Facebook and Twitter Ad Policies

The days of last-minute Facebook and Twitter advertising are dead. The misuse (probably illegal) use of social media ads during the 2016 presidential election has led to sweeping changes in the industry. While it is by no means perfect, steps have been put into place to help stop foreign interference in our elections. Often times in our industry digital advertising is an afterthought in a campaign budget. First, this is a very wrong train of thought. Digital is now with over 700% increase in digital advertising from the 2012 to the 2016 presidential campaign – and this number continues to grow. A robust digital strategy and advertising buy should be part of any campaign plan. Facebook and Twitter now require you to jump through several hoops to validate your campaign. Facebook’s advertising policy must validate your campaign and it takes several steps. And Twitter is no different. Even if you are not advocating for a vote at the ballot box but rather to influence elected officials or public opinion, you are required to take these steps. We have been working with clients for several weeks to get each of their accounts verified. It is important to be proactive, not reactive in politics. While the new policies are not perfect we must continue to provide more transparency in our elections.