How to Get Google AdSense Approval for WordPress

Getting Google AdSense approval for WordPress can feel like an uphill battle, especially if you’re new to blogging. Most website owners face rejection initially—sometimes multiple times—because they don’t understand Google’s strict eligibility requirements or miss critical setup steps. The good news? With the right approach and preparation in 2026, you can significantly increase your chances of approval on your first or second attempt.

This guide walks you through every requirement, common pitfalls, and proven strategies that successful bloggers use to get approved.

What Is Google AdSense and Why Does It Matter?

Google AdSense is Google’s advertising network that allows website owners to earn money by displaying ads on their content. For WordPress bloggers, it’s one of the easiest monetization methods to start with—no need to find advertisers individually or negotiate rates.

When a visitor views or clicks an ad on your site, Google pays you a portion of what the advertiser paid. It’s passive income that requires minimal effort once approved.

However, Google is extremely selective about which sites they partner with, especially in 2026 when competition is fiercer than ever.

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Why Do Most WordPress Sites Get AdSense Rejection?

Understanding the most common rejection reasons helps you avoid them:

• Low-quality or thin content — Articles under 500 words or copied from other sites.
• Poor website design — Outdated theme, broken layouts, or difficult navigation.
• Insufficient traffic — Google wants to see consistent monthly visitors (typically 10,000+ pageviews/month, though they don’t officially state this).
• Plagiarism or copyright issues — Using images without permission or duplicate content from other blogs.
• Incomplete website setup — Missing Privacy Policy, Contact page, or About Us section.
• Inadequate original content — Fewer than 20–30 quality posts published.
• Policy violations — Content about illegal activities, adult content, or hate speech.
• No clear niche or topic — Random mix of unrelated topics confuses Google’s algorithm.

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Step 1: Set Up Your WordPress Site Properly

Before applying, your WordPress site must look professional and trustworthy.

Choose a Professional Theme

Use a clean, modern, and lightweight theme. Popular choices include:

• Astra — Fast and beginner-friendly
• OceanWP — Great for blogs
• GeneratePress — Lightweight and SEO-optimized
• Neve — Mobile-responsive and professional

Avoid overly complex or outdated themes that slow down your site.

Install Essential Plugins

Keep plugins minimal but effective:

• Rank Math SEO — For on-page SEO optimization
• Yoast SEO — Alternative SEO plugin (pick one)
• Wordfence — Security and firewall protection
• WP Super Cache — Caching to improve loading speed
• Akismet — Spam comment protection
• Google XML Sitemaps — Helps indexing

Tip: Too many plugins slow down your site and increase rejection risk. Only install what you truly need.

Optimize Website Speed

Google penalizes slow websites. Check your speed using:

• Google PageSpeed Insights — Aim for a score of 80+
• GTmetrix — Detailed performance analysis
• Pingdom — Overall site health check

Steps to improve speed:

• Enable compression and caching
• Optimize images (resize and compress before uploading)
• Minimize CSS and JavaScript files
• Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN) like Cloudflare (free tier available)

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Step 2: Create High-Quality, Original Content

This is non-negotiable. Google wants to see that your site offers genuine value.

Publish at Least 20–30 Posts

Before applying for AdSense:

• Write minimum 1,500–2,000 words per article for important posts
• Aim for at least 25–30 published posts covering your niche
• Maintain consistent publishing schedule (e.g., 2–3 posts per week)

Focus on Your Niche

Pick a specific topic and stick to it:

• Technology and gadgets
• Blogging and digital marketing
• Personal finance and investing
• Lifestyle and self-improvement
• Health and fitness

Random, unrelated posts confuse Google’s algorithm. A focused niche looks more authoritative.

Write Original, Helpful Content

• Never copy content from other websites (Google uses plagiarism detection)
• Add personal experience — Share your own stories, tips, and lessons
• Answer real user questions — Write content that solves specific problems
• Use proper formatting — Headings, subheadings, bullet points, and short paragraphs

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Step 3: Complete Essential Pages

Google reviews your entire site, not just blog posts. Create these critical pages:

Privacy Policy

This is mandatory. Use free generators like:

• Termly (free version)
• Privacy Policy Generator by iubenda
• GeneratePrivacy

Your policy should cover:

• What data you collect (cookies, analytics, etc.)
• How you use visitor data
• Third-party services (Google Analytics, ads, etc.)
• User rights and contact information

About Us Page

Write 300–500 words about:

• Who you are and your expertise
• Why you started the blog
• What readers can expect from your content
• Your credentials or background

Important: Google wants to know there’s a real person behind the website.

Contact Us Page

Make it easy for visitors and Google to contact you. Include:

• Email address
• Contact form (using plugins like WPForms or Contact Form 7)
• Social media links
• Physical address (optional but adds trust)

Disclaimer Page

Add disclaimers relevant to your content:

• “This site uses affiliate links” (if applicable)
• “Content is for informational purposes only”
• “Medical/legal disclaimers” (if relevant to your niche)

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Step 4: Improve SEO and Indexing

Google needs to crawl, index, and understand your site.

Set Up Google Search Console

1. Go to Google Search Console (search.google.com)
2. Add your WordPress site
3. Verify ownership using HTML file or DNS record
4. Submit your XML sitemap (Rank Math does this automatically)
5. Monitor search performance and fix indexing issues

Enable Indexing

In WordPress:

• Go to Settings → Reading
• Ensure “Discourage search engines from indexing this site” is unchecked
• Check that “Visibility” is set to “Public”

Install Rank Math or Yoast SEO

Both plugins help:

• Create SEO-friendly titles and meta descriptions
• Optimize readability
• Generate XML sitemaps
• Track keyword rankings

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Step 5: Build Organic Traffic

Google wants to see consistent traffic before approval. Aim for at least:

• 10,000+ pageviews per month (ideal threshold)
• Consistent monthly growth (trending upward)
• Low bounce rate (under 70%)
• Good average session duration (over 1 minute)

How to Build Traffic:

SEO Optimization

• Target long-tail keywords with lower competition
• Write comprehensive, in-depth articles
• Build internal links between related posts
• Use Alt text for all images

Social Media

• Share posts on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest
• Engage with relevant communities
• Build an audience over time

Guest Posting

• Write for other blogs in your niche
• Include a link back to your website
• Builds authority and referral traffic

Email Newsletter

• Create a simple email list using Mailchimp (free tier)
• Notify subscribers of new posts
• Drives repeat traffic to your site

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Step 6: Apply for Google AdSense

Once your site is ready, submit your application.

How to Apply:

1. Go to Google AdSense (adsense.google.com)
2. Click “Sign Up Now”
3. Log in with your Google account
4. Enter your website URL
5. Fill out your information (name, address, country)
6. Agree to AdSense policies
7. Submit for review

What to Expect:

• Initial review: 2–4 weeks (sometimes faster)
• Decision email: Google sends approval or rejection notice
• If rejected: You can reapply after 6 months with improvements

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Step 7: After Approval — Install AdSense Code

Once approved:

1. Go to your AdSense account
2. Copy the ad code (looks like a JavaScript snippet)
3. In WordPress, use plugins like:
   • AdThrive (premium, but easiest)
   • Google AdSense Plugin (free, by Google)
   • Monumetric (premium option)
4. Or paste code manually into your theme’s footer or header

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Common AdSense Policies to Follow

Violating these will get you banned:

• No click fraud — Don’t click your own ads or encourage others to
• No ad placement manipulation — Don’t hide ads or use misleading placements
• Quality content only — No adult, gambling, or illegal content
• No disabled users malware — Ensure safe browsing
• Legitimate traffic only — No bots or automated visitors
• No excessive ads — Follow ad density guidelines

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AdSense Approval Timeline: Realistic Expectations

Phase	Timeline	Action
Site Setup	2–4 weeks	Install theme, plugins, essential pages
Content Creation	2–3 months	Write 25–30 quality posts
Traffic Building	3–6 months	Reach 10,000+ monthly pageviews
Application Review	2–4 weeks	Google reviews your site
Approval/Rejection	4–8 weeks total	Receive decision
Monetization	Week 1 after approval	Install ad code and start earning

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Troubleshooting: If You Get Rejected

Reapply After 6 Months With:

1. 50+ high-quality posts (instead of 25–30)
2. 25,000+ monthly pageviews (instead of 10,000)
3. Complete website profile with all pages and social links
4. Improved site design — Use a premium theme or custom CSS
5. No policy violations — Thoroughly audit your content

Common Rejection Reasons and Fixes:

Issue	Solution
Insufficient content	Publish 30+ original, 1,500+ word posts
Low traffic	Build SEO, social media, and email audience
Thin or plagiarized content	Rewrite all posts with original insights
Missing pages	Add Privacy Policy, About Us, Contact Us
Poor site design	Switch to a professional, mobile-responsive theme
Policy violations	Remove any restricted content

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Pro Tips for Faster Approval

1. Use a branded domain — Avoid free subdomains (blogger.com, wordpress.com)
2. Add author bios — Show expertise and build E-E-A-T
3. Include images — One high-quality image per 300–500 words
4. Enable HTTPS — WordPress.com does this automatically; self-hosted sites should use Let’s Encrypt (free SSL)
5. Build social proof — Add social media buttons and follower counts
6. Engage in comments — Respond to reader comments to show active management
7. Monitor Analytics — Use Google Analytics to understand your audience

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FAQ: How to Get AdSense Approval for WordPress

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Conclusion

Getting Google AdSense approval for WordPress in 2026 is achievable if you follow these steps systematically:

1. Build a professional site with proper design and structure
2. Create 25–30 original, high-quality posts in your niche
3. Add essential pages (Privacy Policy, About Us, Contact Us)
4. Optimize for SEO and ensure good indexing
5. Build organic traffic to 10,000+ monthly pageviews
6. Apply and wait for Google’s review
7. Follow policies to maintain your account long-term

The process takes 4–8 months, but it’s worth the investment. AdSense provides passive income while you grow your blog further.

Ready to take the next step? Start by auditing your WordPress site today. Which of these steps do you need to improve first? Share your biggest challenge in the comments below—I’d love to help guide you toward approval.