Advertiser Quality Guidelines

Overview
SharpSpring Ads works wonderfully for online businesses of all types and sizes. There are guidelines your website must adhere to before we can accept the site for use. These guidelines are in place to make sure:

• Every advertiser on Perfect Audience can be clearly identified
• Consumers see high quality ads from SharpSpring Ads
• SharpSpring Ads complies with requirements from our ad network partners like Facebook and Google

When you create a SharpSpring Ads account, the website you’re looking to advertise will undergo an audit by our team and the ad networks within about one (1) business day.

Below you will find some types of sites or services we are not able to accept, as well as some general guidelines your site needs to follow in order for us to approve the site for use with SharpSpring Ads.

SharpSpring Ads reserves the right to refuse service to any advertiser at any time. These guidelines are subject to change without notice.  Your website and all of your ads must comply with all the relevant laws and regulations of all relevant jurisdictions.

Adult Products 
Websites and ads may not promote the sale or use of adult products or services, including but not limited to: toys, videos, publications, live shows, or sexual enhancement products.

Affiliates 
SharpSpring Ads is designed to track your site visitors to advertise the product or service you own. We do not accept affiliate websites offering or linking to third-party partners or companies.  Ads and links with too many redirects will likely be rejected.

"Mastermind" sites, Green Label Network, or sites that make use of Clickbank, Clickfunnels, or other related affiliate services will be rejected.  Any site built with Clickfunnels will be rejected.  Reseller programs and websites that redirect to other sites will not be accepted.  Any website that consists mainly of a "squeeze page" or requires a visitor to enter an email address will be rejected.

Aggregators & Blogs 
Aggregator websites that compile third-party content and do not offer an original product or service will not be accepted.  Blogs or "informational" sites with little or no content, or blogs not selling a product or service will not be accepted.

Airsoft Guns 
We are unable to accept any website that advertises or sells airsoft guns or any type of device that shoots projectiles with the potential to injure.

Alcohol 
We are not able to accept any site that offers alcohol for sale. Bars, concerts, restaurants, or other venues that legally sell alcohol are allowed, but you cannot display or advertise alcohol within your ads.

Children’s Products 
SharpSpring Ads is in compliance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. As such, we may not be able to accept sites directed towards children under 13. We may accept websites offering products or services intended for children as long as the website or ads do not target children under 13 years of age or collect visitor data on pages with content intended for children under 13.

Clarity & Unverifiable Claims
Your site must clearly state what your product is and what it does. It must also not make claims that are unverifiable through reasonable means.  Anything that appears to guarantee a result will likely be rejected.

“Coming Soon” Websites
Your website must be complete and ready when you submit it to SharpSpring Ads.  Do not submit “coming soon” temporary website pages that do not fully describe your product or service.  Once your website is fully launched, we are happy to review it.

Copyrighted Material 
Your site must not offer copyrighted material for which you do not own the copyright, and your ads may not promote copyrighted material you do not own.

Cosmetic Surgery 
We do accept cosmetic surgery related websites as long as the content on the site is family-safe. If the website contains before/after images that display nudity we cannot accept it.

In addition, your ads cannot target a specific procedure, condition, or treatment. Ads can feature a specific doctor or practice. Similar to the website itself, ads cannot contain nudity or depictions of sensitive areas of the body.

Cryptocurrencies

Due to the evolving nature of regulations related to cryptocurrencies and related products and services, we only allow them to be advertised in limited circumstances for the US only.

Ads for initial coin offerings, cryptocurrency token sales, or otherwise promoting the purchase, sale, or trade of cryptocurrencies or related products are not allowed. Ad destinations that aggregate or compare issuers of cryptocurrencies or related products are also not allowed.

Dating 
Dating, matchmaking, personal ads, or dating advice sites or products will not be accepted.

Domains You Do Not Own 
If you do not own the domain for the site or page you’re trying to advertise (YouTube, Soundcloud, Teechip, Amazon, Google Play Store, App Store, etc.) we cannot accept your site since you will be unable to cookie and retarget your visitors.  If you only have a Facebook page and not your own website, we cannot accept that.

Drugs, Drug Abuse & Drug Paraphernalia 
We are unable to accept any site or ads that offer illicit drugs, steroids, or drug paraphernalia, or any sites that appear to encourage or promote drug use.  We are also unable to accept websites advertising drug or alcohol rehabilitation facilities or programs.

Educational & Academic Services 
We are able to accept websites that offer educational services or programs like tutors, online courses, schools or educational institutions. The website needs to clearly display the details, value, and costs of your services or product. All claims must be verifiable. (See “Unverifiable Claims” for more information.)  We do not accept sites that encourage academic dishonesty, such as sites that offer to write term papers for students.

Websites offering webinars or courses to “make money online” or “grow your business fast” will not be accepted.

Exit Popups & Browser Manipulation 
Sites that use exit popups or any site/browser manipulation to prevent visitors from leaving will not be approved.

Forums 
We are able to accept web forums as long as the forum is not the main portion of your site. If the forum does not link to your homepage describing your product or service, it may not be accepted.

Financial Services 
We welcome banks, credit unions, credit card companies, credit loans, and financial establishments as advertisers.

Cash or Payday Loan sites, stock trading/Forex strategy sites are prohibited, as are debt consolidation and investment offers. “Get rich quick” and “make money online” type offers will not be accepted or approved.  See ‘Personal Hardship.’

Gambling 
Gambling offers, services and products are prohibited. Ads that promote or facilitate online gambling, gambling software, games of skill or lotteries, including online casino, sports book, bingo or poker, or providers of gambling tips or advice, are strictly prohibited by the ad networks.

Guns 
See “Weapons & Firearms.”

Health Supplements 
Health or diet supplement websites will be reviewed on a case by case basis. In general, we are unable to accept any website that is designed for weight loss, body building, muscle enhancement, etc. Any claims your website makes about the product must be verifiable.

Lead Generation 
We are unable to accept lead generation websites. If your site is designed to collect information from visitors but does not also offer a product or service, we cannot accept it. Sites that require users to complete a form or provide contact details to view content will not be accepted. Single page websites, offering products or service in exchange for information like forms or surveys, or “early access” sites will not be accepted.

Lingerie 
We accept websites that advertise and sell lingerie. The site cannot contain any nudity or exposed sensitive areas of the body. Ads must also be family-safe and be tasteful. As a general rule, any area of the body that would be covered by a two-piece swimsuit cannot be displayed in the ads. This rule also includes displaying men’s nipples in your ads.

Marketing 
We’re happy to accept websites of ad agencies looking to market their business. Your marketing services must be clearly explained and designed to assist with marketing in some way. Sites like data analysis services, ad agencies, and website optimization will be accepted. Websites offering tools to buy/sell traffic, “likes”, leave reviews, interaction on social media sites, or other unverifiable claims will not be accepted.

Medical Supplies 
We are able to accept websites offering medical care, general hospital services, and first aid supplies. We are unable to accept websites offering specific devices or tools to treat specific conditions (mental or physical).  We are unable to accept websites advertising drug or alcohol rehabilitation facilities or programs.  See ‘Personal Hardship.’

Penny Auctions 
Auction websites requiring a non-refundable fee to bid on items or services will not be accepted.

Personal Hardship 
Any ad that uses a personal hardship as a reason to advertise to someone, such as bankruptcy, a serious illness, or substance addiction, will not be accepted.

Personal Promotion 
We are unable to accept personal websites, personal pages, or profiles from social network sites like Facebook or LinkedIn.  See "Domains You Do Not Own."

Political Campaigns 

As of October 1st we are no longer able to accept any political advertising of any form on the platform.

Prescription Medication 
Due to privacy concerns, websites offering prescription medications, tools, or services cannot be accepted, even if they adhere to local laws. Online pharmacies, medicine manufacturers or similar sites will not be accepted.

Profanity and Hate Speech 
Any ad or website focusing on derogatory speech against a particular group or using profanity in its ads will not be accepted.

Surveillance 
Websites offering products to track, monitor, eavesdrop, or otherwise collect information from individuals without their consent will not be approved. Child or employee monitoring services or systems may be allowed.

Tobacco & E-cigarettes 
The sale of tobacco brands, tobacco, and E-cigarettes are prohibited on all of the ad networks. This includes any and all vape or vaping juice, devices, and accessories.  We will be unable to accept sites in this advertising space.

Third-Party Vendors 
If you sell your product on a third-party site like Amazon, you’re welcome to link to your product on your website, but your ads cannot link directly to the third-party vendor’s site. All ads and campaigns need to direct your users back to your proprietary website.  See ‘Domains You Do Not Own.’

Weapons & Firearms 
We are unable to accept sites promoting weapon sales. This includes but is not limited to: Guns, ammunition, gun parts, knives, bombs, explosives, sharp throwing objects, pepper spray, stun guns. If the object is designed to injure someone, we likely will not be able to accept your website.

Weight Loss 
Websites promoting weight loss products or services may not be accepted. Gyms or personal trainer websites are welcome, as long as any claims made about the offering can be verified. Websites offering pills or supplements designed for weight loss will not be accepted.  In general, a site guaranteeing weight loss will not be accepted.  See ‘Clarity and Unverifiable Claims.’  

If your site does not pass the audit, you are welcome to make changes and write us at ads@sharpspring.com to ask for it to be re-audited. We will review your request and resubmit sites on a case-by-case basis.