Google strives to support a digital shopping ecosystem that's trustworthy and transparent, and works for customers, retailers, CSSs and publishers. Information within this article will help you become familiar with our policies to show your products organically.
These policies are designed to follow relevant laws and to ensure a safe and positive experience. As such, our policies prohibit content that is harmful to customers and the overall ecosystem.
Policies cover four broad areas:
Prohibited content: Content that you're not allowed to list on the Google Network
Prohibited practices: Things that you can't do if you want to list products with us
Unsupported and restricted content: Content that is currently not supported for CSS product pages or that is allowed on a limited basis
Site requirements: Standards for your website
Google takes action on content that violates our policies. This may include restricting or disapproving products so that they aren't served on our network. It may also include limiting product visibility, and suspending participation in CSS programme opportunities for repeat or egregious violations.
If one of your products is found to be in violation of our policies, we will provide you with information regarding the violation and disapproval. You can contact your Technical Account Manager if one of your products is disapproved or has limited visibility.
Click through the policies below for policy definitions, examples and troubleshooting steps.
Counterfeit productsGoogle prohibits the sale or listing of counterfeit products. Counterfeit goods contain a trademark or logo that is identical to or substantially indistinguishable from the trademark or logo of another. They mimic the brand features of the product in an attempt to pass themselves off as a genuine product of the brand owner.
This policy applies to the content of your free listings and your website.
Dangerous productsGoogle wants to help keep people safe both online and offline, so we don't allow the listing of some products that cause damage, harm or injury.
Examples of dangerous content:
- Ammunition
- Equipment to facilitate drug use
- Explosive materials and fireworks
- Instructions for making explosives or other harmful products
- Psychoactive substances
- Recreational drugs (chemical or herbal)
- Tobacco products
- Weapons
Google values honesty and fairness, so we don't allow the listing of products that are designed to enable dishonest behaviour.
- Examples of products that enable dishonest behaviour: Hacking software or instructions; fake documents; academic cheating products.
Google values diversity and respect for others, and we strive to avoid offending customers, so we don't allow free listings or destinations that display shocking content or promote hatred, intolerance, discrimination or violence.
- Examples of inappropriate or offensive content: Bullying or intimidation of an individual or group; racial discrimination; hate group paraphernalia; graphic crime scene or accident images; cruelty to animals; murder; self-harm; extortion or blackmail; sale or trade of endangered species.
Google aims to enable businesses to list a wide variety of products, but some Google products and platforms may not be optimised to appropriately support all content types.
For this reason, we don't allow the listing of certain content where we don't offer an optimal customer experience.
Abuse of the free listings networkGoogle wants listings to be useful, varied, relevant and safe for customers, so we've made some decisions about how we serve content on our network. As a result, we don't allow any of the following:
- Malicious or unwanted software
- Low-value content
- Gaining an unfair advantage
- Gaming the Google Network
Google doesn't want customers to feel misled by the content in your free listings, which means being upfront, honest and providing them with the information that they need to make informed decisions. For this reason, we don't allow the following:
- Omission of relevant information
- Unavailable listings
- Misleading or unrealistic listings
- Unacceptable business practices
Currently Google doesn't allow CSSs to promote CSS product pages related to the products in the categories outlined in this section.
Adult-orientated contentGoogle doesn't allow the listing of adult-related content.
- Examples of unsupported adult-orientated content:
- Adult merchandise
- Sexually suggestive content
- Images containing exposed skin and nudity
- Sex toys; adult magazines; sexual enhancement products; sexually suggestive lingerie promotions.
Google doesn't support the listing of alcoholic beverages and drinks that resemble alcoholic beverages.
The policies below cover content that's sometimes legally or culturally sensitive. Online listings can be used as a powerful way to reach new customers, but in sensitive areas, we also work hard to avoid showing these listings when and where they might be inappropriate.
For that reason, we allow listings of the content below, but on a limited basis. These listings may not show to every customer in every location, and retailers may need to meet additional requirements before their listings are eligible to be shown to customers. Note that not all products, features or networks are able to support this restricted content.
Google restricts the listing of copyrighted content. If you would like to list copyrighted content and believe that you are legally authorised to do so, you can contact us. To learn more about how we handle copyright-related issues or to submit a copyright-related complaint, use this form.
Google restricts the listing of gambling-related content.
- Examples of restricted gambling-related content: National or private lotteries; physical lottery scratch cards; sites offering bonus codes or promotional offers for gambling sites
Google restricts the listing of healthcare-related content such as the following:
- Over-the-counter medication
- Prescription medication
- Unapproved pharmaceuticals and supplements
- Pregnancy and fertility-related products
The restrictions that apply to this content may vary depending on the product that you're listing and the countries that you're targeting. Some content, such as unapproved pharmaceutical supplements, may not be listed anywhere.
Depending on the content that you're listing and the countries where your listings appear, you may need to apply for preauthorisation with Google before advertising healthcare-related content.
Google doesn't restrict use of trademarks by CSSs in the title or description of a listing when it's for a trademarked product or a product compatible with the trademarked product. CSSs need to reference trademarks to be able to communicate to customers what they're offering, and customers need that information as it's relevant to their searches. We'll review claims by trademark owners that the use of their trademark is likely to cause consumers confusion about the origin of a product. To submit a trademark-related complaint if you're an owner of the trademark, use this form.
Editorial and technical requirementsIn order to provide a high-quality customer experience, Google requires that all free listings meet high professional and editorial standards. We only allow listings that are clear and professional in appearance. These listings should lead customers to products and landing pages that are relevant, useful and easy to interact with.
Examples of reasons why listings may fail to meet editorial and professional requirements:
- Website needs improvement
- Insufficient contact information
- Usefulness
- Spelling and grammar
- Unclear relevance
- Style requirements
- Domain safety
- Product details
Google wants customers to trust that information about them will be respected and handled with appropriate care. As such, merchants and retailers shouldn't misuse this information, nor collect it for unclear purposes or without appropriate security measures.
Examples of user information that must be handled with care: full name; email address; postal address; phone number; national identity, pension, national insurance, tax ID, healthcare or driving licence number; birth date or mother's maiden name in addition to any of the above information; financial status; political affiliation; sexual orientation; race or ethnicity; religion.
Examples of irresponsible data collection and use:
- Obtaining or misusing personal information over non-secure SSL (https://) server connections
About our policies
Free listings enable businesses of all sizes, from around the world, to promote a wide variety of products and websites on Google and across our network. We want to help you reach existing and potential customers and audiences. However, to help create a safe and positive experience for users, we listen to their feedback and concerns about the types of free listings that they see. We also regularly review changes in online trends and practices, industry norms and regulations. And finally, in crafting our policies, we also think about our values and culture as a company, as well as operational, technical and business considerations. As a result, we have created a set of policies that apply to all promotions on the Google Network.
Google requires that advertisers comply with all applicable laws and regulations and the Google policies described above. It's important that you familiarise yourself with and keep up to date on these requirements for the places where your business operates, as well as any other places your listings are showing. When we find content that violates these requirements, we may block it from appearing, and in cases of repeated or egregious violations, we may stop you from listing with us.
Note that because these limitations are specific to free listings, they don't impact policies on other Google products or platforms, where functionality differs or additional support mechanisms are in place.
This policy applies to CSS product page free listings. Learn more about Shopping ads policies.