How do You Get 'Google Certification' to Run Debt Consolidation Ads in Canada?

• My debt consolidation client is running ads in Canada where Google Adwords has announced that such advertisers need to apply for certification in order to continue running ads. However, we can find no existing avenue for a Canadian company to gain any such certification that we know of.

  We contacted Google Ad support by phone but, they seemed to be unaware of any such new policy. Then, after a lengthy discussion (which included our explaining that Canada is not part of the US), they told us to certify using the US certification link.

  However, the first question was: "Are you a registered US company?" which, of course, we aren't. So, sending us to that certification link didn't make any sense.

  Can you please offer us any suggestions as to how we might proceed so we can continue running Debt Consolidation ads for Canada on AdWords?

Answer:

It's becoming quite clear that Google wants to discourage Debt Consolidation ads by raising the bar in regards to who is allowed to actually run them.

According to Google,

Ads for debt settlement or debt management services will be allowed to serve only if the advertiser is certified by Google. Certification will be available only in certain countries.

To be certified by Google, debt settlement and debt management services, advertisers will need to be registered, licensed, or approved by the relevant regulatory authorities or recognized professional bodies in the country or countries they are targeting.

Google goes on to say that, "Advertisers can request certification with Google when the application form is published. For more details, see Google's resource specifically about debt services certification."

Unfortunately, the only countries listed as eligible to run such ads are Australia, Japan, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, United Kingdom, and the United States – as you said, Canada is not inclu...