With the U.S. election right around the corner, Google announced they’ll be pausing all election-related ads once the polls close on November 5. They’ll use AI to filter out anything they think could be tied to the election, with ad pauses lasting until further notice.

Via The Influence Industry Project

Here’s the challenge for advertisers: Google’s AI isn’t foolproof. In fact, it can be quite wrong at times. Non-political ads could mistakenly get flagged if they mention terms like “results” or “polls”, forcing your ads not to show when demand is at its highest this year. As we head into the peak holiday season, these mistaken pauses could impact ad performance during the busiest time of year.

What This Means For You

With the risk of Google’s ad pauses mistakenly flagging your ads, it’s essential to stay proactive to avoid unnecessary campaign interruptions. Here’s what you can do:

• Risk of Incorrect Pauses: Non-election ads could be flagged by Google’s AI, especially if keywords like “polls” or “results” appear. This could cause unintended interruptions in ad performance.
• Potential Drops in Campaign Continuity: Even brief pauses on unrelated ads can impact engagement and conversions, particularly during high-traffic periods.
• Ad Review Delays: If flagged, resolving these issues with Google support may take extra time, affecting campaign consistency.

Careful monitoring during this period will be critical to maintaining performance.

Next Steps

As November 5 approaches, here are some practical ways to prepare to make sure you’re ready for anything during the holiday season:

• Audit Campaign Keywords: Review current ad copy to avoid any keywords that might be incorrectly flagged as election-related.
• Expand on Other Channels: During this pause, diversifying with other ad platforms or boosting organic content will help keep campaigns steady without relying solely on Google.
• Stay Updated: Google may release further details, so keeping an eye on industry updates and announcements can help avoid surprises.

Proactive planning will be key to navigating this temporary ad policy and keeping your ads running in Q4 Our team is here to help you minimize disruption and keep your campaigns on track through the election period. Reach out to us to learn more about our strategy to keep your ads running effectively this season!