What Is Google's Certification Program For U.S. Health Insurance Advertisers?

In an effort to increase trust and safety across the healthcare advertising ecosystem, Google Ads requires all health insurance providers to complete their certification program and “provide proof that they are permitted under state law to sell health insurance.”

Understanding the latest changes from platforms like Google is essential for health insurance advertisers, but so is diversification of advertising efforts to limit the disruption of policy and platform changes. Digital Media Solutions digital performance advertising solutions can help diversify health insurance advertising and help ensure customer acquisition goals are met.

What Is Google’s Certification Program For U.S. Health Insurance Advertisers?

According to Google’s official announcement, the search engine only allows “ads from government exchanges, first-party providers and licensed third-party brokers” once the advertisers have provided documentation that proves they can legally sell health insurance to consumers. “This [mandatory documentation] includes plans for individual health insurance coverage, short-term coverage and Medicare, among others. Additionally, for private-sector providers promoting Affordable Care Act-compliant health plans, we will also require proof they are registered with the U.S. government to do so,” Google writes. Advertisers will only need to complete one certification for each state they are licensed to sell health insurance coverage in.

Google is only one of many options for health insurance advertisers. DMS digital performance advertising solutions leverage our first-party data, proprietary technology and expansive media reach to connect with high-intent health insurance consumers at precisely the right times and places in their insurance buying journeys to encourage action. Contact DMS to learn more.

Why Is Google Requiring The Completion Of Its Health Insurance Certification Program?

Google’s health insurance certification requirement is intended to offer additional protection for consumers, while also helping stop the spread of misinformation surrounding the healthcare industry. Through the health insurance certification program, Google is aligning itself with healthcare providers and advertisers that meet industry standards and compliance regulations, establishing stronger trust with consumers and creating a more transparent and trustworthy advertising and search experience. 

Compliance standards have evolved significantly in recent years, and Google’s latest certification program for health insurance advertisers is just another reminder for advertisers to be prepared and proactive about how these new guidelines could impact their businesses and industries.

At DMS, our operationalized compliance, supported by in-house legal and compliance teams, delivers peace of mind, alleviating concerns about complex regulations in the insurance industry. Contact DMS for more information on how our digital performance advertising solutions are supported by industry-leading compliance processes.

What Other Changes Should Health Insurance Advertisers Expect From Google?

Google will likely continue to evolve its advertising guidelines in order to help ensure that all healthcare providers and advertisers are industry compliant and that consumers view and can rely on the search engine as a trustworthy and credible source. Although there are many positive benefits from Google quality-focused initiatives, these changes can be disruptive to advertising campaigns. Health insurance advertisers should make sure to always be testing new sources and maintain a diversified portfolio of solutions that support customer acquisition goals.

Contact DMS to learn how you can scale your health insurance customer acquisition strategies to reach your target audiences.

Are You Looking To Connect With More Health Insurance Shoppers & Scale Customer Acquisition?

DMS can help you connect with more health insurance shoppers by diversifying campaigns away from Google and prioritizing customer acquisition that doesn’t rely solely on the tech giants. DMS Insurance employs a diversified, multichannel digital media strategy, dominated by internal, owned-and-operated traffic. Because we understand the highly regulated environment of the health insurance industry and the importance of how insurance brands are represented, we invested heavily in proprietary and third-party monitoring tools. Our industry-leading processes are supported by in-house legal and compliance teams.

About the author

Digital Media Solutions

Digital Media Solutions, Inc. is a leading provider of technology-enabled digital performance advertising solutions connecting consumers and advertisers within auto, home, health and life insurance plus a long list of top consumer verticals. The DMS first-party data asset, proprietary advertising technology, significant proprietary media distribution and data-driven processes help digital advertising clients de-risk their advertising spend while scaling their customer bases. Learn more at https://digitalmediasolutions.com.