Google is going to be banning ads on a whole host of categories that deal with government documents and other services.
Mark Irvine at Wordstream reported that Google has long had a problem with those operating in a so-called grey area. They do not like people making money charging for a service that is otherwise free.
Personally I had a document I needed to get and the government website I went to was kind of a mess.
There was no clear process for how fast I would get the document I needed, so I used another service that charged $30. It was quick and delivered when they said it would. Now I did not click an ad so they would have got my business anyway.
Google apparently has been troubled by this for a long time, they don’t like the middleman making money off of antiquated or confusing government processes.
Wordstream listed the categories to be blocked from ads:
Included in this new policy, Google announced it would not allow ads promoting the acquisition, renewal, replacement, or retrieval of government documents, including:
- Passports and other forms of national ID
- Visas and Electronic Travel Authorizations (ETAs)
- Driver’s licenses
- Hunting and fishing licenses
- Gun licenses and registration
- Proof of permanent residency
- Proof of immigration status/registration
- Birth, death, and marriage certificates
- Military records
Additionally, Google’s new policy prohibits ads for services in assisting people to:
- Apply for government benefits.
- Change their official name or address.
- Claim or pay money to a local government organization.
Check out the whole article on Wordstream