URLs and Landing Page Policies

These URLs and landing pages policies will help you with acceptable URLs and the kind of behavior users should expect when they trigger your ad. For example, URLs should accurately describe your ad’s landing page. Also, landing pages should load and function as normally expected — disruptive or deceptive content is not allowed.

URL types

• Display URL The web page address that appears in your ad text.
• Destination URL The address of the web page a user is taken to after a click on your ad that enables you to track performance at keyword or device level. Destination URL is not displayed in your ads.
• Landing page URL The address of the final web page where users end up after clicking an ad.

The destination URL must work properly and resolve to a single working website. The destination of the link cannot be an email address or a file. Additionally, non-standard characters and IP addresses are disallowed.

• The display URL should be either the actual landing page URL or a shortened version of the landing page URL (e.g., the top-level domain of the landing page URL).
• The display URL must be of a valid format:
  • Top level domain, e.g., “contoso.com.tw”.
  • Subdomain or folders, if applicable, e.g., “product.contoso.com” or “contoso/xyz.com.tw”.
  • Domain extension, such as .com, .net, or .co.uk.
  • Non-standard characters and IP addresses are not permitted.
• The display URL cannot be used as another line of text for the ad or as an email address field, and it cannot include text that violates any of the Microsoft Advertising policies.
• The display URL cannot be misleading. In other words, the display URL cannot be used to disguise one site as another for the purpose of misleading users. To learn more, please see our Misleading content policy/Promotion of third party products and services.
• The domain extension cannot be used to mislead users. For example, domain extensions such as .gov or .edu must lead to a government site or educational institution site.
• Display URLs in a single ad group must use the same top-level URL domain. For example, your ad group can feature display URLs with multiple folders -- such as Microsoft.com/Office and Microsoft.com/Skype -- but it may not feature multiple display URLs with different top level domains -- such as Microsoft.com and Contoso.com.

• The display URL must match the landing page URL.

• Dynamic keyword insertions could trigger a mismatch. If you use keyword insertion, ensure that the display and landing page URLs match.

Limited to the following circumstances, non-matching display and landing page URLs are acceptable.

• Tracking URLs with redirects. Destination URLs with redirects not matching the display URLs are acceptable provided that the top level domain of the display URL matches the top level domain of the landing page.

• Descriptive deep links. For descriptive purposes, subdomains or folders in the display URL that do not match the subdomain or folders of the landing page URL can be used provided that the top level domain match, and that the subdomain or folder adequately describes the portion of your site on which users will land.

• Hosting sites. You may be allowed to use a descriptive display URL that does not match the landing page URL for hosted domains. If you believe your use is legitimate and fits in this category, you may appeal the rejection.

• Brand considerations. You may be allowed to use a display URL that does not match the landing page URL for brand consideration purposes. For example, a well-recognized product brand can be used as a display URL to direct users to the generic sale portal of the product owner. If you believe your use is legitimate and fits in this category, you may appeal the rejection.

Display URLs and destination URLs may only be in Latin, ASCII characters and must not contain accents or diacritics. Display URLs and destination URLs with non-Latin characters — e.g., Chinese or Russian characters, other non-Latin characters, or Latin characters with accents and diacritics such as http://contosé.com — will not be approved.

• Your landing page must be available and reliably responsive even at peak use times.
• Your destination URL must be linked to a single static landing page; it may not take search users to a different page on the site each time the ad is clicked.
• Use a landing page that you own or control or one you are authorized to represent or send traffic to.

For additional information about landing pages and creating high-quality experiences with them, please read the Relevance and quality policies.

• The Back button on the landing page must be functional and allow users to return to the previous web page.
• The landing page must not:
  • Generate any disruptive pop-ups or pop-unders.
  • Spawn multiple pop-ups or any pop-up that prevents visitors from leaving the site.
    
  • Open any additional windows.
  • Mislead the user with "fake" dialog boxes or browser windows.
  • Be designed to look broken or simulate a non-working web page in any way.
  • Use "fake" close behavior. For example, when a user clicks a "close" button on the page, it should close that page, and no other behavior should result:
    

For additional policies on site behavior and navigation, see the Relevance and quality policies.