Google will update its financial services verification process for advertisers in Ireland, New Zealand, South Korea, and Thailand, effective from 7 November 2024. Advertisers promoting financial services in these regions must complete a new verification process to continue showing ads.
Verification Process
- Initiation: Advertisers can initiate verification themselves. Google will notify affected advertisers via email or in-account notifications.
- Deadline: In-scope advertisers must complete verification by 7 November 2024 to continue advertising.
- Agencies: Agencies managing campaigns for affected advertisers must also obtain verification.
Steps for Verification
- External Compliance Partner: Advertisers must first obtain verification through G2, Google's external compliance partner.
- Application to Google: After G2 verification, advertisers apply to Google for financial services verification using a unique verification code from G2.
G2 Verification Details
- G2 will ask about the type of financial services provided, licensing status, and registration number.
- Advertisers must prove they are directly authorised by a financial services regulator or are exempt from this requirement.
Approved Third-Party Advertisers
- Advertisers not directly authorised by a regulator but approved by a first party or authorised advertiser cannot apply for verification themselves.
- Instead, the first party or authorised advertiser must apply on their behalf.
Categories Requiring Verification
Advertisers in the following categories (non-exhaustive) may need to complete verification:
- Banking
- Credit cards
- Credit and loans
- Investment
- Brokerages and day trading
- Bonds, commodities, and futures trading
- Insurance
Important Dates
- 8 October 2024: G2 begins processing applications for financial services verification.
- 7 November 2024: Enforcement of the new verification requirements begins.
For more information and to initiate verification, advertisers should visit the provided links for each country.
