Fix Google Ads Punctuation & Symbols Violation

Your Fix Progress

0 / 28 Fixed

0% complete Tick each item as you fix it ↓

🔡

Capitalisation Rules

How you capitalise letters in your ads must follow Google's specific formatting rules

0/6

I have removed ALL CAPS words from my headlines and descriptions (except for recognised abbreviations)

Writing entire words or phrases in capital letters — like "BUY NOW," "BEST PRICE," or "FREE SHIPPING" — is not allowed. Google considers this aggressive formatting that makes ads look like spam. Use normal sentence case or title case instead. The only exception is widely recognised abbreviations like "UK," "USA," "FAQ," or brand names that are officially written in capitals.

ExamplesSHOP NOW — BEST DEALS GUARANTEED!
Shop Now — Best Deals Guaranteed

Critical

I have removed random or unusual capitalisation mid-sentence that is not a proper noun or brand name

Capitalising random words in the middle of a sentence to make them stand out — like "Get The Best Price Today" — is not allowed. Only the first word of a sentence and proper nouns (brand names, place names, people's names) should be capitalised. Everything else should be lower case.

ExamplesGet The Best Deals On Our Premium Products Today
Get the best deals on our premium products today

Critical

My headlines use consistent capitalisation throughout — I have not mixed sentence case and title case randomly

Google allows either sentence case (only first word capitalised) or title case (main words capitalised) — but you must use one style consistently across your ad. Mixing them randomly ("Buy now — Best Deals Available Today") looks unprofessional and can trigger a review.

Important

I have not used alternating capital letters to try to bypass the ALL CAPS rule (e.g. "ShOp NoW")

Alternating capital and lower-case letters — like "BeSt PrIcE" or "sHoP nOw" — is treated the same as writing in all caps. It is considered an attempt to circumvent Google's formatting rules and will result in your ad being disapproved, often with a note on your account.

ExamplesShOp NoW — BeSt DeAlS
Shop Now — Best Deals

Critical

My brand name capitalisation is accurate — it matches how the brand is officially written, not how I want it to stand out

If your brand name is officially "SmithCo," you can write it that way. But if your company is called "Smithco" and you write it as "SMITHCO" to make it more prominent, that is a violation. Only use the official capitalisation from your brand guidelines, not an inflated version designed to grab attention.

Important

I have checked that my display URL path fields use correct capitalisation — they should be readable words, not random caps

The display URL (the path shown beneath your ad headline, like "example.com/BestDeals") should use normal, readable capitalisation. Paths like "/SHOP-NOW" or "/FREE-DELIVERY" in all caps are treated the same as all-caps ad text. Write them as "/shop-now" or "/free-delivery" or "/ShopNow."

Important

❓

Punctuation Misuse

Overusing or misusing punctuation marks makes ads look spammy and gets them disapproved

0/6

I have removed all repeated punctuation marks — no "!!!", "???", "..." used for emphasis, or "----" dividers

Using multiple exclamation marks, question marks, or dashes in a row is one of the most common punctuation violations. Google only allows a single punctuation mark at a time in most positions. More than one in a row — whether "Sale!!!" or "Call now??" — will get your ad disapproved.

ExamplesBest Deals!!! Call Now??? Don't Miss Out!!!
Best Deals! Call Now. Don't Miss Out.

Critical

I have removed exclamation marks from my headlines — they are only permitted in the description line

This is one of Google's most specific rules: exclamation marks are not allowed in ad headlines at all. They are only permitted in the description lines. If any of your headlines end with "!" or contain "!" anywhere, the ad will be disapproved. Move any exclamatory phrasing to a description instead.

ExamplesHeadline: "Get 50% Off Today!"
Headline: "Get 50% Off Today" — Description: "Shop now and save!"

Critical

I do not use a period (full stop) at the end of my headlines

Adding a period/full stop at the end of an ad headline — like "Best Deals Available Today." — is not permitted. Headlines should not end with a period. Descriptions can end with a period, but it is optional. Remove all trailing periods from every headline in your ads.

ExamplesHeadline: "Shop Our Range Today."
Headline: "Shop Our Range Today"

Critical

I have removed ellipses ("...") used for dramatic effect or trailing sentences

Using "..." to create mystery or urgency — like "You won't believe this..." or "Limited time..." — is not allowed as a stylistic choice. Ellipses may only be used where they are grammatically correct (indicating an omission from a direct quotation). Remove all ellipses used for effect.

Examples"Act fast... limited stock..."
"Act fast — limited stock available"

Critical

I have not used punctuation as a spacer or separator between phrases (e.g. "Buy Now | Get 20% Off | Fast Delivery" in a single headline)

Using pipes (|), asterisks (*), or dashes (---) to separate multiple phrases within a single headline — essentially turning one headline into three — is a formatting workaround that Google does not allow. Each headline should be a single coherent phrase. Use separate headline slots for separate messages.

Examples"Fast | Reliable | Affordable"
Use three separate headlines for each point

Important

I have checked that commas, apostrophes, and hyphens are used correctly — not inserted randomly to break up words or add visual effect

Random commas between every word, apostrophes used for plurals (like "deal's" meaning multiple deals), or hyphens inserted mid-word for emphasis are all punctuation errors. Use these marks only where they are grammatically correct in standard English writing.

Important

⚡

Symbols & Special Characters

Many symbols are banned or restricted in Google Ads — knowing which ones is essential

0/6

I have removed all symbols used purely for visual decoration or to attract attention (e.g. *** around words, arrows >>>, or ★ stars)

Symbols used as decoration — asterisks framing a word, right-facing arrows pointing at an offer, star symbols used as bullet points — are not allowed. Google wants ads to look like natural, readable sentences. Any symbol that is not part of the actual meaning of the text (like a trademark symbol or a currency sign) should be removed.

Examples*** BEST DEAL *** ★ Top Rated ★
Best Deal — Top Rated Service

Critical

I have removed all emoji characters from my headlines and descriptions

Emoji are not permitted in standard Google Search Ads. Using 😊, 🔥, ✅, or any other emoji character in your ad text will cause the ad to be disapproved. Note: some emoji may appear in Performance Max image assets, but they are never allowed in text ad copy for Search campaigns.

Examples🔥 Hot Deal — Buy Now ✅
Hot Deal — Buy Now

Critical

I only use currency symbols (£, $, €) where a specific, accurate price follows immediately after

Currency symbols are allowed — but only when a real, specific number follows. "Save £10 today" is fine. "££ Massive Savings ££" is not. Using a currency symbol without a number, or repeating it for visual effect, is considered symbol misuse and will get your ad disapproved.

Examples££ Save Big ££ — Amazing Deals
Save £20 today — Limited offer

Critical

I use trademark (™) and registered trademark (®) symbols only for marks I actually own or have authorisation to use

The ™ and ® symbols are allowed — but only when they apply to a trademark you genuinely own or are authorised to represent. Adding ™ after words that are not actually registered marks (like "Best Service™") is a misuse that can trigger both a punctuation violation and a misrepresentation issue.

Important

I have not used non-Latin special characters, Unicode art, or characters from other alphabets to make text look unusual or stylised

Using Unicode characters that look like Latin letters but are not — for example, using a Greek letter that resembles an "e" to write "bɛst" — or writing words using characters from other scripts to create a visual effect is not allowed. Your ad text must use standard characters appropriate for the target language.

Examples𝔹𝓼𝔂𝔅 𝓡𝓬𝓬𝓧𝔂 (stylised Unicode text)
Best Deals (standard text)

Critical

I have removed percentage signs (%) used without a specific, accurate number that directly relates to a real offer

Writing "% off everything" without stating a specific percentage, or using "%" as a vague emphasis symbol, is not allowed. The percentage sign must appear with a real number describing a real discount: "20% off all orders" is fine; "% savings on every product" is not.

Examples"% Savings on Everything"
"Save 20% on Everything This Week"

Important

📄

Ad Extensions & Assets

Punctuation and symbol rules apply to sitelinks, callouts, structured snippets, and all other ad assets

0/5

I have checked all my sitelink extensions and removed any ALL CAPS words, repeated punctuation, or decorative symbols

The same punctuation and capitalisation rules that apply to your main headline and description also apply to every sitelink title and description. Many advertisers fix their main ads but forget that the sitelinks triggering the same violation are still live. Go through every sitelink and apply the same rules.

Critical

I have checked all my callout extensions for policy violations — no ALL CAPS, no repeated punctuation, no decorative symbols

Callout extensions are short snippets of text that appear beneath your ad. They are subject to exactly the same rules as your main ad. "FREE SHIPPING!!!" as a callout is just as much a violation as it would be in the headline. Review every callout and fix or remove any that break the rules.

Critical

I have checked all structured snippet extensions and image extensions for the same formatting issues

Structured snippets — like "Services: Plumbing, HVAC, Electrical" — must follow formatting rules in their values. Image extensions with overlaid text must also avoid policy violations. Do a full audit of every asset type, not just the main ad text, before submitting your appeal.

Important

My promotion extensions use correct currency symbols and accurate discount figures — not vague or inflated claims

Promotion extensions (the ones showing a sale tag with a specific offer) must display a real, accurate discount. Saying "Up to 90% off" when most products are only 5% off, or using a currency symbol without a specific price, will cause the extension to be disapproved under both the punctuation and the misrepresentation policies.

Important

I have audited assets across every campaign and ad group — not just the ones that were specifically flagged

When Google flags a punctuation violation, it usually flags the specific ad — but the same violation may exist across dozens of other ads in your account. Google's appeal review team checks your entire account, not just the flagged asset. Find and fix every instance before submitting your appeal.

Critical

📋

Your Appeal & Account Health

Before submitting your appeal, confirm every step below — a weak appeal wastes your limited attempts

0/5

I have identified every specific ad and asset that was disapproved or flagged — not just guessed at the issue

Check your Google Ads account under "Ads & Assets" and filter by disapproval reason. Make a list of every disapproved ad. Each disapproved item needs to be individually corrected — fixing only some of them while leaving others in violation will cause your appeal to fail.

Critical

I have edited every violating ad directly in the Google Ads interface — not just in an external document or spreadsheet

Changes only count when they are saved inside Google Ads. If you have edited your ad copy in a spreadsheet, word processor, or external tool but have not yet updated the actual ads in your account, nothing has been fixed from Google's perspective. Make sure every change is saved and live in your account.

Critical

My appeal letter specifically names what punctuation or symbol rule was broken and exactly what I changed to fix it

A successful appeal says something like: "My headline contained the word 'BEST' in all capitals. I have changed this to 'Best' across all ads in campaigns X and Y. I have also reviewed all sitelink and callout extensions and removed repeated exclamation marks from [list specific assets]." Vague appeals saying "I fixed everything" are rejected consistently.

Critical

Before appealing, I have done a final read-through of every ad as if I were seeing it for the first time — checking for any remaining issues

After making changes, read every ad out loud as a plain sentence. If anything sounds unnatural, if any word looks oddly capitalised, if any symbol does not add meaning, or if any punctuation mark feels like it is there for emphasis rather than grammar — it needs to be fixed before you appeal.

Important

I understand that repeated appeals for the same violation can lead to further account restrictions — I am only appealing once I am certain everything is fixed

Google tracks appeal attempts. Submitting multiple appeals for the same violation — especially when the issue has not been properly resolved — can escalate the situation from a disapproval to a suspension, or from a warning to a permanent ban. Only appeal when you are completely confident every violation has been removed.

Critical

⚠️

These Critical items are still unresolved — they appear as "Fix Needed" in your downloaded report

📝 Ad Policy Specialist

Still getting ads disapproved after fixing these issues?

Sometimes the issue is not just punctuation — it is a combination of policies, or the same violation appearing in unexpected places across your account. I audit your full account, find every instance, and fix it properly so your appeal goes through.

Book Your Consultation →

Fix Your Google AdsPunctuation & SymbolsViolation

Still getting ads disapproved after fixing these issues?

Let's Grow Together

Message Sent!

Fix Your Google Ads
Punctuation & Symbols
Violation