Special Ad Categories

The Special Ad Categories section at the top won’t apply to most advertisers. But, it’s important to know if and when it does.

Special Ad Categories are sensitive topics that require special rules. Examples would be if you’re promoting anything within the following categories:

• Credit
• Employment
• Housing
• Social issues, elections, or politics

This was added a few years ago when Meta received pressure from regulatory agencies and various lawsuits. It started with Cambridge Analytica when targeting was used to influence elections. But, we’ve also seen misuse of targeting that led to accusations of discrimination in the areas of credit, employment and housing.

As a result, declaring a special ad category will alter your targeting options and potentially other settings later. Not only does this declare that you know what you’re promoting falls within these categories, but it protects you so that you don’t violate any rules or laws.

If you are promoting something that falls within these categories, do not try to get around restrictions by ignoring the special ad category selection. It’s a good way to get your account banned.

Sometimes, what you’re promoting may fall within a gray area where it’s not clear if a special ad category is required. Luckily, Meta is rolling out a new feature that helps categorize your ads.

If you have this feature, use it! Otherwise, I will provide more details below regarding what does and doesn’t qualify as a special ad category.

Credit

Requires a special ad category designation:

• Credit cards
• Brand ads for credit cards, regardless of offer
• Auto loans
• Personal or business loans
• Mortgage loans
• Long-term financing
• Debt recovery

Doesn’t require a special ad category designation:

• Gift cards
• Store rewards
• Debit accounts or services
• Checking accounts or services
• Savings accounts or services

Employment

Requires a special ad category designation:

• Full-time or part-time jobs
• Freelance
• Internships
• Franchising opportunities
• Apprenticeships
• Professional certification programs
• Job fairs
• Job board or aggregation services
• Guaranteed interviews or career placement
• Promotion of company perks alongside employment opportunities

Doesn’t require a special ad category designation:

• General advice on how to succeed at work unrelated to specific listings
• General advice for career development unrelated to specific listings
• Discussing a company without sharing employment opportunities or perks

Housing

Requires a special ad category designation:

• Sale, rental, or temporary housing listings
• Homeowners insurance offers (including insurance bundles)
• Renters insurance offers (including insurance bundles)
• Mortgage insurance offers (including insurance bundles)
• Financing options offers (including mortgage loans)
• Home equity or appraisal services
• Real estate and house hunting services
• Aggregator services

Doesn’t require a special ad category designation:

• Hotels
• Resorts
• Retreats
• Tips related to homeownership or home buying
• Education for consumers or housing providers about their rights and responsibilities under fair housing laws

Social Issues, Elections, or Politics

Requires a special ad category designation:

• Made by, on behalf of, or about a candidate for public office, a political figure, a political party, a political action committee, or advocates for the outcome of an election to public office
• About any election, referendum, or ballot initiative, including “go out and vote” or election campaigns
• Regulated as political advertising
• Social issues

Doesn’t require a special ad category designation:

• Unrelated activities

Training Materials

This course is meant to be introductory, and special ad categories are a much more advanced topic. But if this applies to you and you’d like to learn more, make sure to check out the additional links in the Training Materials tab.