CBD Google Ads Policy – Do CBD Ads Work on Adwords?

No, CBD Ads do not work on Google AdWords if you promote CBD on your Shopify CBD website or any website. According to Google’s Advertising Policies, Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of the unapproved pharmaceuticals and supplements.

If you were considering advertising CBD using Google Adwords or even YouTube ads which are owned by Google, you might be lost on where to go from here. Fortunately, we have got you covered on the CBD Advertising Laws, how to run ads without violating Google advertising policies, and the best way to advertise CBD online for the best ROI. Hint it does not involve Google Adwords.

The Federal Trade Commission is very clear on what is allowed and not allowed when CBD advertising. Additionally each state has advertising regulations and business licenses. For instance if you want to operate in Florida you are going to need a CBD business license. According to the FTC, “Companies that represent expressly or by implication that what they sell can prevent, treat, or cure serious medical conditions in an ad will be held to the highest substantiation standards, and marketers can expect scrutiny of those promises.” Furthermore, the FTC prohibits making claims about CBD products concerning prevention, treatment, and safety in an ad unless the CBD products have been through human clinical testing to prove the claims. More so, there are different requirements and laws state by state that depend on the type of product you are selling. For instance CBD skincare products that are not ingestible have different laws than ingestible CBD like CBD chocolate. The CBD Ad Laws vary state by state for instance California has some of the steepest CBD licensing laws. There are even states law surrounding delta 8 like in Florida.

If you think you could get around these laws in your ad, think again. The consequences are steep, and the FTC has formed Operation CBDeceit to crack down on deceptive CBD advertising on Google and any other platforms offline or online. Six CBD companies have already faced the consequences of their ad since the formation of the operation at the beginning of 2021. These CBD companies are:

Utah-based CBD company Bionatrol Health LLC and Isle Revive LLC, another CBD company, along with two former CBD managers and CBD owners, claimed that their CBD product is safe for everyone, treats pain better than prescription drugs, and treats and prevents cognitive decline due to age and chronic pain in an ad. They claimed their CBD product is “medically proven” without scientific evidence to improve a multitude of conditions in an ad. The CBD companies ripped off their customers who ordered one bottle of CBD oil by changing their order to five bottles of CBD.

Consequences

A $20,000 fine must be paid to the FTC to advertise their ad again and notify all of its customers of the FTC’s judgment against the company.

Utah CBD corporation Epichouse LLC and their CBD founder John Le were advertising CBD using unsubstantiated claims similar to Bionatrol Health LLC’s CBD advertising violations.

Consequences

The FTC ordered them to pay a $30,000 fine to advertise again and notify all customers of the judgment against their company.

The two CBD companies, CBD Meds Inc. and G2 Hemp Inc., advertised CBD on their website using Google and YouTube, making several false and unsubstantiated claims about their CBD oil in an ad. Also, they falsely represented that their CBD claims were scientifically proven and government approved in an ad.

Consequences

The FTC ordered the two CBD companies to stop making unsubstantiated CBD claims in an ad and to acquire human clinical testing trials when making any future CBD claims in an ad about their CBD. Additionally, they must notify all of their CBD customers of the FTC’s judgment.

Easybutter LLC DBA HempmeCBD and their CBD owner Michael Solomon sold CBD-infused shea butter, CBD gummies, CBD lozenges, CBD honey sticks, CBD vape pens, and CBD oils. Their advertising claimed their products could cure cancer symptoms, substance abuse, and AIDS. While lacking the scientific evidence to back up their CBD claims in their ad and falsely representing that CBD is effective at treating Autism in their hemp ad. 

Consequences

The FTC ordered Easybutter LLC DBA HempmeCBD and their CBD owner Michael Solomon to pay $36,254 in fines to the FTC and notify all of their CBD customers.

California based Reef Industries Inc., Cannatera Inc.; Andhemp LTD; and the CBD companies three CBD owners advertise CBD directly to consumers on their website using Google and their Twitter account and, at the same time, misrepresent the CBD health benefits within their advertising CBD content. 

Consequences

The FTC requires they pay an $85,000 advertising fine to advertise CBD again and notify their CBD customers of the FTC’s advertising order against the CBD companies.

Steves Distributing LLC DBA Steve’s Goods and the CEO Steven Taylor Schultheis advertise to sell CBD and CBG products, including tinctures, gummies, capsules, topical balms, suppositories, bath balms, and coffee on their website and through social media companies like Twitter.

They claimed that CBD and CBG are viable alternatives to prescription medications to treat serious health conditions. The company falsely claimed its products have antibacterial properties, prevent or reduce heart attacks, strokes, and other diseases without scientific evidence. 

Consequences

The FTC ordered the company to pay a $75,000 fine to continue advertising to sell CBD and CBG and notify all of their customers that they violated FTC guidelines. 

As you can see, the consequences of violating FTC Advertising Guidelines could permanently erode the trust with your CBD customers leading to the end of your CBD business. If you think you could outsmart the FTC, go for it, but do not come to us if the FTC comes down hard on your company. 

Google’s Ad policy says you cannot advertise CBD using your google ads account. You could circumvent their advertising guidelines; however, there could be serious consequences. Regardless if you are dead set on using Google Ads to sell your CBD, then here is how you could circumvent their guidelines.

Suppose you are having trouble getting your CBD ads approved. In that case, that is because google ads policies use trigger words to disapprove your account. Here are some tips for circumventing google’s policies using CBD digital marketing to get your ads approved.

How to Get My Cannabis Google Ad Approved?

• Do not use CBD and hemp-related keywords in your CBD ad. 

• Remove all references to CBD and Hemp, then build a gated landing page separate from your CBD website.

• Remove any links to your website from the gated landing page.

• Once your ad is approved, wait at least a week before adding links back to your website from the gated landing page.

• Keep in mind that circumventing Google to promote your CBD google ads could result in your Google account being permanently banned from advertising on Google.

Unapproved Substances Google Ads Policy

How to Avoid Getting Your CBD Google Ads Suspended?

Can You Advertise CBD Online Using Google?

Yes, you can advertise CBD online using Google marketing. Although probably not the way you think you could advertise on Google using google ads. The only way to promote your CBD on Google without any risk to your CBD business is to use the organic search results on Google. The organic search results on Google cannot be bought, unlike paid advertising.

The only way to rise to the top of the page in the number one spot on Google is to use CBD SEO marketing or Google Search Engine Optimization marketing. CBD SEO marketing is the process of optimizing your website on Google Search. Customers click organic results on Google more than 3x as often as they click Google paid advertising results. They trust organic results on Google because they know CBD companies cannot pay for them.

Cannabis Google Adwords Alternatives

Its challenging to determine where you can and cannot advertise cbd on social media platforms like Instagram, Amazon ,Facebook on search engines like Google and marketplaces like Etsy. Google organic search marketing is the best and only way to promote your CBD direct to consumers online using Google because it has the highest ROI out of all CBD marketing and advertising opportunities. The only downside is that CBD SEO marketing starts slow. Still, once CBD SEO marketing gets going, you could expect fantastic results from increases in revenue and market share for your CBD company. For more information check out our SEO process here. Reach out for a free consultation for your CBD business if you are interested in the best and only way to promote CBD online direct to consumers using Google with the highest ROI.