Bypassing Facebook Ad Guidelines using ChatGPT

Navigating Facebook's advertising policies for regulated products like CBD and cannabis can be challenging.

A Reddit entrepreneur shared their methods for overcoming these hurdles while running a thriving Shopify business.

Selling Consumables with Repeat Potential

The entrepreneur prioritized consumable goods that encourage repeat purchases. Their product range included:

• THC Gummies: Sourced through a cousin who made them from scratch.

• Longevity Supplements: Products designed for recurring use.

• Nicotine Products: Catering to a consistent demand.

• Vitamin Injectables: Items like B12 shots.

They emphasized controlling the supply chain. While co-packers can repackage products, the seller found it more cost-effective to handle repackaging themselves, ensuring quality and branding consistency.

Crafting Facebook Ads for Regulated Products

Advertising restricted products like THC gummies on Facebook demands careful navigation of platform guidelines. The seller offered practical strategies:

1. Clever Wording: Avoid banned terms. Instead of saying “THC gummies,” they used phrases like “strong gummies for adults.”

2. Compliant Landing Pages: Ads directed users to a landing page with a simple question: “Are you 21+?” This blank page complied with Facebook’s rules. Once users clicked “Yes,” they were redirected to the actual product page, avoiding immediate scrutiny.

3. Trial and Error: Success came through repeated testing of ad copy and designs to identify what Facebook allowed.

Using AI for Ad Copy

A simple but effective trick involved ChatGPT. By asking the AI to generate Facebook-compliant ad copy, they quickly produced ads that adhered to guidelines. For example:

Instead of directly promoting THC, they instructed ChatGPT: “Write ad copy for a cannabis dispensary that complies with Facebook’s advertising rules.”

This generated phrases like: “Enjoy our special cookies for 150 baht, saving you 50 baht. Simple ingredients, pure pleasure.”

The AI's ability to understand and follow compliance requirements saved significant time and effort.

Creating Multiple Facebook Accounts

Facebook’s strict enforcement often led to account bans. The seller adapted by creating multiple accounts using:

• A VPN: To mask their location.

• Google Voice Numbers: For account verification.

• Fresh Email Addresses: To start new accounts.

One account, humorously described as belonging to an “elderly Asian man,” was maintained strictly for ad purposes. Sometimes Facebook would ask to upload an ID for verification but most of the times it didn't.

The fake account of the elderly Asian man avoided posting anything that could raise flags, ensuring the account stayed active for boosting posts and running ads.

Lessons on Scaling and Starting Small

To avoid overcommitting, the seller recommends starting with small inventory. For example, they initially tested multiple suppliers by placing small orders to evaluate product quality, communication, and shipping times.

For competitive markets, they emphasized finding a niche. For instance, they mentioned a company selling unflavored protein powder that allowed customers to customize flavors, creating a unique selling point.

The seller’s journey included memorable examples of resilience:

• Handling Account Bans: It took them six Facebook accounts to refine their strategy.

• Direct Sourcing: For THC gummies, their cousin was the sole supplier, ensuring consistent quality.

• Landing Page Tactics: They experimented with both standalone 21+ verification pages and modals to determine what passed Facebook’s checks.

They also avoided dropshipping, citing concerns about quality control, shipping times, and branding limitations. By managing the entire process themselves, they maintained full control over their business.

High-risk industries like CBD face challenges in securing payment processors. The entrepreneur recommended PaymentCloud, a payment processor they use for their CBD and Cannabis business.

There are many resellers that let you run ads on aged Facebook accounts but they take a cut of your ad spend. Such places are notorious for scams too but they let you get up and running fast, especially when your accounts get banned.

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