What a blocked keyword means
Some words cannot be used for targeting, because Google restricts or forbids advertising on those subjects. When you add one, the campaign builder tells you the keyword contains a blocked word, and the keyword is left out of the campaign.
Sprizzy buys every campaign through Google Ads, so these limits apply to us the same way they apply to any advertiser.
The areas that are restricted
- Financial services and products, for example loans, payday lending and cryptocurrency
- Regulated substances, for example cannabis, CBD, vaping and tobacco
- Alcohol
- Weapons
- Health, medicines and weight loss products
- Sensitive social and political subjects
- Adult content
- Personal services such as psychic or tarot readings
What to use instead
Describe what the viewer is looking for, rather than the restricted product.
- Use the subject of the video, the style, the format or the audience.
- Use channel and video placements instead of keywords. Targeting the channels your audience already watches often works better than keywords anyway.
- Use the phrases people type into YouTube search, checked with auto-suggest.
The video itself
A blocked keyword is about targeting, not about your video. Your video is reviewed separately by Google Ads, and a subject that restricts keywords often restricts the ad as well. See Why does Google Ads disapprove videos?.
What to do next
Swap the blocked keywords for phrases that describe your video’s subject, and add placements. If you are stuck, email support@sprizzy.com with your video link and we will suggest alternatives.