At the basis of any successful business is a solid strategy for advertising – and these days, that advertising is happening within the digital landscape.

Generally, well-crafted digital marketing strategies make use of a balance of paid social, paid search, and programmatic ads to reach their audience and campaign goals. But for CBD businesses, there are certain obstacles that stand in the way. Various laws for CBD advertising regulate how, when, and where CBD marketing content can appear.

This can make it very difficult to get a CBD-related ad approved for online display. On top of that, some platforms have decided that ads for CBD brands are completely off the table, at least until clearer regulations are in place.

Right now, programmatic advertising for a CBD company tends to be the preferred choice, mainly because it’s a much more reliable form of marketing for businesses in this niche. But even if you’re planning to stick to programmatic ads, we still recommend that you learn how to improve your chances of google ad approval on search and social media. After all, as the old saying goes: it’s worth a shot.

Can CBD Brands Advertise on Facebook & Google?

At our CBD and cannabis ad agency, this is easily one of the most common questions we receive. And that makes perfect sense when you consider that social media alone is slated to account for more than $48 billion of U.S. ad spend this year (Statista) – 80% of which goes to Facebook.

Unfortunately, figuring out how to get a CBD ad on Facebook or Google is one of the toughest topics in marketing right now. Even though hemp-derived CBD was legalized under the 2018 Farm Bill, both Facebook and Google still treat CBD products as if they are generally illegal.

However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. A very small, specific subset of CBD ads may be able to achieve approval.

What’s Allowed on Facebook & Instagram?

Facebook and Instagram (now owned by Facebook) have ad policies that clearly outline the types of content prohibited in advertising content.

As you would imagine, ads for illegal products and services are not allowed, and neither is any content related to illegal activities. Also, ads specifically targeted towards minors cannot promote anything inappropriate, illegal, or unsafe, and the content can’t attempt to exploit or mislead the users. Drugs and unsafe supplements are also on the no-go list.

Looking at the facts, you might assume that CBD ads are allowed on Facebook and Instagram. Since they don’t violate any of the above-named stipulations, that would seem to be a safe assumption. And yet, ads for CBD products are frequently rejected by the social media giants – so, what’s the deal?

There is no hard and fast rule about CBD ads on Instagram and Facebook, as confusing as it is. The guidelines provided to the public make no mention of CBD, but it is said that internal policies banning CBD ads are in place.

As of 2019, the only CBD ads officially allowed on Facebook and Instagram promote CBD topicals.

What’s Allowed on Google Ads?

What about advertising CBD on Google Ads? Unfortunately, the story is pretty much the same.

Google has policies that forbid ads for dangerous products and services, including content that features recreational drugs, products or services related to recreational drugs, and any ads for instructional content on the topic. Yet again, hemp-derived CBD is neither illegal nor a recreational drug, so it would technically not fall under those restrictions. But even so, Google consistently rejects text search ads that make any reference to CBD.

What is allowed on Google Ads is advertising for hemp-derived CBD products, specifically content that only uses hemp keywords.

What to Do If Your CBD Ads Are Rejected on Facebook & Google

So, you stuck to the guidelines, and your ad was still rejected. What do you do?

You have two choices (technically three, if you count giving up on that ad and just moving forward):

• Appeal the decision, especially if you think that the ad was rejected in error. The automated process for ad approval does make mistakes, as do the human moderators that participate in ad reviews.
• Make some strategic changes to ad creative and landing pages, then resubmit. You could get lucky and earn approval on the second (or third) go-round. Below, we break down a few simple edits you can make before giving approval another shot.

How to Increase Your Chances of CBD Ad Approval on Google & Facebook

Getting CBD ads on Google and hemp Facebook ads approved is best described as rolling the dice and hoping that luck favors your ad content this time. There’s no guarantee that anything you do will seal the deal for CBD ad approval on Facebook, Instagram, and Google.

However, there are a few things you can do to tip the scales just a bit more in your favor.

1. Remove all keywords relating to CBD and hemp from your copy, no matter which ones are supposedly allowed on the platform. Instead, stick with euphemisms for the products and services you offer for sale (for example, “organic, plant-based remedies” rather than “CBD concentrates”).
2. Set up a gated landing page that is specifically tailored for the campaign. The landing page should not have any mentions of selling CBD or a hemp product, not even in the URL. Instead, set up a call-to-action (CTA) that will take the user to your website upon click-through.
3. Remove any links to your website that are on the gated landing page instead of building a stand-alone page (remember, make no mentions of CBD or hemp).
4. If a campaign is approved after you complete the steps above, wait a minimum of two days before you put links to your website back on the landing page.
5. If you’ve done all of the above, and you just keep getting rejected, it might be time to move on. Consider alternative ways to advertise CBD to your target audience – more on that below!

What Should I Do If Facebook & Google Never Approve My CBD Ads?

CBD advertising can be a challenge, especially as regulations shift on an ongoing basis. For many CBD brands and retailers, navigating CBD advertising laws is easily one of the most confusing parts of their marketing strategy.

For that reason – and plenty more – a growing number of CBD business owners are opting to partner with a professional digital marketing agency. An agency that specializes in the CBD paid advertising platforms and cannabis industries will be well-equipped with strategies, so your CBD google AdWords and ads get approved, as well as alternative tactics to try if they don’t.

And if CBD ads on Facebook and Google don’t end up being the right fit, an agency can help you re-allocate those funds to programmatic advertising instead. So, you won’t be left with wasted ad spend and non-existent results.

Ready to Take Your CBD Advertising to the Next Level?

The CBD industry is booming, and there’s never been a better time to claim new ground for your growing business. A savvy strategy for CBD advertising can make a world of difference in the success of your blossoming brand, so don’t underestimate the value of planning for effective marketing.

Marijuana Marketing Xperts is a full-serving digital marketing agency with specialized expertise working with CBD and cannabis businesses. Not only are we the expert in CBD ad platform rules, but we also know the ins and outs of connecting brands with their target audiences to achieve measurable results. You want your brand to be seen online, and we have the tools to get that done.

Learn how to advertise CBD on Facebook, Google, and other marketing avenues when contacting us at Marijuana Marketing Xperts today.

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