27 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}
27 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}

RANT - Facebook Is Sooooooooo Frustrating!

by Riz
22 replies
A few weeks back on WF i was praising Facebook Ads. We were getting a fantastic return on advertising our matrimonial website.

Today i created a new campaign. Exact same Ad with only a 1 word difference. I also added 3 more countries to target and clicked 'Submit'

Result:

1) Ad disapproved
2) All our previous campaigns (although already completed) changed to 'disapproved'

Reason for disapproval:

Please review the specific reason(s) for your ad's disapproval below. If you have further questions, we recommend reviewing our list of Common Ad Mistakes. You can also consult our Terms of Use and Advertising Guidelines for more information.

This ad does not meet the requirements for dating ads or services set forth by section 7 of Facebook's Advertising Guidelines. The product ordating service being advertised must be targeted to the appropriate, relevant audience:
  • Users aged 18 or older;
  • Users with a Relationship Status of "Single";
  • The ad must also be targeted to users of exactly one gender ("Sex");
  • Users of one sexual preference ("Interested In");
  • The ad text must also be a fair representation of the dating service. To that end, we do not allow ad text that is misleading to users (e.g., "Come chat with me" or "Meet me tonight")
The only one i can see that we don't comply with is the 3rd one

BUT COME ON FACEBOOK...............

It's a dating/matrimonial site, we are not exactly going to only target ONE gender - AAhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My frustrations are only increased when there is no way to dispute, challenge or contact FB in any way.

The Ad was so profitable for us and it's a shame that some FB agent was having a bad day :confused:

Rant over.....

Riz
#facebook #frustrating #rant
  • Profile picture of the author SteveJohnson
    So why don't you run two different ads, one targeted to males and the other females? Seems easy enough.
    Signature

    The 2nd Amendment, 1789 - The Original Homeland Security.

    Gun control means never having to say, "I missed you."

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2661945].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Riz
      Yes that's what we have to do. The ad as it was was profitable and i just don't fancy changing it, but we have to now.

      It just seems so odd that we can't advertise a dating/matrimonial site to both sexes. I've never heard anything so bizarre in all my life.

      Thanks for your input.

      Riz

      Originally Posted by SteveJohnson View Post

      So why don't you run two different ads, one targeted to males and the other females? Seems easy enough.
      Signature
      NEWBIES - Stuck on Technical Issues?

      Ask me For a FREE copy of my upcoming course that will eliminate all your technical gremlins....:
      SEND ME A PRIVATE MESSAGE NOW!
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2662023].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author JDArchitecture
        Originally Posted by Riz View Post

        Yes that's what we have to do. The ad as it was was profitable and i just don't fancy changing it, but we have to now.

        It just seems so odd that we can't advertise a dating/matrimonial site to both sexes. I've never heard anything so bizarre in all my life.
        I don't understand your consternation. They're doing you a favor by forcing stronger targeting, which will result in better tracking and give you the ability to adjust your copy to improve conversions.
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2675886].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Ron Douglas
    Facebook is ridiculously frustrating.

    I tried to run an ad for VideoForward and they not only disapproved my ad but they disabled my entire account from advertising. It was just one ad, not any repeat violation or anything.

    Maybe they felt threatened by their members being able to use my site to monetize their Facebook following.

    Here's the notice I got:

    "Your account has been disabled. All of your ads have been stopped and should not be run again on the site under any circumstances. Generally, we disable an account if too many of its ads violate our Terms of Use or Advertising Guidelines. Unfortunately we cannot provide you with the specific violations that have been deemed abusive. Please review our Terms of Use and Advertising Guidelines if you have further questions."
    Signature
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2661984].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Riz
      Wow!

      Looks like FB live in a world of their own rolling around in their billions

      Originally Posted by Ron Douglas View Post

      Facebook is ridiculously frustrating.

      I tried to run an ad for VideoForward and they not only disapproved my ad but they disabled my entire account from advertising. It was just one ad, not any repeat violation or anything.

      Maybe they felt threatened by their members being able to use my site to monetize their Facebook following.

      Here's the notice I got:

      "Your account has been disabled. All of your ads have been stopped and should not be run again on the site under any circumstances. Generally, we disable an account if too many of its ads violate our Terms of Use or Advertising Guidelines. Unfortunately we cannot provide you with the specific violations that have been deemed abusive. Please review our Terms of Use and Advertising Guidelines if you have further questions."
      Signature
      NEWBIES - Stuck on Technical Issues?

      Ask me For a FREE copy of my upcoming course that will eliminate all your technical gremlins....:
      SEND ME A PRIVATE MESSAGE NOW!
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2662027].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author StackThatMoney
    Facebooks rules are not supposed to make sense. You have no say, they make the rules, and they change the rules without any warning.

    Advertising with facebook is one of the most stressful ways to advertise. It makes google slaps looks like preschool.
    Signature

    Covering Everything Affiliate + Case Study's!
    www.STACKTHATMONEY.com
    www.twitter.com/stackthatmoney

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2662051].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Riz
      I'm definately in agreement with you, not just because of this scenario but also what happened to a friend on his personal account.

      He had approx 35 friends, all family and friends. Had his account for about 2 years.

      All of a sudden he cannot add new friends as FB said he adds to many. Eh???????????

      Yep, FB have their own rule book that no one but FB understands.

      Riz

      Originally Posted by StackThatMoney View Post

      Facebooks rules are not supposed to make sense. You have no say, they make the rules, and they change the rules without any warning.

      Advertising with facebook is one of the most stressful ways to advertise. It makes google slaps looks like preschool.
      Signature
      NEWBIES - Stuck on Technical Issues?

      Ask me For a FREE copy of my upcoming course that will eliminate all your technical gremlins....:
      SEND ME A PRIVATE MESSAGE NOW!
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2662102].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author SteveJohnson
    Facebook started out as a college site. Personally, with no facts to back it up , I think there are a bunch of people behind the scenes at FB that resent what it has morphed into. And "they" have access to the ban button

    They own the playground but people still have to play there because they own all the balls too.
    Signature

    The 2nd Amendment, 1789 - The Original Homeland Security.

    Gun control means never having to say, "I missed you."

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2662105].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
      Originally Posted by SteveJohnson View Post

      They own the playground but people still have to play there because they own all the balls too.
      Maybe that's our problem: not enough balls.
      Signature
      "The Golden Town is the Golden Town no longer. They have sold their pillars for brass and their temples for money, they have made coins out of their golden doors. It is become a dark town full of trouble, there is no ease in its streets, beauty has left it and the old songs are gone." - Lord Dunsany, The Messengers
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2662553].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Lloyd Buchinski
      Originally Posted by Riz View Post

      It just seems so odd that we can't advertise a dating/matrimonial site to both sexes. I've never heard anything so bizarre in all my life.
      My whole life is like that! Why not yours too? It does get a little strange when common sense runs into rules that have to be followed. (smack!)
      Signature

      Do something spectacular; be fulfilled. Then you can be your own hero. Prem Rawat

      The KimW WSO

      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2663626].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author BigDaddys101
        Originally Posted by StackThatMoney View Post

        Advertising with facebook is one of the most stressful ways to advertise. It makes google slaps looks like preschool.
        LOL

        Originally Posted by Riz View Post

        I'm definately in agreement with you, not just because of this scenario but also what happened to a friend on his personal account.

        He had approx 35 friends, all family and friends. Had his account for about 2 years.

        All of a sudden he cannot add new friends as FB said he adds to many. Eh???????????

        Yep, FB have their own rule book that no one but FB understands.

        Riz
        This must be a recent issue, I ran into the same thing on my personal friends and family FB account. I never posted a affiliate link, never mention IM, Everybody on my page I know personally. Usually it is me that receives friend requests because of the amount of time I do not spend on FB.

        And yet when I seen an an old high school buddy and tried to friend him I had the same issue.The only I could think was WTF? Haven't logged back in since.
        Signature
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2663699].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author samjesop
    Facebook is very picky about their Ads, mainly because so many marketers have abused it in the past.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2663882].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author creative producer
    That hurts to lose a campaign that was working. Have you tried contacting the ad sales team? They claim to get back to you within 2 business days.
    From Facebook:

    "Integrated Solutions


    Facebook offers relevant and integrated advertising opportunities to engage your target audience. We can help you develop the ideal Facebook advertising solution. To determine the most relevant opportunities for you, please click below, and a Facebook sales representative will be in contact with you within two business days.
    We look forward to working with you and seeing your marketing initiatives come to life on Facebook."



    Integrated Solutions | Facebook

    Be interesting to see if they are at all responsive. Good luck with it.
    -CP
    Signature
    "Better to have gotten off my behind and risk falling on my face, than never to have gotten off my behind at all!"-Carrie's Quote of the Moment
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2663946].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author davemiz
    dont even get me started with fb..... i've taken ads that are ALREADY live on fb.... word for word with the same image.... and they disapprove it.

    wtf?

    i've spoken via email with someone on their ads team.... you're getting 1 step up from google, which is basically them telling you nothing.

    its very frustrating but i'm not going to spend my money there.... f' them. there's other places that will be much more helpful (can anyone say pof?)....
    Signature

    “Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.”
    ― Dalai Lama XIV

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2664089].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Riz
      It's a real shame they are like this.

      Our FB ad was run 5 times - each time we turned a very healthy profit.

      All of a sudden it is disapproved when we changed one word - not because of the word change but because we are targetting both males and females for a matrimonial/dating site.

      Weird!!!!!:confused:

      Riz

      Originally Posted by davemiz View Post

      dont even get me started with fb..... i've taken ads that are ALREADY live on fb.... word for word with the same image.... and they disapprove it.

      wtf?

      i've spoken via email with someone on their ads team.... you're getting 1 step up from google, which is basically them telling you nothing.

      its very frustrating but i'm not going to spend my money there.... f' them. there's other places that will be much more helpful (can anyone say pof?)....
      Signature
      NEWBIES - Stuck on Technical Issues?

      Ask me For a FREE copy of my upcoming course that will eliminate all your technical gremlins....:
      SEND ME A PRIVATE MESSAGE NOW!
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2665910].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author BigDaddys101
        I never noticed this until today,

        He claims to be the adviser for FB, based on my exp with Jeremy is a very smart down to earth guy so don't bash him to bad

        Disclaimer
        Signature
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2675844].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author Joe Benjamin
        Originally Posted by Riz View Post

        It's a real shame they are like this.

        Our FB ad was run 5 times - each time we turned a very healthy profit.

        All of a sudden it is disapproved when we changed one word - not because of the word change but because we are targetting both males and females for a matrimonial/dating site.

        Weird!!!!!:confused:

        Riz
        Your 1st mistake?

        Maybe it would serve you to check this out

        Did you think it WASN'T going to happen? Did you think that
        facebook will agree with what YOU think is fair?

        It's YOUR fault you are in the position you're in now because
        I bet you didn't bother to throw up a lead capture page...as
        far as I read in your OP, you sent traffic DIRECT to the source.

        That was your 2nd mistake.

        It's so easy to think that "Wow. I'm making so much money
        and it's sooo easy to make, why bother capturing the leads
        myself or taking that extra step to secure myself when the
        money is already there."

        Yea. We ALL fall for the trap. Until the house of cards come
        falling down.

        Don't blame facebook for this, blame yourself. Learn from
        YOUR mistakes, and KNOW what to do next time.

        Or whine and complain. Makes me no difference.
        Signature
        **How I FLIPPED $80 into $690 Pure Profit With ONE EASY Method...2 to 3x Per Week...Only 30 Minutes Per Day (and how YOU can COPY my RESULTS, too!) **CLICK HERE FOR VERIFIED VIDEO PROOF**
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2678801].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author j2011
    Wow sorry to hear. I don't understand why Facebook say you can only advertise to one gender? That's totally ridiculous!!
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2675867].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Sardent
    It can be frustrating. Especially since at first glance the decision seems so arbitrary and many times it's next to impossible to figure out which rule you violated if any.
    Signature
    For 2014...BLOG!!!
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2678831].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author abednego
    Is Facebook even profitable?

    Sometimes it seems as if they don't want our money...
    Signature

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2678854].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author jasonblake10
    Sometime an ad might get through because the reviewers are tired, but that's not a promise that your ads will always get through. Gotta live by their rules!
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2678910].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Neil S
    I think Facebook is doing you a favor here. Why would you want to advertise the same ad for both sexes? Not only will ads convert differently based on sex but also your landing pages will as well. You should really make your campaigns more targeted.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2679215].message }}

Trending Topics