Appeals guide

Appeal letter examples for Google Ads and Merchant Center

Most appeal templates online are long, emotional and vague, which is the opposite of what works. Google says accounts are only reinstated in compelling circumstances and that appeals should be thorough, accurate and honest. Here's where your words actually go, what to put in them, and five short examples you can adapt.

Guides · Updated 30 October 2026 · 7 min read

1chance to disagree in Merchant Center may be all you get
7business days for most Merchant Center reviews
6 monthsat least, to appeal a Google Ads suspension
0policy violations left: what Google recommends before appealing
The short version
  • In Merchant Center, choosing "I fixed the issue" doesn't usually involve writing anything: Google reviews your site. Written reasons matter when you disagree, or when you contact support.
  • In Google Ads, you appeal through the link in the suspension notice, and Google expects every violation to be fixed first.
  • Good appeals are short, specific and honest: what was wrong, what you changed, where to see it.
  • Never claim something is fixed when it isn't, and never open a new account while you wait.

Where your words actually go

This is the part most templates get wrong. Your appeal doesn't always involve a letter, and writing one in the wrong place wastes your best chance.

SituationWhat you doDo you write anything?
Merchant Center, you've fixed the issueProducts, Needs attention, choose "I fixed the issue", then Request reviewUsually not. Google reviews your site and account, so the fix has to be live
Merchant Center, you think Google is wrongChoose "I disagree with the issue"Yes: an appeal reason, and sometimes documents. You may only get one chance
Merchant Center, still stuck after reviewsContact Merchant Center support from your accountYes: a short, factual message
Google Ads, account suspendedUse the appeal link (Contact Us) in the suspension noticeYes: explain what you've fixed, or why it's a mistake
Fix first, then ask

For Google Ads, Google's appeal guidance says to list every ad and page in violation, fix them all (including paused ads), and aim for zero policy violations before you appeal. In Merchant Center, your site is the evidence.

What makes an appeal work

Do

  • Name the policy from your notice, word for word
  • List the specific changes you made, with the page each one is on
  • Keep it short: a few clear lines beat a long story
  • Say where to find your business details: name, address and contact page
  • Be honest if something was a genuine mistake, and say how you'll prevent it

Don't

  • Claim everything is fixed if it isn't. Google checks
  • Blame Google, threaten or plead. It doesn't help a reviewer
  • Paste a generic template that doesn't mention your site
  • Promise things your business can't keep
  • Open a new account while you wait. Google treats that as getting round the suspension
Check your site for these problemsThe free scan reads the key pages a Google reviewer typically checks and shows your score and the areas that need attention.

Examples you can adapt

Each example uses [square brackets] for the parts only you can fill in. Delete any line that isn't true for your business.

Google Ads: misrepresentation, after fixing your site

Use it when: Your Google Ads account was suspended for misrepresentation and you've fixed the problems on your ads and website.

Where it goes: The appeal form linked from the suspension notice in Google Ads.

My account [Customer ID: XXX-XXX-XXXX] was suspended under the Misrepresentation policy. I've reviewed every ad and our website, [yourdomain.com], against the policy and made these changes: - Added our business name, address and phone number to the footer and Contact page. - Made our delivery times the same on our shipping policy, FAQ and product pages. - Removed claims we couldn't support from [page or ads]. - [Any other specific change, with the page it's on.] All of these are live now. Please let me know if anything else needs to change. [Your name] [Business name]

Replace every highlighted blank, and delete anything that isn't true for you. Certanza writes yours from the fixes its rescan confirms on your site.

Google Ads: circumventing systems, when you believe it's a mistake

Use it when: You've checked carefully and believe your account or site didn't try to get round Google's systems.

Where it goes: The appeal form linked from the suspension notice in Google Ads.

My account [Customer ID: XXX-XXX-XXXX] was suspended for Circumventing systems. I believe this may be a mistake, and I've checked the following: - We have one Google Ads account for [business name]. [If there are others, explain why, e.g. a separate account for a separate legal business.] - Our landing pages show the same content to every visitor. We use [redirects or tracking, e.g. a tracking template from X] only for [reason]. - [Anything else relevant, e.g. a change of agency or payment method.] I'm happy to provide more information or make changes if anything doesn't meet the policy. [Your name] [Business name]

Replace every highlighted blank, and delete anything that isn't true for you. Certanza writes yours from the fixes its rescan confirms on your site.

Google Ads: unacceptable business practices

Use it when: Your account was suspended for unacceptable business practices and the issue was how your business was presented.

Where it goes: The appeal form linked from the suspension notice in Google Ads.

My account [Customer ID: XXX-XXX-XXXX] was suspended under the Unacceptable business practices policy. Our business is [legal or trading name], based at [address], and we sell [what you sell] from [yourdomain.com]. To make this clear to customers, we have: - Shown our business name, address and contact details on every page. - [Corrected / removed] [the specific claim, offer or detail that could mislead]. - Made our returns and refund terms clear before purchase, and we honour them. These changes are live. Please let me know if you need anything else. [Your name]

Replace every highlighted blank, and delete anything that isn't true for you. Certanza writes yours from the fixes its rescan confirms on your site.

Merchant Center: "I disagree with the issue" appeal reason

Use it when: You're confident nothing on your site or in your product data breaks the policy. Use it sparingly: you may only get one chance.

Where it goes: The appeal reason box after choosing "I disagree with the issue" in Merchant Center.

Our account was flagged for [policy name]. We've checked our website and product data against the policy: - Business details: our name, address and phone are on [Contact page URL] and match our Merchant Center account. - Policies: shipping and returns are at [URLs], with the same times and terms across the site. - Products: prices and availability in our product data match each product page. We believe the issue may have been raised in error. [If you're uploading documents, say what they are.]

Replace every highlighted blank, and delete anything that isn't true for you. Certanza writes yours from the fixes its rescan confirms on your site.

Merchant Center: message to support after unsuccessful reviews

Use it when: You've requested reviews, they weren't approved, and you need help understanding what Google still sees.

Where it goes: Contact Merchant Center support from your account (Shopify: Get support in the Google & YouTube app).

Hello, Our Merchant Center account [Merchant Center ID] is suspended for [policy name]. Our last review on [date] wasn't approved. Since then we've [list the specific changes and where they are]. We'd be grateful for any guidance on what's still causing the issue, so we can fix it properly before our next review request. Thank you, [Your name] [Business name]

Replace every highlighted blank, and delete anything that isn't true for you. Certanza writes yours from the fixes its rescan confirms on your site.

Common questions

Name the policy, list what you changed and where, and keep it short and factual. If you believe it's a mistake, explain why clearly. Google says appeals should be thorough, accurate and honest, and that it expects violations to be fixed before you appeal.

Usually not when you've fixed the issue: you choose "I fixed the issue" and request a review, and Google checks your site and account. You write an appeal reason when you choose "I disagree with the issue", and you may only get one chance to do that.

Short. A few lines that name the policy and list specific changes are easier for a reviewer to check than a long story. Add detail only where it helps them verify something.

In Google Ads, Google says rejected appeals can be resubmitted. In Merchant Center, repeated unsuccessful reviews can lead to cool-down periods, so it's better to make one well-prepared request.

Yes. After your rescan confirms the fixes on your site, Certanza writes a letter that only mentions changes it could confirm. You still replace the bracketed details and check it before sending.

Sources

Certanza is independent and not affiliated with Google. This guide is general information, not legal advice, and Google's policies can change.

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