Fighting a Facebook Advertising Lockout

At Firefly, we’re committed to finding answers, even when the answers aren’t easy. Recently, a client approached us with a long-standing mystery: their Facebook page hadn’t been able to advertise for years, and no one knew why. Multiple agencies had tried and failed. Naturally, we rolled up our sleeves.

Spoiler alert: We couldn’t lift the restriction. But we believe in transparency (the good, bad, and ugly). Here’s what we discovered and how we tackled the challenge.

We started, of course, at the beginning to gather data and get a better grasp on the issue at hand.

• The ad ban was placed in November 2020, but no one knew the cause.
• The ads, two boosted posts showing off the client’s work, contained no obvious policy errors.
• The client had submitted a ticket to Meta support, but the request went unanswered.
• Multiple agencies had attempted to resolve the issue previously but received only vague guidance or silence.
• Attempts to boost posts and run new ads were consistently rejected.

Once our team had access to the ad account, we got to digging.

• We extensively reviewed Meta’s ad policies to make sure no new rules had been implemented (because we all know, they change daily). None of their existing policies seemed to be the trigger.
• Our team submitted tickets and appeals, repeatedly and in various locations, until we were able to finally get in touch with an actual member of the support team.
• We reviewed Meta’s vague replies, went back and forth with them, and ultimately discovered – they had no clue why the ads were flagged.

Apparently, after 180 days (with no appeal) the support team cannot see what caused the restrictions and therefore cannot lift the restrictions.

Ultimately, the account had been in limbo too long. Meta’s reps indicated it was unlikely the restriction would ever be lifted. Meta support suggested “monitoring for a Request a Review button” that might return someday, but provided no timeline or guarantees.

After exhausting all options, we advised that the team start fresh with a new Facebook Business Page. Ouch. We tested this by disconnecting Instagram and attempting a boost—success! The issue was clearly tied to the original page, not the business itself.

Key Takeaways

• If your Facebook page is restricted, act fast. Meta’s 180-day appeal window is absolute.
• If you miss it, you may have no choice but to rebuild your digital presence.

At Firefly, we’re relentless in finding the best path forward. Sometimes that means repairing the old—and sometimes, it means building something even better. No matter what, you’ll always get our honest expertise, our clearest advice, and our full commitment to your success.