Why was my Google sitelink disapproved?
Direct answerGoogle disapproves a sitelink when the link text is reused, when the URL leaves the ad’s domain without a permitted exception, or when the text uses punctuation only to grab attention. The sitelink asset requirements, reviewed October 16, 2026, also say the link text has to tell people what is on the other side of the click.
Repeated link text
Using the same link text for more than one sitelink is not allowed. Google says that includes the case where each sitelink goes to a different page.
Safer: “Men’s shoes” and “Women’s shoes.” Risky: two sitelinks that both say “Shop.” The second pair matches the repetition rule even if the URLs are different.
The domain
Sitelink URLs that do not match the domain of the ad’s final URL are not allowed as the normal case. Google does allow third-party sites in limited circumstances. The examples it names are select online retailers, including Amazon and Best Buy, and a Facebook page, a Twitter account, a YouTube video, a LinkedIn profile, or an Instagram account. In those cases the link text must describe what the person will find and include the full domain name. Google’s example is “Watch our video on Youtube.com,” leading to that video on YouTube.
If the domain differs from the final URL and the sitelink text does not include it, Google may insert the domain into the headline so people know where the click goes.
Two different websites inside one ad group are one website per ad group. A redirect that lands on another domain is destination mismatch. Read the asset name on the disapproval.
Punctuation, and what the words have to say
Punctuation and symbols in the link text or the description are not allowed when their only job is to draw attention. Google’s examples are exclamation marks and punctuation at the beginning of the text. The same editorial habit in a headline is the editorial requirements page.
Relevance, for a sitelink, means the link text clearly and accurately says what product, service, or other content is at the destination. A trademark complaint can still remove the asset. That process is the trademark page.
This requirements page does not print a review-time or a 7-day suspension warning. Do not copy those clocks from a different Google policy.
Sources
Reviewed October 16, 2026. Policies change. This is not legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
Can two sitelinks say “Shop” if they go to different pages?
No. Google says reusing link text is not allowed even when each sitelink points to a different destination. Change the words, not only the URL.
Can a sitelink go to YouTube or Amazon?
Google’s examples of allowed third-party destinations are select online retailers such as Amazon and Best Buy, plus a Facebook page, a Twitter account, a YouTube video, a LinkedIn profile, or an Instagram account. The link text has to describe the destination and include the full domain name. Google’s example is “Watch our video on Youtube.com.”
Is this the same as two websites in one ad group?
No. One website per ad group is about the ads in that ad group. A sitelink domain problem is this asset rule. A display URL that does not match the final URL after a redirect is destination mismatch.
Give each sitelink its own words
LaunchGuarding can scan sitelink text for a repeated label or a punctuation trick before the asset is saved.