Being hit by Facebook page restrictions is nothing new. Facebook has been restricting advertiser access across Facebook accounts, Pages, and Business Managers. In fact, Meta is imposing layers of limitations on rule offenders in order to “keep its community secure.” This is especially true if you are a Facebook advertiser and rely only on Facebook advertisements for traffic.

If you attempt to create an ad or update your company settings when your Facebook account, Page, or Business Manager is blocked from advertising, you will receive a message. The mistake will appear on your Facebook Page as follows:

We put the blame on the “Meta” algorithm for triggering the ban action, but we often forget the real reason why the Facebook page was blocked in the first place.

How did I lose my Facebook advertising rights? How long will I be restricted? Will I ever be able to advertise again?

These are all reasonable questions, and based on our experience with Facebook’s customer support, you may have to ask them for some time before receiving an answer.

While every scenario is different, and we cannot guarantee that this article will get you your advertising back, we hope that you will obtain answers to some of your questions and know what next steps you can take for yourself and your business!

Why does Facebook restrict accounts?

Facebook can restrict accounts for a number of reasons, including:

• Problematic Ad Copy / Images / Videos

This can range from so many things; your ads are misleading, ad contents are discriminatory, too much ‘skin’ exposure in your ad and if you go crazy by calling out some celebrities’ names, Facebook will not only flag your ad, but also your Facebook page. Be mindful of materials you took from Google Search too – they could be copyrighted.

• Not Delivering On Promise

As an advertiser, your Facebook page is your very first customer touchpoint. While it is designed to maximize engagement – it comes with a price. If you’re not delivering on promises – e.g. late shipping deliveries, misleading offers, hidden costs; these can all affect your customer’s feedback, and you attract either bad comments or bad reviews.

This will reflect on your Facebook Page Feedback Score, from the delivery penalty to Facebook page restriction from advertising.

• Broken Links

Remember bumping into “404 Page Not Found” as you do your web search? It’s annoying. Other Facebook users think the same way too. Your Facebook Ads landing page leading to your website must not be misspelled (broken), or show a ‘404 Error’ or ‘This page cannot be found.

How can I get my account back?

If your account has been restricted you can appeal the decision.

To do this:

1. Go to the request review page

2. Provide your full name as listed on your Facebook account

Don’t just write a simple line; be transparent and describe clearly every single detail about your business:

• What business you’re in?
• What product you do sell?
• Which country do you operate in?
• How do you ensure customer satisfaction?

Here’s an example:

Hello, I’m running a fashion e-commerce, mainly selling women’s dresses in Nigeria. Here are the 3 main products in my store: Dress A, Dress B, and Dress C. Customers usually receive their products within 7 days, and we have a team of 3 attending to customer queries through WhatsApp and email.

If possible, attach your business registration certificate to prove that you have a legit company. This will increase the probability of getting back your Facebook page.

3. Upload ID Verification

In the event of “Identity Confirmation Required”, do not hesitate to upload your ID document to prove that you’re a human. It should take 7-15 business days apparently, however I know people who’ve waited for a month.

Getting your identity verified will further improve your chances of success, as Facebook can finally identify you as a person who is doing legit business using Meta platforms.

4. Create A New Facebook Page

Treat this as your last resort. While this can serve as a foolproof method to get your ad running again, you will lose all the social proof that you’ve worked hard to gain before-especially if you own an e-commerce brand. Only do this if your appeal is rejected by Facebook.

Your Facebook page is your ‘shopfront’ whereas your ads are your promoters. Always maintain a good relationship with the ‘authority’ a.k.a Meta Platforms – stay compliant and not violate Facebook Ad policies, and you’ll witness how your e-commerce brand grows over time.

What if my account is restricted for no reason?

Sometimes Facebook may restrict an account by accident. If you believe this has happened to you, you should appeal the decision as per the steps above.

If Facebook reviews the restriction and decides you have done nothing wrong, it will reinstate your account and the ban will not count against you in the future.

Conclusion

Having your Facebook account restricted from advertising is a HUGE pain. You may be without advertising on your page for a little while and there is a chance that you may never get your advertising privileges back depending on your violation. However, as long as you request your review, you stand a good chance of getting back to advertising very soon!