A sitelink added at the account level in Google Ads isn't tied to one campaign. Google says account-level sitelinks may appear in all eligible campaigns, and the documented way to keep one out of a particular campaign is to remove it from the account. So if that sitelink picks up a policy label, the problem goes wherever the sitelink can serve. We keep every asset at the campaign level, so a policy issue stays in one place and is easy to find.
What we saw on a call
On a mentoring call, we looked at a medical clinic's account, run by a marketer who manages several clients. Impressions were low and the campaigns kept showing policy limits. We filtered the assets by status and found sitelinks marked limited under Health in personalized advertising. One of them pointed straight at the clinic's homepage, which lists services such as pregnancy scans, IUDs and hepatitis B.
The sitelinks were attached at the account level, so the flagged one was in play across the whole account, and the limited status was showing across the ads rather than in one campaign. Our advice was firm: remove every account-level sitelink, add sitelinks at campaign level instead, and point each one at a specific service page, not the homepage. Then if one gets flagged, you know which one, and only that campaign carries it.
How account-level sitelinks work
Google's About sitelink assets page sets out the rules:
- Sitelinks can be added at the account, campaign, asset group or ad group level, and they work in Search, Video campaigns on YouTube, Performance Max and Demand Gen.
- Account-level sitelinks may appear in all eligible campaigns. By default, an ad group or asset group uses the sitelinks of its campaign and account.
- Higher-level sitelinks are eligible to serve alongside lower-level ones when predicted to improve performance. Adding campaign sitelinks doesn't block the account-level ones.
- To keep an account-level sitelink out of a campaign, Google says to remove it from the account and add the sitelinks you want at a lower level.
Google's own tip is to create sitelinks at the account level first, as long as they're relevant to all your campaigns, and to add a sitelink only to the relevant campaigns if it applies to a subset. Our rule is stricter: no assets at the account level. For an account with sensitive services or distinct offers, almost nothing passes Google's "relevant to everything" test anyway.
What a policy label on an asset does
Assets are reviewed like ads. Google's review status page says an Approved (limited) asset can run, but not in all situations. A disapproved asset doesn't show at all until you edit it and it passes review again. Google also says ads can be limited because the website contains terms tied to regulated industries, even when the service itself is compliant. A homepage sitelink on a clinic site is exactly that case.
To find the asset behind a limited status, go to Assets in the Campaigns menu, filter Status, and add the Policy details column. Switch the table view to Associations to see what level each asset sits at. Anything attached at account level is the first thing we move.
The takeaways
- Google says account-level sitelinks may appear in all eligible campaigns, including Performance Max and Demand Gen.
- Campaign sitelinks don't block account-level ones. To keep one out of a campaign, remove it from the account.
- A policy label on an account-level asset is spread across the account. At campaign level it's contained and easy to trace.
- Point sitelinks at specific service pages, not the homepage, especially in health and other sensitive categories.
Common questions
Do account-level sitelinks show in every campaign?
They can. Google's About sitelink assets page says existing account-level sitelinks may appear in all eligible campaigns, and by default an ad group or asset group uses the sitelinks of the campaign and account it's part of. Sitelinks are compatible with Search, Video campaigns on YouTube, Performance Max and Demand Gen.
Do campaign-level sitelinks replace account-level sitelinks?
Google's page describes them serving together. Sitelinks created at higher levels are eligible to serve alongside sitelinks at lower levels when predicted to improve performance, within the same account, campaign and ad group or asset group branch. If you don't want an account-level sitelink in a campaign, Google says to remove it from the account and add the sitelinks you prefer at campaign, asset group or ad group level.
What does Approved (limited) mean for an asset?
Google's review status page says an Approved (limited) asset can run, but not in all situations, because of policy restrictions. An Approved asset can show to all audiences. A disapproved asset doesn't show at all and needs to be edited and resubmitted for review.
How do I find which asset is causing a policy issue?
Go to Assets within the Campaigns menu, filter the Status column for limited or disapproved, and add the Policy details column under Attributes in Modify columns. To see the level an asset is attached at, choose Associations from the Table view dropdown.
Why would a clinic's sitelink be limited under Health in personalized advertising?
Health is one of Google's sensitive interest categories, which can't use advertiser-curated audiences such as customer lists, your data segments or custom segments. Google's Eligible (limited) definition also says ads can be limited when website content contains terms associated with regulated industries, even if the product itself is compliant.