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Advertising Guidelines

Home Improvement

For TopTop Leads publishers and affiliates  ·  Last updated: October 9, 2026

TopTop Leads runs lead generation campaigns for home service providers. Publishers and affiliates supply the traffic (ads, content, and other channels) that lands on TopTop Leads-hosted pages. These guidelines cover what that traffic, and the creative, copy, and imagery behind it, needs to look like to stay compliant.

The rule that governs everything below: all ad copy must accurately reflect the service being advertised.

1. General Rules

The baseline that applies across every channel below.

Pricing, Promotions & Offers

  • Not allowed: No specific prices, discounts, percentages, or financing details in ad copy or creative.
  • Not allowed: No urgency or scarcity language, such as "offer ends soon," "limited spots," or "today only."
  • Not allowed: No "Free" used for the service itself ("Free Solar," "Free Window Replacement").
  • Allowed: "Free" is fine, used sparingly, for the cost of getting quotes ("Get Free Quote for Your Windows Project").
  • Not allowed: No specific promotions, like "Buy 1, Get 1" or bundled deals.

Claims & Promises

  • Allowed: Every claim must be accurate and fully researched. No stretching the truth.
  • Not allowed: No guarantees, "pre-qualified," or anything implying approval before the user reaches the page.
  • Not allowed: "Qualify" can't imply a giveaway or approval. It's fine only when tied to getting a quote or potential savings ("You could qualify for a quote if you own your home in Boston").
  • Not allowed: No scare tactics or manipulative hooks to drive clicks.
  • Not allowed: No implying government affiliation, approval, or incentive programs.
  • Not allowed: No marketing directed at anyone under 18.

Creative Standards

  • Not allowed: No cross-promoting with unrelated services, like 'Home Windows' next to 'Auto Glass Repair.'
  • Not allowed: No images of people in assistance lines or seeking relief.
  • Allowed: Disclose AI-generated creative. Any image, video, audio, or ad copy produced with generative AI must be flagged to your account manager before it runs.
  • Not allowed: No AI-generated people or voices presented as real customers, crews, or completed projects.
  • Not allowed: No bots, spyware, hidden redirects, or other fraudulent traffic generation.

Consumer Protections

  • Allowed: Never discriminate, harass, or disparage users.
  • Not allowed: No targeting veterans, low-income households, or other vulnerable groups.
  • Allowed: Text must be clear and never misleading.

2. Prohibited Terms

Never use these words, in any context, unless noted above:

  • Guaranteed
  • Pre-screened
  • Pre-qualified
  • Insured
  • Bonded
  • Assistance
  • Apply
  • State Approved
  • Certified
  • "Program" (in any context)

3. Channel-Specific Rules

On top of the General Rules above, applied to how each channel actually shows up for users.

Email

  • Allowed: Every email draft must be approved by TopTop Leads before you send it. Send the full creative, including the subject line and sender name, to your account manager. We review it against email marketing regulations and will confirm in writing before you can run it.
  • Allowed: Subject lines and creative must be honest and match what the ad actually offers.
  • Allowed: Must be clearly identifiable as an ad or promotion, not disguised as personal correspondence.
  • Not allowed: No misleading sender names or spoofed "From" addresses.

SMS

  • Allowed: Copy follows the same pricing, urgency, and claims rules as every other channel.
  • Not allowed: No misleading links or spoofed sender names.

Search

  • Not allowed: No bidding on TopTop Leads', a service provider's, or a competitor's trademarked terms.
  • Allowed: Ad copy must match the destination page.
  • Not allowed: No cloaking or misleading destination URLs.

Social

  • Allowed: Sponsored posts carry the platform's native ad label. Never disguised as organic content.
  • Not allowed: No engagement-bait tactics, like "Comment YES for your free quote."
  • Not allowed: No targeting inferred sensitive attributes: financial hardship, health status, disability.
  • Allowed: Creative formatted for the platform, not a recycled display banner.

Display

  • Allowed: Every unit clearly labeled "Ad" or "Advertisement."
  • Not allowed: No fake system alerts, notifications, or close buttons.
  • Not allowed: No autoplay audio.

Native

  • Allowed: Sponsored content visually distinguishable from editorial content. The closer the match, the more prominent the disclosure needs to be.
  • Allowed: Disclosure ("Advertisement," "Paid Content") appears before or above the headline, not buried in fine print.
  • Not allowed: Can't imply independence or editorial origin when it's a paid placement.

4. Enforcement

We'd rather catch an issue early. If something needs adjusting, we'll flag it and work with you to fix it.

  • Allowed: Responsibility is shared across publisher, aggregator, and buyer. Hold your downstream partners to the same standard.
  • Allowed: Repeated or unresolved issues can lead to a campaign pause, withheld payment on non-compliant traffic, or, rarely, ending the partnership.

Questions about a specific creative or campaign? Reach out to your account manager or info@toptopleads.com before it goes live.