Is your footer missing what Google requires?
Missing or unlinked privacy and refund policy pages are one of the leading causes of Google Merchant Center account suspensions for "Misrepresentation." See what your footer is missing before Google finds it first.
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The footer links Google and shoppers both look for
We read your public homepage footer the same way a shopper — or Google’s review process — would, and check for the links and contact signals they expect to find.
Privacy Policy link
A linked Privacy Policy in the footer is table stakes for Google Ads and Merchant Center. If we can’t find one, we flag it as critical.
Refund / Return Policy link
Google Merchant Center specifically requires a clear, discoverable return policy for Shopping ads eligibility. Missing this is also flagged as critical.
Terms of Service & Shipping Policy
Expected by shoppers and often reviewed by Google. Missing either is flagged as a warning worth fixing.
Contact info discoverability
We look for a footer Contact link, a visible email address, or a visible phone number — any one of which counts as a valid contact signal.
"Misrepresentation" suspensions are common and avoidable
Google Ads and Google Merchant Center both require stores to clearly link their privacy policy, refund policy, and verifiable contact information. When those links are missing — or exist on the site but aren’t linked from the footer — Google’s automated review can flag the account for "Misrepresentation," which can pause or suspend your ability to run Shopping ads with little warning. It’s one of the most common suspension reasons, and almost always avoidable with a five-minute footer fix.
It’s not just about Google. Shoppers look for the same signals before they trust a store enough to buy: a visible return policy and a way to reach a real person. A missing footer link doesn’t just risk your ad account — it costs you cautious buyers who bounce rather than guess.
What a complete footer does for you
Lower suspension risk
A complete, linked footer removes one of the most common and avoidable triggers for Google Ads and Merchant Center account suspensions.
A clearer path to purchase
Cautious shoppers who want to check your return policy before buying can find it — instead of leaving to search for it, or leaving altogether.
A five-minute fix, not a lost ad account
Adding a missing footer link takes minutes. Recovering a suspended Merchant Center account can take weeks, if it’s recoverable at all.
Peace of mind before you spend on ads
Know your footer is compliant before you scale paid traffic, instead of finding out mid-campaign.
Three steps, about ten seconds
Paste your store URL
Any public storefront works — yourstore.com or the myshopify.com address. No login, no install, no admin access.
We scan your public footer
Our scanner reads your public storefront the same way a browser and a search engine do, and checks the footer for required links and contact info.
Get your score & full report
Your score and top issue appear instantly. Unlock the full issue-by-issue report — with a specific fix for each finding — with your email.
Common questions
Why does a missing footer link matter if the page still exists?
Google and shoppers both look at the footer specifically. If a privacy or refund policy page exists on your store but isn’t linked from the footer, it’s still effectively undiscoverable — Google’s crawlers and cautious buyers won’t go hunting for it.
Can this scan see server-rendered or app-embedded footers?
It reads the same public homepage HTML that search engines see. Footers injected only via client-side JavaScript after the page loads may be missed, so treat a flagged issue as a strong signal to verify manually.
Does having these links guarantee Merchant Center approval?
No. This is a completeness and discoverability check, not a compliance certification. Google’s own review process is the final word on Merchant Center and Google Ads account status.
What counts as a valid Contact signal?
A footer Contact link, a visible email address, or a visible phone number in the footer text all count as a valid contact signal.
Want the fixes made rather than just diagnosed? Footer and compliance cleanup is part of our store optimization service.