Google Ads Third Party Tech Support Changes Bring Uncertainty

Google Ads has announced changes to its third-party tech support policies, leaving many advertisers uncertain about the future of their campaigns.

These changes are aimed at reducing the risk of ad fraud and improving ad quality.

Advertisers who use third-party tech support services will be required to obtain a Google Ads certification, which will help ensure that these services meet Google's standards.

The certification process will involve a thorough review of the service provider's technology and expertise.

This move is expected to benefit advertisers who use reputable third-party tech support services, as they will be able to demonstrate their compliance with Google's policies.

However, advertisers who rely on unverified services may face challenges in maintaining their campaigns.

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Google quietly rolled out a policy update last October, which may indicate the company doesn't intend to resolve the issue of third-party tech support ads.

The update prohibits the promotion of technical support by third-party providers for consumer hardware or software products and services.

This means ads for third-party tech support services are now banned, regardless of whether the providers are considered legitimate or not.

The policy change was made to Google's "Other restricted businesses" policy, which was updated to reflect this new rule.

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Google Ads' decision to restrict third-party tech support has sparked a mix of reactions from industry experts.

Many advertisers are expressing frustration with the move, citing concerns about the potential impact on their campaigns' performance.

Some experts believe that Google Ads is trying to steer users towards its own support options, which can be more expensive.

Google Ads' own data shows that users who opt for third-party support tend to have better campaign outcomes, contradicting the company's claims about the benefits of its own support.

As a result, many advertisers are exploring alternative solutions, such as partnering with specialized Google Ads agencies.

Google made this change due to a rise in misleading ad experiences stemming from third-party technical support providers.

These providers would often serve ads that duped searchers into thinking they were getting support from an official Microsoft representative.

Google's temporary hiatus on tech support ads doesn't have to be the end of your marketing efforts. In fact, Facebook still allows tech support ads, so it may be a good time to optimize your Facebook Ads.

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You can also consider Bing Ads, which still allows most of these advertisers. Bing serves almost a third of all technology-related searches in the US, and according to WordStream data, tech advertisers see a 49% lower CPC and 23% lower CPA on Bing than on Google Ads.

Google has a history of restricting and verifying ads for other industries, including rehab services, which were restricted in September 2017 and later allowed to resume advertising after a vetting process in July 2018.

This means that Google's pause on tech support ads is likely temporary, and a new verification program is being developed to ensure only legitimate providers can advertise on their platform.

You can still reach your target audience through Bing Ads, which offers a more affordable option with lower CPC and CPA rates compared to Google Ads.

The industry is in a lurch over Google's ad policy change, with third-party tech support providers feeling the pinch. Nine months have passed since Google announced a verification program, but it still hasn't been implemented.

Repair shops are angry and frustrated, with some on the verge of bankruptcy due to the lack of advertising revenue. A quick search on Twitter reveals the depth of their frustrations.

Google's policy update has been particularly harsh on third-party service providers who repair Google devices, with data showing reduced visibility for search terms containing "Pixel" keywords. This is causing financial losses for these businesses.

The policy update was quietly rolled out last October, and it prohibits the promotion of technical support by third-party providers for consumer hardware or software products and services. This means ads for third-party tech support services are now banned, regardless of whether the providers are considered legitimate or not.

The change is a result of Google's efforts to reduce misleading ad experiences, which were a common occurrence in the past. In some cases, these services were even malicious, hoping to collect sensitive information from unsuspecting searchers.

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