My rejected Facebook ad.
Want to promote a romance novel on Facebook?
So did I. But my ad was rejected. Or, if we're being accurate, censored.
Why? Well first of all, I was advertising a romance novel, and we all know how squeamish people get when women talk about liking sex (*cringe*.) I'm also guessing it was because of the partial nudity on my book cover (A man with his shirt off? *gasp*) and the word "sexy" (*clutches pearls*)!
I'm disappointed, but not surprised.
As a new author, I want to find ways to promote my book. Facebook is supposedly a great way to market novels, mostly because you can very specifically target people within certain demographics who have expressed interest (in the form of "likes") in certain topics. Facebook has a pretty clear advertising content policy, which you agree to when you purchase ad space. Here's what they have to say about "Adult products":
"Ads may not promote pornography of any kind, whether artistic or commercial. Ads may not feature nudity, adult toys, adult products, or images of people participating in activities that are excessively suggestive or sexual in nature."
After reading their policy, I knew that my ad was probably going to be rejected. However, I wanted to try to buy an ad anyway, because I wasn't too worried about offending any delicate flowers. After all, the targeted demographic I chose for my ad was women age 18+ who have "liked" romance novels, erotica, and reading. These are people who have explicitly (pun intended) expressed interest in the type of fiction I am promoting.
I have to say, I wasn't surprised when the ad got rejected. But I was disappointed. I can appeal Facebook's decision, or edit and re-submit, but truthfully, I'm not sure I want to give any advertising money to Facebook, or capitulate and make my ad G-rated. That would be both disingenuous and downright stupid, because I'm advertising an erotic romance novel, after all.
I have to wonder -- why, in the culture we live in, does Facebook have such a PG-13 advertising policy? Why is any mention (or even implication) of sex considered offensive and inappropriate? Facebook is a huge source of news and pop culture information for people, and is full of every type of content under the sun. And American culture is obsessed with sex, even if we can't talk about it openly or freely without embarrassment.
Facebook claims that their company goal is to connect people, to connect the world. But apparently that connection (via advertising) is only allowed if you tailor who you are and what you represent into certain parameters. Certain very non-sexy, fully-clothed parameters.
Facebook, that's no good. Grown adults don't need an Internet nanny watching over them. Let the people have their sexy books!
So did I. But my ad was rejected. Or, if we're being accurate, censored.
Why? Well first of all, I was advertising a romance novel, and we all know how squeamish people get when women talk about liking sex (*cringe*.) I'm also guessing it was because of the partial nudity on my book cover (A man with his shirt off? *gasp*) and the word "sexy" (*clutches pearls*)!
I'm disappointed, but not surprised.
As a new author, I want to find ways to promote my book. Facebook is supposedly a great way to market novels, mostly because you can very specifically target people within certain demographics who have expressed interest (in the form of "likes") in certain topics. Facebook has a pretty clear advertising content policy, which you agree to when you purchase ad space. Here's what they have to say about "Adult products":
"Ads may not promote pornography of any kind, whether artistic or commercial. Ads may not feature nudity, adult toys, adult products, or images of people participating in activities that are excessively suggestive or sexual in nature."
After reading their policy, I knew that my ad was probably going to be rejected. However, I wanted to try to buy an ad anyway, because I wasn't too worried about offending any delicate flowers. After all, the targeted demographic I chose for my ad was women age 18+ who have "liked" romance novels, erotica, and reading. These are people who have explicitly (pun intended) expressed interest in the type of fiction I am promoting.
I have to say, I wasn't surprised when the ad got rejected. But I was disappointed. I can appeal Facebook's decision, or edit and re-submit, but truthfully, I'm not sure I want to give any advertising money to Facebook, or capitulate and make my ad G-rated. That would be both disingenuous and downright stupid, because I'm advertising an erotic romance novel, after all.
I have to wonder -- why, in the culture we live in, does Facebook have such a PG-13 advertising policy? Why is any mention (or even implication) of sex considered offensive and inappropriate? Facebook is a huge source of news and pop culture information for people, and is full of every type of content under the sun. And American culture is obsessed with sex, even if we can't talk about it openly or freely without embarrassment.
Facebook claims that their company goal is to connect people, to connect the world. But apparently that connection (via advertising) is only allowed if you tailor who you are and what you represent into certain parameters. Certain very non-sexy, fully-clothed parameters.
Facebook, that's no good. Grown adults don't need an Internet nanny watching over them. Let the people have their sexy books!
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