Google Ads landing page requirements
Google will not run ads to a page that fails its destination requirements, and the disapproval message rarely says which part failed. Here is the actual checklist and the usual culprits.
Quick answer
Google's destination requirements mean the page behind your ad must work, load, and be reachable without a login in every country you target. It has to identify the business clearly, give accessible contact details, and link to terms and a privacy policy. Meta applies a similar standard. Fix the missing pieces on one landing page rather than arguing the disapproval.
Step-by-step
- 1
Check the page is reachable in your target countries
Google requires the landing page to be accessible without authentication for the geographic regions the campaign targets. A page behind a login, a country block, or an aggressive bot filter fails even though it loads for you at home. This is the most common cause of a destination disapproval on an otherwise fine site.
- 2
Identify the business on the page
Google's transparency requirement is that the page clearly identifies the business entity behind the offer. Put the trading name, what you do, and where you operate above the fold. An anonymous page selling a service reads as a lead-capture shell, which is exactly the pattern the policy targets.
- 3
Give real, accessible contact information
Contact details need to be findable on the page, not only in a form. An email address, a phone number, or both, plus a service area or address. Meta's policy asks for the same thing. A contact form alone is weaker than a form plus a visible email.
- 4
Link terms of service and a privacy policy
Both Google and Meta expect these to be present and linked. The privacy policy has to describe what data you collect and how you use it, which matters as soon as you run a contact form or any pixel. If you run a Meta pixel or Google tag, this is not optional.
- 5
Make the ad and the page match
Google requires the ad to accurately reflect where the click goes, and Meta disapproves ads whose landing page does not match the ad's promise. If the ad says 'emergency plumber, 24 hours', the page must lead with emergency plumbing, not a general services list. Mismatch is judged on the visible content, not your intent.
- 6
Fix speed and mobile before you resubmit
Google evaluates page experience signals as part of ad review, and Core Web Vitals, Largest Contentful Paint, Interaction to Next Paint, and Cumulative Layout Shift, are widely understood to feed landing page quality. Most Meta traffic is mobile. A slow or shifting page costs you twice: on approval and on the cost per click.
Tips & best practices
- Test the URL in a private window on mobile data, not office wifi. Both platforms review it as a stranger on a phone.
- One focused page per ad group beats sending every ad to the homepage, for approval and for conversion rate.
- Do not send ads to a page that is still a placeholder. A 'coming soon' destination is an automatic fail.
- Keep the terms and privacy links in the footer of every page, so any URL you ever advertise already satisfies that part.
Common questions
Why was my ad disapproved when the page loads fine for me?
+−
Almost always geography or authentication. The requirement is that the page is accessible without authentication in the regions the campaign targets, so a country restriction, a security rule blocking a data centre, or a login wall will fail it while working perfectly from your own connection.
Do I need separate landing pages for each ad?
+−
Not separate pages for each ad, but the page a click lands on has to match what the ad promised. One page per service or offer is usually enough. Sending every ad to a general homepage is the most common reason for a relevance disapproval and it also wastes spend.
Does the same apply to Meta ads?
+−
Broadly yes. Meta expects the landing page to match the ad, to identify the business with contact information, and to carry a privacy policy explaining data collection. It also weighs page speed and mobile experience heavily because most of its traffic is on phones.