Not reviewed
The site has not been reviewed yet. Google recommends fixing problems before the review happens.
Use case · Ad experience
The Ad Experience Report, demystified
The Search Console Ad Experience Report tells you whether the site has ads that bother visitors according to the Better Ads Standards. If the status is Failing for too long, Chrome starts filtering the ads. Here is how to read the report, fix issues and request a review.
- ✓Based on the Search Console Help Center
- ✓Mobile and desktop checked separately
- ✓No ad clicks during the test
30days of email notice, at minimum, before Chrome starts filtering after the first failure
365days is the period used to count repeated failures
8hours that a status change can take to reach all Chrome users
30%of the content height is the ad density limit on mobile
What it is
A note from Google about the site's ad experience
The Ad Experience Report is in Search Console. It shows whether Google found experiences on the site that violate the Better Ads Standards, such as pop-ups that cover the content or sticky ads that are too large.
The review looks at a sample of pages, not all of them. Mobile and desktop are evaluated separately, so the site can be fine on one and bad on the other. Pages that require login are left out of the report.
When there is a failure, the report may include videos or screenshots from the review and a history with the date of the last review and the status changes. That is where you find out what the reviewer saw.
The statuses
What each status means
The current Help Center describes four statuses. Here we use the English names, as they appear in the Help Center.
Passing
Google reviewed it and did not find a significant number of annoying experiences in the sample. Chrome does not filter.
Failing
Several experiences that violate the Better Ads Standards were found. If the status continues, Chrome filters the ads.
Review pending
The requested review is in progress. You cannot request another until this one finishes.
On mobile
Experiences that the Better Ads Standards condemn
Examples taken from the Help Center page on mobile ad experiences.
Allowed
- Ads that add up to at most 30% of the main content height
- Low sticky anchor that takes up little of the screen
- Video that only plays with sound after a tap from the visitor
- Countdown that can be closed right away
- Smooth animation, without flashing
Not allowed
- Pop-up that covers the content after the page loads
- Sticky ad that takes up more than 30% of the screen
- Ad that floats over the content taking up more than 30% of the page
- Ad with a countdown after the visitor follows a link
- Ad that flashes with a background and colors changing fast
Review requests
What happens with each review request
Help Center rules for a site in Failing. Only owners and users with full access in Search Console can request.
- Failure
Email notice
Owners and users receive an email at least 30 days before filtering starts, on the first failure.
- 1st request
Filtering paused
During the review, filtering is paused. If the site stays in Failing, you can request the second right away.
- 2nd request
Last immediate chance
Filtering also pauses. If it fails again, the third request is only available after 30 days and filtering starts on the report date.
- 3rd request onward
30-day wait
A new request only after 30 days from the previous one, or when the status changes from Failing to Passing.
How to get out of Failing
4 steps to fix and request a review
- Look at the evidence in the reportOpen the mobile and desktop reports. Watch the videos or look at the screenshots to understand which format was condemned.
- Look for the same format across the whole siteThe report is made from a sample. The Help Center warns that there are likely more violations than the ones listed.
- Fix it in the settings, not on the pageIf the problem is a tall anchor or a pop-up, adjust it in Ad Manager, Ad Inserter or the theme, so it applies to all pages.
- Request the review calmlyOnly request it after fixing everything. Since requests are limited, each one has to count.
Common errors
What makes good sites fall into Failing
It is almost always a setting that nobody checked on mobile.
Anchor too tall
A tall sticky unit in the footer can look discreet on a large phone and go over 30% of the screen on a small one.
High density on short posts
The same number of units on a long post and on a short one. On the short one, the ads go over 30% of the content height.
Entry pop-up
A signup or offer window that covers the page right after it loads falls into the pop-up category.
Fixing only the desktop
Mobile and desktop have separate statuses. Fixing one does not change the other.
In ConsentMode
How the audit checks the Better Ads Standards
- Checks the 23 Better Ads Standards: 6 for desktop, 10 for mobile, 3 for short video and 4 for apps
- Says whether each standard was checked automatically, partially or needs a manual check
- Measures density, sticky anchor and banners on the same screen at mobile and desktop widths
- Reviews the site comprehensively to show where the format repeats
- Marks the problem on the screenshot and tells you where to fix it and how to confirm afterward
Frequently asked questions
Is there a warning status between Passing and Failing?
The current Help Center describes four statuses: Not reviewed, Passing, Failing and Review pending. No intermediate warning status is described there.
What happens if the site fails several times?
Google counts the failures in the last 365 days. On the second, filtering starts in 7 days. On the third, it starts immediately and the new request is only available after 24 hours. From the fourth onward, it also starts immediately and the request is only available after 30 days.
Does Chrome filtering apply only to Europe?
No. The Help Center states that filtering affects all visitors to the site, from anywhere.
After the status becomes Passing, when do the ads come back?
The change can take up to 8 hours to reach all Chrome users.
I do not use Search Console. Can I see any alert?
Google says publishers without Search Console can also see warnings in the Chrome developer console. Even so, it is worth verifying the site in Search Console.
Library
Official sources
This guide was written from these official pages. Read them directly at the source:
Check the Better Ads Standards before the reviewer does
The audit measures each format on mobile and desktop, without clicking on ads, and shows where to fix it.