Expectation

Another area where Google has scaled up its enforcement is advertiser verification. In 2024, over 90% of ads shown across Google’s platforms came from verified advertisers. The verification process requires businesses to confirm their identity, location and billing details before running campaigns. This is part of Google’s ongoing effort to create a more transparent advertising space and to stop bad actors from returning under new accounts.

For most advertisers, this process is generally straightforward. But any inconsistencies in your business name, billing information or domain ownership can delay approval. If you manage more than one ad account or operate internationally, verification should now be considered a key part of your campaign planning.

Higher Standards Are Being Applied to Websites and Landing Pages

Google’s enforcement isn’t limited to advertisers. In 2024, it took action against 1.3 billion publisher pages for content that violated its policies. These are websites that host ads, such as those using Google AdSense. Many of these pages were flagged for things like misinformation, inappropriate material and poor user experience.

While this specifically targeted publishers, it also shows a wider trend that affects advertisers as well. Google is placing more emphasis on the quality of the destination pages that ads point to. If your ads link back to your own website, the content is also under review.

Things like page speed, mobile-friendliness, design, layout and whether users can easily find what was promised in the ad can directly affect whether your ads are approved or shown. From what we’ve seen managing campaigns, poor landing page experiences are now just as likely to cause problems as poor ad content.

What Businesses Should Take Away from This Report

Google’s 2024 Ads Safety Report makes one thing clear: the platform is tightening enforcement and raising its standards. For most advertisers, this is largely positive. It levels the playing field by filtering out misleading or low-quality ads and helps trusted businesses stand out more easily. But it also means expectations are higher.

If you’re running Google Ads, ask yourself:

• Is your ad copy clear, honest and consistent with what’s on your landing page?
• Are you using language or claims that could be misunderstood or misinterpreted?
• Have you completed verification and are all your business details consistent across accounts?
• Do your landing pages meet Google’s current standards for transparency and usability?

Priority Pixels manages Google Ads campaigns across a wide range of industries, including some of the most heavily regulated. We know what Google looks for and make sure every campaign is built for performance, but also for transparency and long-term success.

If you’re unsure whether your current activity meets the latest standards or if you’re looking to launch new campaigns that perform and comply, we can help.