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Last updated on: March 27, 2024
Around 80% of internet users see ads through Googleâs Display network which serves 6 billion ad impressions every day. As a result, your businessâs presence on Google is instrumental to your brandâs potential success. Equally, if your identity on Google is being undermined by bad actors this can have a significant negative impact on your brandâs reputation and your ability to connect with customers.
To ensure that you can protect your brand from infringers it is important to learn how infringers operate, how to spot copyright infringement in your Google Ads, and how to mitigate the impact of any intellectual property violations.
In this blog, we delve into a comprehensive guide to Google Ad copyright infringement by highlighting several key topics, including:
According to Googleâs Advertising Policies, they abide by local copyright laws and aim to protect the rights of copyright holders. This means that they do not allow ads that are unauthorized to use copyrighted content. Therefore copyright infringement in Google Ads will occur when bad actors use copyrighted content without authorization.
Common types of copyright infringement in Google Ads, include:
Scammers will take your copyrighted images and written content to use in their own ads. They will do so in order to appear like a legitimate brand. This kind of fraudulence is a direct violation of Googleâs Ad policies. It will be confusing for consumers and it will damage your brandâs online reputation.
Not all unauthorized use is malicious. Some businesses may inadvertently reuse content without knowing they are violating your copyrights.
Some businesses will run Google ad campaigns that contain symbols, words, or phrases that have been trademarked by other brands. If they do so without authorization this will amount to trademark infringement.
Not only will this violate Googleâs guidelines related to trademarks but it will also contravene U.S. trademark law. While they may profit in the short term from any attention generated through the use of these trademarks they will leave themselves open to being sued and removed from Googleâs ad platform.
Fraudsters will also use Google ads to draw attention to their counterfeit products. These counterfeits will often infringe the copyrights of legitimate brands but for innocent browsers on Google, it will be difficult to discern fake from real within a simple Google Ad.
Keep detailed records of your original images and designs. This includes the date you created them, the file names, and the original source files. You should also keep track of when you first used these images and designs in your Google Ads.
Analyze ads for similarities in imagery, logos, and design elements. If you see an ad that looks similar to yours, take a closer look. Compare the images, logos, and design elements to see if they’re identical or just similar.
Do keyword searches for words or phrases that are attached to your brand. Bad actors will try to take advantage of the popularity of legitimate brands by using the same, or very similar, copy or trademark in their own ads. You may be able to uncover this kind of infringement simply by conducting targeted keyword searches.
Alternatively, if nothing is revealed through a search you can go a step further and start to analyze ad copy. With this method, you will quickly be able to discern whether an ad has plagiarized your content and whether they are infringing your copyright.
If you do discover Google Ad copyright you should act fast to ensure that you can protect your brand and your customers. The most effective first action you can take is to report the ad directly to Google. Below is a step-by-step guide on how to report infringing ad content via Googleâs support system:
1. Head over to Googleâs Legal Help page on how to âReport Content on Googleâ. You will be prompted to select the Google product where the content you wish to report appears. Here select âA Google Adâ.
2. Select the type of ad you want to report.
3. Select the reason you wish to report the content. Here select âLegalâ, âIntellectual Propertyâ and then âCopyrightâ if it is for copyright infringement.
4. State whether you are the copyright owner or authorized to act on their behalf.
5. Select whether the infringing ad is an image/video or other.
6. Then click âCreate Requestâ.
7. You will be redirected to a Copyright Infringement Report Form. Here fill out your information.
8. Then identify and describe the copyrighted work and provide an authorized example.
9. Then provide information about the potentially infringing ad including the visible URL of the ad, any text used in the ad, the final URL, and any screenshots.
10. Sign a sworn statement to affirm that your report has been submitted in good faith and all the information you have provided is accurate.
You can begin to prevent copyright infringement on Google Ads by registering any of your brandâs content that may amount to intellectual property. While some content may automatically become copyrighted as soon as it is created, you will gain more reliable protection by registering such content at the U.S. Copyright Office.
By doing so you will give yourself a strong platform for any legal action you may want to pursue against infringers. Additionally, by registering your copyrights, and displaying copyright symbols, you will hopefully deter some scammers from infringing your intellectual property.
Another proactive step you can take is to regularly monitor Google Ads for potential infringements. This will involve keyword searches and setting up alerts. It will also involve browsing Google and looking at ads that bear a resemblance to your own. You will benefit from communicating with your customers who may also help you spot potential infringements.
However, ultimately there is a limit to what you are able to achieve with manual monitoring. Today, as scammers become more deceptive and tech-savvy you have to use tactics that are efficient, precise, and cost-effective. A specialized, automated software program is the ideal solution.
Red Pointsâ Ad Protection Software will help you remove unauthorized ads on search engines. Through a robust system of detection and removal, we help brands automatically find and take down fraudulent ads on Google that may target your brand in over 240 countries and territories.
We recognize the need for a flexible, modern solution to combat trademark abuse, partner violation, and fraudulent sales. Our software is designed to protect your brand on Google from scammers who are targeting your reputation, revenue, and customers. Through automation, machine learning, and artificial intelligence we can help you deliver an improved ad campaign, a better customer experience, and safer revenue.
To ensure that your brand and customers are safeguarded from copyright infringers on Google you need to act now. If you allow scammers to thrive on Google you will suffer damage to your brandâs reputation and customers will lose trust in your business and products.
Google Ads are a vital area of opportunity for your business. It is important to familiarize yourself with the guidance Google provides when it comes to copyright infringement. By reviewing their extensive and accessible support system you will be able to begin the process of protecting your brand from copyright infringement in Google Ads.
To learn more about how Red Points can help identify and remove Google ad copyright infringement, request a demo here.Â
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