Financial services advertising starts with compliance: Google can require verification and on-page disclosures, and Meta restricts targeting for financial products in some markets. Within those limits, search captures active demand, Meta builds trust over longer decisions, and qualified applications are the metric that counts.
How Google and Meta work together for financial services firms
| Job | Meta | |
|---|---|---|
| Active demand | Search by product and need, with disclosures on the page | Not the lead channel here |
| Trust building | YouTube education from your own experts | Educational content and lead forms within the targeting limits |
| Follow-up | Remarketing only where policy allows | Reminders for incomplete applications, where permitted |
What makes this industry different
Clicks are expensive, approvals can be slow, and many applicants will not qualify. Ad accounts can also be held back by verification or disapprovals, so a plan built without compliance can stall before it starts.
What to track
- Import qualified and funded outcomes, not just submissions
- Keep financial details out of event data sent to ad platforms
- Record the source of each application in your CRM
The numbers we report on: Cost per qualified application, cost per funded or signed client, approval rate and value by product.
Platform and legal rules to plan for
Google requires clear disclosures on the destination page, including your physical address and all fees, and some locations require financial services verification. Personal loan ads need repayment periods, maximum APR and a representative example. On Meta, financial products reaching covered markets must use the Special Ad Category, which restricts targeting and removes lookalikes. Your regulator's rules apply as well.
Common mistakes
- Launching before verification, then losing weeks to disapprovals
- Hiding fees or disclosures on a separate page
- Promising returns, which can break platform and regulator rules
From our work with financial services firms
Common questions
Do financial ads need verification on Google?
In many locations, yes. It usually involves details of your services, licences and registration numbers. Allow time for this, and check the current list of covered locations.
Which disclosures must be on the landing page?
Google requires your physical address, all associated fees and links to any claimed accreditation, visible without clicking or hovering. Loans have additional requirements, including APR and a cost example.
Can we target by income or age?
Often not. Meta's financial category and Google's consumer finance rules restrict this in certain markets. Check rules by market, and build the plan around intent and creative.