5 Simple Steps to Recover a Disabled Facebook Ads Account
Compliance, consistency and accountability are key to maintaining this essential marketing tool.
By Martin Smith •
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Over the past few months, we've seen an increase in Facebook ad accounts and entire Business Managers disabled without warning. Entrepreneur has covered disabled ads in the past, and those suggestions have elicited hit-or-miss success, but processes have emerged that consistently generate results in getting accounts restored.
The first five tips below will help you avoid getting banned from Facebook's advertising tool, followed by five additional steps to getting accounts reactivated, sometimes in less than 24 hours.
1. Ensure your ads comply with Facebook's advertising policies.
The most common reason accounts get shut down is for violating Facebook's policies. The policies aren't the long paragraphs of legalese you might expect. Even though they are easy to read, unfortunately they can be ambiguous, so do your due diligence.
2. Ensure landing pages are compliant.
Compliance doesn't stop with your ads. It also extends to the pages beyond the click. Besides following the advertising policies on your landing pages, include links to required legal declarations and disclaimers. This documentation often includes a privacy policy, terms and conditions, earnings disclaimers and wording that says your site is not affiliated with Facebook. Consult a lawyer to ensure you're properly protected.
Related: The Secret to Making Facebook Ads Work for Your Business
3. Run frequent engagement ads.
This tip comes from BELT founder Curt Maly, who Facebook at one point banned from using the platform altogether. He's since become a Facebook ads expert heavily focused on protecting the safety of ad accounts. Maly warns your account has an invisible quality score. When that score falls too low, Facebook will disable it. Running ads that deliver value and engage your audience builds a positive track record that cushions the negative feedback more aggressive ads may receive.
4. Avoid attempts to game the system.
Robots are behind most disabled accounts. They won't appreciate your bright idea to slide through the rules on a technicality. Follow these steps to avoid the most common policy violations:
- Be clear about what you're offering and your intentions.
- Don't use link-bait or misleading copy and images.
- Skip making claims (even if they're true), tell stories and provide examples.
5. Clean your account.
Segregate resources between accounts by removing account managers who no longer need access,and use a separate payment method for each account. Delete disapproved ads from your account immediately, as they lower your account's quality score.
Now, is your Facebook ads account or Business Manager already deactivated? Here's that five-step process to get it back, even if you've received a message that the decision is final.
1. Understand it's probably not personal.
Remember, Facebook automates most of the platform's actions. This speeds up getting your ads live, but leads to contradictions like approved ads that later become disabled. Don't take it personally!
2. Be overly appreciative.
Accounts often stay shut down because of frustration taken out on customer service reps. Imagine how frequently the support staff gets yelled at. Who do you think they'll go the extra mile for to help? Yes, the people who are apologetic and appreciative.
Although you're beyond upset, avoid the urge to vent to Facebook. Before you appeal your disabled account, write a letter and include all of your frustrations -- then delete it. With Facebook, avoid any signs of anger, such as all-caps shouting or condescending tones. Instead, share how much you appreciate the representative's efforts to help recover your account.
3. Admit full responsibility.
If Facebook doesn't tell you the reason for the deactivation, research to find out which of the policies you may have violated and take responsibility. Even if you believe it's Facebook's fault, don't make excuses or place blame. You can say, "I think there was a mistake," but steer clear of, "But, it's actually your fault!"
4. Take precautions to prevent future violations.
Wrap up your communication by explaining the system you've put in place to make sure policy violations won't happen again. Haven't taken preventative measures? Now is the time do so.
5. Don't accept the "final" answer.
I've seen an ad account take six months and upwards of 20 appeals to get restored, and that was for a misinterpreted violation. If the data within the account is important, reach out once or twice a week until you get to communicate with a human willing to help. Understand most chat representatives may not have immediate authority to take action on your behalf, but always ask if there are additional actions you can take. Occasionally you'll discover a new direction to pursue.
Bonus: Don't make things worse.
As you try to recover your account, try starting a new one with a different payment method. If the option to create a new account isn't available, don't circumvent the system. In recent years, Facebook has become more sophisticated and will catch actions such as creating an account under a fake new profile.
Recovering a disabled Facebook ad account or Business Manager is ultimately at the discretion of Facebook. Although no one can promise you'll get your account back, following these steps will help avoid getting your account shut down and speed up retrieving it when possible. Once again, remember to seek legal counsel where appropriate.
