How to complete Advertizer Verification for your Google Ads Account.
What is Google Advertiser's Verification
Google introduced the Advertiser's Verification program in 2020 requiring advertisers to verify their identities for ads served on Google platforms.
Depending upon the setup of your Google Ads account, this verification may be requested for your organization and/or your client's organization (if you work for an agency). Google will verify your identity and generate a disclosure on any ads you run, displaying your name and location.
Why do I need an Advertiser's Verification?
Billions of people rely on Google everyday to find what to buy, discover where to go and get answers to everyday questions. Unfortunately, fraudulent elements pose as businesses online and leverage the Google Ad platforms to show ads to people. These scammers take advantage of your potential customers and can erode the trust of your brand.
The Advertiser Verification program was introduced in a bid to ensure that fraudulent advertisers would not attempt to fraudulently advertise as their competitors or as other businesses online.
With the information advertisers provide, Google will display the advertiser name and location whenever their ad is being served online.
What are the requirements for Advertiser's Verification
Following Google's advertiser verification program, all advertisers need to go through a verification process to confirm their identity. This helps ensure transparency for users.
For identity verification, you may be required to submit the acceptable documents listed here provided that your business is registered in Nigeria.
How do I know when to start the verification process
Google's advertiser verification program might send you a notification (either in your account or via email) to confirm your identity if you get selected to undergo the advertiser verification program and the associated deadline to complete the verification if any.
You can check the Advertiser verification page to see if you are eligible but feel free to jump ahead and get verified proactively. There is no need to wait for the notification!
The Verification Process
The advertiser verification program comprises multiple steps, including completing a questionnaire about the advertiser’s business, verifying the advertiser’s identity, their business operations or both.
However, the steps required to complete advertiser verification for certain Google Ads accounts may differ, depending on the account structure, the billing setup, and if they are advertising on behalf of an organization or individual.
There are three sections of questions you will encounter.** They include questions** about your business, questions to verify your identity, and lastly questions to verify your business operations.
To access the Advertiser's Verification page for your account, click to “Tools & Setting” on the top navigation bar.
How to Answer the “About your Business” section
First you need to select if you're an advertising agency or not. So If you mostly manage Ads for clients, even if you also self-advertise, when answering the first questions on the “About your business” section you should select “yes”. If you only advertise your own business, you should select “No”.
Next you indicate if you are verifying on behalf of a client or on behalf of your agency. When asked “who pays for your Google Ads”, your answer should be “No, an agency pays and they invoice us” since you use AdPay to pay for your ads.
Thereafter you would be asked if you advertise for a business/service or someone else’s. Answer accordingly. On the fourth question, you then need to select any relevant industry that relates to the business you are verifying.
Lastly, click save and continue to move to the next section.
How to Answer the “Verify your Organization” section
The next step is to verify your organization. You will need some documents to complete this step. So make sure you have a government-issued ID and an official document for the registration of your business saved on your device before you commence this section.
To begin, click “Begin Verification”. Then enter the name of your organization/business as it appears on your registration document. Thereafter you need to upload a copy of your document and also enter the address of your organization along with your registration number.
Lastly, enter your own personal Id and address. Once you enter this detail, click submit.
How to Answer the “Verify your business operation” section
To ensure transparency, Google may request verification of your business details (model, registration, services, practices) and any relevant brand/partner relationships after reviewing your 'About your business' answers. You'll have 30 days to complete this verification process once you begin.
How long does an Advertiser's Verification take?
You’ll have 30 days to start verification and another 30 days to complete it after receiving notification. Failure to meet this deadline may result in Google pausing your account.
What are the benefits of completing Advertiser’s Verification?
You get to build trust with potential customers online by verifying that you are the authentic voice behind your brand.
Secondly, you get to empower your audience so that they can make better choices about the content, product and services they use.
And lastly, you get to limit fraud by preventing fraudsters from misrepresenting your brand (or your clients’).
We hope you find this help article useful. Login to your AdPay dashboard in order to access your Ads account and start the verification process.