• by Laurie Sullivan  @lauriesullivan, August 28, 2019

Google will standardize the way it presents content policies to publishers in an effort to simplify how it communicates its restrictions and processes.

Information seems easy to access, but sometimes communicating the details of rules, regulations, terms and conditions is challenging. Time constraints and deadlines from busy lifestyles can cause people to gloss over the details.

So, in September, publishers will begin to see updates in the way Google presents its content policies. The plan is to present the content in a clear outline based on the types of content and places across the web where Google will not allow or restrict advertising.

Last year Google removed 734,000 publishers and app developers from its ad network, and ads from nearly 28 million pages that violated its publisher policies.

In an effort to prevent removals from rising, Google’s Publisher Policies will outline the types of content restricted from showing ads through any of its publisher products. This includes policies against illegal content, dangerous or derogatory content, and sexually explicit content, among others.

The pages related to Restrictions will detail the types of content, such as alcohol or tobacco, that don’t violate policy, but that may not appeal to all advertisers.

“Publishers will not receive a policy violation for trying to monetize this content, but only some advertisers and advertising products — the ones that choose this kind of content — will bid on it,” Scott Spencer, director of sustainable ads, wrote in a post. “As a result, Google Ads will not appear on this content and this content will receive less advertising than non-restricted content will.” 

The Google Publisher Policies and Google Publisher Restrictions will apply to all publishers, regardless of the products they use — AdSense, AdMob, and Ad Manager.