Social media is a natural choice for companies looking to increase brand awareness and expand their outreach. But what happens if you need to promote banned products on social media? I’m not talking about illegal drugs or copyrighted movies.
I’m referring to the growing list of regular products and services banned by mainstream social media channels.
At my agency Contentworks, we focus on content marketing for the financial services sector. The recent social media clampdown on crypto-related ads has certainly thrown a spanner in the works.
Once Facebook announced that they would prohibit ads that “promote financial products and services associated with misleading or deceptive promotional practices,” it seemed likely that other social media platforms would follow suit. They did, with Google, Instagram, and Snapchat following the lead. More recently Twitter founder and CEO Jack Dorsey gave the nod towards a complete ban on crypto advertising, beginning with this tweet:
What Exactly is Banned on Social Media?
If the product you’re promoting is mainstream, you might not be aware of the extent of banned products on social media. Most of the following products are allowed to have a presence on social media but are being excluded from any kind of advertising.
Let’s look at the products banned on Facebook and Instagram as they mirror most of the products banned on the other major networks.
Banned products on Facebook and Instagram
- Tobacco products and related items
- Online pharmacies
- Alcohol or alcohol related products
- Unsafe supplements, as determined by Facebook in its sole discretion
- Sensational content, as determined by Facebook in its sole discretion
- Controversial content, as determined by Facebook in its sole discretion
- Adult products or services (except family planning and contraception)
- Dating services, apps or related sites
- “Risky” financial services products and cryptocurrencies
- Regional lotteries
- Get-rich-quick schemes, pyramids and MLMs
- Subscription services with auto renew options
- Firearms, weapons, ammunition, or accessories
- Securities alleged insider tips
- Adverts containing before/after photos- eg weight loss or cosmetic surgery
So, you can see that there are some seemingly legitimate products on that list. Pretty much everyone who’s single uses dating apps, right?
The Do’s and Don’ts of Promoting Banned Products
If you’re a social media manager pacing the room wondering how you can promote a banned product, here’s what you can and cannot do.
Don’t ignore the rules
It sounds obvious, but don’t ignore the rules in the hope your ads will slip through the net. They won’t. And if they do, they will quickly be deleted, and your account may be suspended. It’s never pretty and really isn’t worth the risk, especially if you’re running multiple ads.
Don’t use banned terms
If you’re willing to risk it and try to run an advert anyway, then don’t use any banned terms. If you’re in fin-tech, avoid terms like ICO, crypto, cryptocurrencies, loans, forex, and binary options. Look into safer alternatives like blockchain, fin-tech, and technology.
Don’t link back to prohibited content
If you think you can boost a seemingly unrelated post that links back to a landing page about your product, think again. You will be caught out– if not immediately, then eventually. Social media networks have got better at checking associated links and respond faster to flagged or reported posts.
Don’t forget your industry regulations
Banned products often have associated regulations of their own and failing to adhere to them can land you in a…
