Have you received an email that you need to verify your identity within 30 days or your Google ads account will get disabled?
If your answer is YES and you need help on how to fix this issue on time follow the instructions provided below.
In April 2020, Google announced that they’ll verify the identity of every advertiser using Google Ads. As part of this program, ads will now include disclosures listing the advertisers’ names and countries, building people’s trust in the ad content they see.
The first emails we received to verify the identity were in May 2021, but later we get more and more verification request emails. Depending on how many accounts you manage under your Google Ads Manager account you may get 1-4 requests per month.
Below is a sample of a Google Ads Identity Verification email.
Google will allow you 30 days to complete this verification process. Google will send you a few Google Ads Identity Verification reminder emails (20 days prior to cancellation, 15 days prior to suspending your ads, 5 days and once they pause your ads)
How To Verify Your Identity on Google Ads
Here is what you need to collect (for your business/ or the business your are trying to verify on their behalf)
- Business Owner’s Legal First Name
- Business Owner’s Legal Last Name
- Business Registered Address
- Business EIN Number
Also you need to see the business owner prefers to show his/her identity on the ad disclosure or the business (recommended unless the business is not registered legally).
Additional Documents for each selection (please attach to this email)
| A Person is the Advertiser | A Business is the Advertiser |
| Required Information or Documents – Owners’ Street Address – City – Zip code Individuals and authorized representatives must submit a US government-issued photo ID as part of the verification program. Acceptable documents include: – Passport – State identification Driving license – Permanent resident card or Green card FROM GOOGLE: Note that this name will be visible in your ad’s disclosure. Provide your client’s complete address, which must match the location you selected on this form. Note that your ad’s disclosure will only show the location selected on this form | Required Information or Documents Organizations are required to submit one of the following registration documents for advertiser identity verification. Acceptable documents include: W9 form Any IRS-issued letter or notice (not IRS forms) showing your name, address and EIN (i.e. CP 575) DUNS certificate Organizations may also provide their Employer Identification Number. Individuals and authorized representatives must submit a US government-issued photo ID as part of the verification program. Acceptable documents include: – Passport – State identification Driving license – Permanent resident card or Green card FROM GOOGLE: The advertiser name must be the legal name of the advertiser you represent, and meet these requirements. It must exactly match the legal name outlined in the document submitted below. Note that this name will be visible in your ad’s disclosure. The address must match the address that appears on your client’s registration document submitted below, and the location selected. Note that the location you’ve selected will be visible in your ad’s disclosure. |
How Ad Agencies Can Verify the Identity of their Clients on Google Ads?
If you are an ad agency and you are paying for the payments on behalf of the actual business you need to verify your own identity two and if you MCC is an organization (company) type of accounts you will need to provide proof of your own company too.
What Happens If You Don’t Verify You/Your Business Identity?
If you do not submit the requested information by the deadline, the business will no longer be authorized to continue running any Google ads on the ad account. Google will not suspending your account or other ad accounts. Only the account that is not verified will be placed as paused. Once you submit the requested information your ad account will be reinstated.
Per our experience Google has never paused any ad account on the 30 days. I believe Google is still doing pauses manually as we see the accounts do not get paused over weekend. There was an account that was supposed to be paused a day before the long weekend and it got paused 2 days after the long weekend (so they paused it on day 35).
How Long Does the Google Ads Identity Verification take?
It depends on the country you are in, what type of business (ads) you are running. For US businesses we believe it would take 3-5 business days if all information is complete. Submitting incomplete or wrong information would delay the process by a few days.
If you are running ads in specific subjects or for organizations that receive benefit from Google you expect a lengthier process.
How To Notify Your Clients About This Change And Getting Them Prepared?
We noticed we had an issue initially asking our clients for these information. We thought it would be easier to send them what exactly Google published so they know that this is legit and there is no way to skip. Below is what Google Provided.
Transparency and ad disclosures
| User confidence in Google’s products and services is essential. We want users to be empowered to make informed decisions about the ads they see online. Trust in advertisers on our platforms helps us deliver a smart and useful web experience for everyone. This means providing transparency about who our advertisers are and where they are located. We are verifying the identity of advertisers on our platform and including a disclosure with the name of the advertiser and where they are located on ads served through Google Ads. How it works for advertisers What users see Through “Why This Ad” users are already able to see information on why particular ads are being shown on Search, YouTube, and other Google services. In the disclosure, users may see the name and location of registration for the advertiser behind a selected ad, which is information that was provided by the advertiser during Google’s verification program.  Where we’re getting our information on advertiser identity Advertisers on Google are verified through our advertiser identity verification program. This includes both new and existing Google Ads accounts. Completion of the verification program requires an advertiser to submit official documentation that shows their legal name and address. How we use advertiser’s information With the information advertisers provide during the verification process, Google will display the advertiser name and location. As part of our ongoing transparency efforts we may make information about your Google Ads accounts and DV360 accounts and ad campaigns publicly available as outlined in our advertiser identity policy. How disclosures look on different ad formats Search ads On search ads, users are able to access advertiser verification information through the ‘Why this ad’  icon on desktop, or the info  icon on mobile. By clicking ‘Why This Ad,’ or ‘About the Advertiser’ on Search, users can see an advertiser’s name and location. This may appear differently depending on whether a user is on mobile or desktop.Display ads Display ads reach the vast majority of Internet users. In most cases, users are able to view additional information about an ad they see by clicking on “Why This Ad,” accessed through the Ad Choices icon  . You can also find it by clicking the X or the icon+ X.YouTube On YouTube, the “Why This Ad” disclosure can be viewed by clicking on the info icon or the 3-dot icon  . Ads on YouTube have the same disclosures as those served on other platforms, including a Google-verified advertiser name and location. |
JAN 31, 2022 UPDATE – Please click here to view the new updates about Google Ads Identity Verification
Source: Google.com
Updated: March 2022
