As an effort to make things more transparent, Google pushed out advertiser pages to allow us to find out more about the Google ad we have come across. This is useful for us to find out more about who is behind the ad and their ads published in the last 30 days across all Google platforms. Ads are there to influence our decisions so consumers should be able to know more about the ad if they would like to.
Ever came across an ad that is potentially rule-breaking but you are unable to screenshot it at the right frame? One example I came across would be screaming teens showing off photoshopped local bank accounts advertising a get-rich-quick scheme. This function also allows us to report errant ads more easily to Google and the authorities. It will also allow you to do competitor analysis if you see ads in the same industry.
I felt that this function is quite interesting so I would like to share this information with you guys. Facebook has a similar function that is easier to use called their Ad Library where you can search for all the ads currently running across all of Facebook/Meta’s platforms.
We will look at how we can access these pages for Google ads.
What Is Disclosed On Advertiser Pages
Source: Google
You can get these four pieces of information about the ad.
Identity Verification by Google
To publish an ad to Google, currently, most advertisers will need to go through a verification process. This will be pushed out to all advertisers eventually. The purpose is to provide a safe and trustworthy ad ecosystem for users.
Singapore advertisers will provide the following information.
For Organizations, they will need to submit one of the following
- Certificate of incorporation or registration
- Extract from commercial register
- Business license
- Tax certificate
- DUNS number
For individuals and authorized representatives, they will need to submit one of the following
- Passport
- Identity Card
- Driver’s license
- Residence permit
Advertiser
Who is the company or individual who posted the ad
Location
Where the advertiser is registered in
Other Ads By Advertiser
Source: Google
All other ads are recently published by the advertiser.
We will be able to sort the ads by date, location and format to allow us to locate the ad in question more easily. This is especially useful as we will be able to pause the ad at the exact moment we need it. When viewing video ads, we wouldn’t be able to do so and the ad will just keep on playing.
Potential Problems
Through testing various ads I came across, I noticed this doesn’t work for some ads but it should work for most of them.
Also, the link generated when you want to view all other ads is also a temporary link, it will expire after a while. So if you would like to view it again, you will need to come across an ad by the same advertiser again. A new function by Google allows you to view recent ads but it is still not fully functional yet. I will check it out for a few months and then maybe write something about it.
I also noticed that I am unable to scroll along the timeline to get the exact moment I want but at least I have the ability to watch the video again.
Another potential problem is when the brand hires a third party to handle its advertising campaign and this third party has multiple clients so it can be difficult to locate the ad you are interested in and identify the actual brand behind the ad.
How To Access Advertiser Pages
The instructions are slightly different but they are quite similar.
Search Ads On Google Searches
Source: Google
For desktop, click on the downward arrow.
Source: Google
For mobile, click on the 3 dots.
Display Ads On Websites
Source: Google
Click on the “circle with i” button.
YouTube Ads
Source: Google
Click on the “circle with i” or the three-dot button and then press “My Ad Centre”.
Reporting Ads That Violate Ad Policies
Generally, ads should be legal, decent, honest and truthful. For more specific ad policies, you can either visit Google’s ad policies or the Singapore Code of Advertising Practice.
To report the errant ad on Google, you can just report it when you access the advertiser page.
To report it to the relevant authorities in Singapore, you can do it via the Advertising Standards Authority of Singapore here.
TL, DR
Advertiser pages provide more transparency behind Google Ads. We will be able to see who is behind the ads and other ads they currently have on Google platforms.
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