Facebook ad policy checklist before you publish (creative + landing page)
A single-page checklist for media and creative before spend: claims, destinations, disclosures, restricted categories, and the boring URL tests that prevent 11 p.m. disapprovals.
On this pagetap to expand
Checklists are not bureaucracy—they are love letters to your future self at 11:06 p.m. when Ads Manager turns red and your launch is tomorrow.
This checklist is intentionally boring, because boring scales.
Last reviewed: April 2026. Use Meta’s official Advertising Standards and Business Help Center for authoritative definitions; pair with FTC guidance on truth in advertising and endorsements.
Creative checks (the ad itself)
- Every claim appears on LP in plain language
- No before/after improv unless approved for your category
- No personal-attribute diagnosis lines
- No unverifiable superlatives
- Pricing words in ad match PDP/cart
- Promo dates/timezones match hero modules
- Influencer/creator disclosures planned (if applicable)
- Music licensing confirmed (if applicable)
Destination checks (the world after the click)
- Mobile load under your internal threshold (define one)
- HTTPS valid, no mixed-content warnings on key assets
- Add-to-cart works from the same campaign URL path
- Return policy reachable in two taps
- Subscription terms visible if subscription offer exists
- Geo restrictions respected (shipping + legal)
Commerce-specific checks
- SKU shown in ad matches default variant on PDP
- Inventory truth for promos ("while supplies last" is a contract)
- Coupon stacking rules not contradictory
Lead-gen checks
- Form fields match promise (no "free quote" → unrelated survey)
- Privacy policy linked where required
- Follow-up SLA realistic (speed-to-lead is part of the ad truth)
The "two-device" rule
Test iPhone + Android—or at least small + large. Creative teams love the founder’s Pro Max; buyers live in reality.
Internal links
Appendix: sign-off block (paste in Asana / Linear)
Creative owner: ___ approved claims v__
Web owner: ___ approved LP v__
Media owner: ___ UTMs + tracking verified
Legal (if needed): ___ notes: ___
Launch window: ___
If a box is empty, you are not launching—you are gambling.
E-E-A-T: checklists should name limits
This checklist cannot replace counsel for regulated categories. It can prevent unforced errors—which is most of the pain.
Key takeaways
- LP is part of the ad—test destinations like creative.
- Claims versioning prevents accidental drift.
- Two-device tests catch real user failure.
People also ask
What should I check before publishing Facebook ads?
Claims parity, disclosures, destination functionality, restricted category compliance.
Does Meta review landing pages?
Destination quality and alignment matter for policy and performance.
What is personal attributes policy?
Avoid implying knowledge of sensitive viewer characteristics—use scenario-based benefits.
FAQ
Do testimonials need disclosures?
Often yes—FTC endorsement rules.
How does Pinnacle AdForge help?
QA + continuity—signup.
If your checklist lives only in someone’s head, your launches will live in incident response.
Bonus: the "promo clock" line
If your ad mentions Tuesday 11:59, your server timezone and your marketing timezone must agree—otherwise your "truth" becomes a Schrodinger sale.
Regional promos (where teams get ambushed)
If you run multi-country ads, confirm:
- currency symbols match checkout
- shipping exclusions match copy
- promo legality per region (not every market loves the same bundle)
A checklist that assumes US-only is a checklist that becomes international incident the first time Canada joins the party.
Accessibility checks (small, real)
- caption readability
- color contrast on text overlays
- motion sensitivity (rapid flashes)
Accessibility is not only moral—it reduces weird unintended outcomes in automated review and human perception.
"Claims drift" watchlist (copy team: stare at this weekly)
- PDP price changed
- bundle composition changed
- subscription trial length changed
- shipping promise changed
- return window changed
If any changed, freeze ads until creative and LP realign—otherwise you are funding arguments in comments.
Incident log (optional but powerful)
When something bad happens (disapproval, chargeback spike), log:
- what was live
- what changed
- what you will add to checklist vNext
Checklists that evolve are E-E-A-T for operators.
Partner ads: double the checklist surface
When a creator or partner is involved, add:
- contract scope of claims they may say
- proof of product usage duration (if "I used it for…")
- branded content tagging steps per platform
- music licensing for creator-added tracks
Partnerships are where truth and drama intersect—treat them like high voltage.
"Emergency bypass" protocol (document it or regret it)
Sometimes launches are truly urgent. Define:
- who can approve bypass
- what minimum checks cannot be skipped (usually: destination works + claims match)
- post-mortem within 48 hours
If bypass has no owner, bypass becomes culture.