If you’ve been using Google Ads for a while, you’ve probably heard about the destination mismatch problem. This happened when Google changed its advertising rules. It causes problems for many businesses, costing them money and the time they spend on advertising.
If you are not aware of the new rules of Google Ads, you may face the same problem. But there are ways to deal with it and still advertise your products effectively.
Here’s what you need to know about the destination mismatch error.
What Does Destination Mismatch Mean?
A destination mismatch occurs when the final destination of your ad does not match the destination shown in the ad. For example, if your ad says it goes to YouTube but actually goes to Facebook, that destination doesn’t match and your ad may get suspended.
➽ Confusing Links
Imagine you click on an ad that says “amazon.com,” but it takes you to a page with a different address, like “www.amazon.com” That’s a no according to Google ad rules. If the ad tries to customize by adding keywords to the web address, such as “aws.amazon.com,” but then sends you to another site, that’s a problem.
➽ Different Domains
If the web address you show in an ad, such as “www.cartsforless.com,” doesn’t match where you’re actually sending people, such as “www.cartsforless.to.” It’s not just about using totally different addresses. If they look the same, such as “.com” versus “.to,” it still violates the rules.
➽ Improper Subdomain Identification
It is very important that the web addresses you show in the ads match. Although they are related though part of each other, they need to match exactly.
Imagine you see an ad with a web address like “coolwebsite.com”, but when you click it, you end up on a page called “toys.coolwebsite.com”. Unless “coolwebsite.com” is known for just one thing, it won’t take off.
➽ Redirects from Final URLs
Google Ads really wants ads to be honest. So if you click on an ad expecting to see something special, you shouldn’t end up anywhere else because of a sneaky redirect.
For example, if you click on an ad for “bestphones.com,” you should actually land on that site, not be directed to “cheapphones.com” or somewhere else.
➽ Difficult Link Path
Another reason you can run into destination mix-ups is difficult link paths. This happens when a link you click sends you to one place, but then a hidden path redirects you somewhere else.
For example, imagine clicking on a link that promises to take you to the main page of a website, but instead, you are taken to a page offering a discount. It’s like being taken down a different road than you expected, which can be confusing and frustrating for users.
What Is The Google Ads Final URL?
The final URL of a Google ad is basically the webpage where people tap your ad. Creating Google Ads is very important. Even though you can’t see it in the ad itself, the display URL appears there. And hey, if you want to get fancy, you can add a tracking template. This helps create the perfect landing page URL when someone clicks on your ad. It’s easy to keep tabs on who’s clicking and what they’re doing.
Further Reading:- What is a Branded Short Domain? Why Use & Is Good for SEO
How Do We Fix Destination Mismatch?
To fix destination mismatches in Google Ads, ensure that all ads in the same group lead to the same final URL. If you want different ads to go to different places, put them in different groups. Each group can have its own campaign with its own URL, but all ads in the group must be in the same place.
If your ads are rejected, you can ask Google to reconsider. Just click “Appeal” and select the ads you want to see again.
When using short links, make sure they are part of your main website address. This prevents errors. You can easily add a short link to your website with Short.io. This way, you can track all your ads, whether on Google or social media, without any problem.
