Google AdSense Guide for 2023- Learn Everything Step by Step

Google Adsense Account

Google AdSense since 2003 and still there have been great discussions concerning Google’s AdSense program. Heard a lot from bloggers/ writers/ marketers/ businessmen talking about their income from AdSense! But, what exactly Google AdSense is? In the Google AdSense account activation guide and ways of making huge money, we will uncover all its secrets and functions.

This article will be a ONE-STOP DESTINATION to know each pixel of Google AdSense. Here, we will walk you through by basics to start Google AdSense, activating an account, setting up an account, optimizing an account, and will learn advanced tips on how to earn from a Google AdSense account. Also, we will be sharing with you Secrets and Tricks based on our experience of How to get your account activated in just 30 days of creating a new website and the tips for tracking and improving ad revenue!! 

Note**: This is a Guide for Beginners, Intermediates, and Experts! For everyone! You can select your topic from the Table of Contents if you already have an AdSense account activated. The initial part includes the necessary steps to get to initiate with Google AdSense.

So. let’s begin with it!!

What is Google AdSense?

Google AdSense is a Cost Per Click (CPC) advertising program that allows publishers to earn money from their online content where Google places ads on their site based on the content and visitors. The ads placed are created and paid for by advertisers who want to promote their products/services (Google AdWords).

It is one of the best advertising networks available on the internet, where publishers have monetized their websites and are earning thousands of dollars every day. There’s no age bar or it does not require work experience to earn. You don’t need to be a programmer, neither does it require an academic scholar. Yes! Anyone who has a website can earn from it. The best thing is it automatically places quality ads in the “AdSense slots” based on your website’s content, traffic, and user’s interest. Different contextual, display, and video ads for different users!! 

Excited??

Looking forward to earning extra revenue from your website with Google AdSense? This guide on “Google AdSense: Account Activation+Money Earning: Tutorial” is designed for YOU to speed up learning and start with recurring earnings quickly.

How Google AdSense works?

Google AdSense works on a bidding system (Ad Auction). The maximum bid price is set by Advertisers for the ads that they are willing to pay. Advertisers provide their ads (textual, display, and video) and pay Google to promote their products, thus with this, Google runs ads on Adsense-activated websites. Google automatically connects advertisers with publishers depending on relevant users for the advertisement. Google keeps 32% of the amount paid by an advertiser for its role in facilitating the process and the remaining 68% goes to you whenever a user clicks an ad on your site. Advertisers pay different prices for different ads, so the amount you earn will vary accordingly. 

Note**: We will study how to get highly paid from the ads later in this guide (We will come on this topic step-by-step)

You will be able to earn more money If more advertisers bid to display ads on your site (based on their keywords). 

How to add Google AdSense to your website?

We have understood the basics of Google AdSense. Now, it’s important that to proceed with creating an AdSense account for your website, we should not make any mistakes that activation of AdSense account gets prolonged or suspended. So, here’s a CHECKLIST that is to be done prior to applying.

• Set up your website completely
• Creation of email account
• Set up Google Analytics 
• Ensure Pages are ready for AdSense
• Pages have Easy-To-Use Navigation
• Pages have Unique and Quality Content
• Ensure Website meets Eligibility requirements
• Your Age is at least 18 Years old
• Website Content Comply for AdSense Program Policies
• Make sure you have unique visitors traffic on your website (No problem if you don’t have much, do not bring paid traffic)

Also Read: Best Hosting websites that have inbuilt optimized WordPress Data Structure Functionality

Also Read: Best SEO Tips that boosts the ranking

To add Google AdSense account to your website, you need to follow simple steps:

Step 1: Create an AdSense account

Step 2: Activate your AdSense account

Step 3: Get your first ads up and running

How to Create Google AdSense Account

As of now, if the checklist is completed, you are ready to sign-up for your Google AdSense account.

PRO TIP: During sign-up, use account- either with domain name extension or using username as domain name. For eg. If domain name is “example”, make a gmail account with “[email protected]” or “[email protected]” 

To create an AdSense account, follow these steps.

Let’s get started!

1. Visit https://www.google.com/adsense/start. 
2. Click on “Sign up now”
   

   • Save
3. Enter the details mentioned in the screen. 
   
   

   • Save
    
   • Enter the URL of the site you want to show ads on (Blogger/YouTube/Host Partner)
   • Enter your email address (as suggested, for the faster process)
   • Choose “Yes” so Google  can help you get more from AdSense
   • Click Save and Continue.
4. Once it’s done, Sign in screen opens. Sign-in using your email address you entered during the Sign-up process.
5.  Enter the details mentioned in the screen
   

   • Save

• Select your country/territory
• Review and accept the AdSense Terms and Conditions
• Click Create account

You’ve now created your new AdSense account.

Activate your AdSense Account

After you successfully create your AdSense account, you need to activate it so that you can show ads on your site and earn money. Before the activation of the Google AdSense account, the list of tasks has to be completed

Follow the simple steps to activate your account

1. Enter Your Payment Address details mentioned in the AdSense homepage screen. Click Submit
   

   • Save
2. After submission, You have to connect your website to AdSense. So, Place the AdSense code in the <head> section of your website. Tick mark on “I’ve pasted the code into my site”. Click Done.
   

   • Save

Once this is done, Google verifies that the code is found on your website.

Upon completion, Google reviews your entire site to check if it complies with the AdSense Program policies and email you when your account is fully activated. This usually takes a few days, but in some cases can take up to 2 weeks. Then you can set up ads on your site and start earning money.

Tips: Do’s and Don’ts for Google AdSense Account:

It is not mandatory that you have an AdSense account, so you can earn forever. Here, I don’t mean to scare you but once your Google AdSense account gets disabled for any reason, it is very hard to get into another AdSense Account for the same website. So, don’t become careless and understand the mistakes that need to be avoided, else, you may end up getting the AdSense Account banned permanently. Follow the complete Google AdSense account activation and money earning tutorial 

Do’s for Google AdSense Account

• Well-designed and Structured website
• Unique, relevant, and Quality Content
• Give your visitors multiple channels back to your sites (backlinks)
• Email Verification
• Age above 18 years old
• Easy-to use navigation and Call to Action 
• Successful set of Google Analytics and Google Webmaster account

Don’ts for Google AdSense Account

• Invalid Clicks

Warning: Never ever click on your own ads and never encourage others to click on your ads. Be Careful, Google is very smart!

1. Using AdSense on Non-Supported Language Blog
2. Sending ads via mail
3. Using tricks to encourage clicks
4. Altering the AdSense Code in any way
5. Hosting Copyright content
6. Linking to sites that distribute illegal or copyrighted content
7. Paid Traffic or traffic sources against Google Policies
8. Choose the location of ads carefully
9. Making ads look like content
10. Placing ads on a 404 error page, Thank You Page, Login/Logout Page.
11. Making your AdSense ads sticky
12. Violating the Content Policy of AdSense

Also Read: Landing Page Guidelines 

It might take 2-3 weeks for your account to get activated and if you walk against any of the Policies against Google, You will lose your account just like broken mirror glass. So, ensure it before and even after activation of the account.  

AdSense Account Activation:

After Google reviews your ads, it sends you an email for successful activation/disable of the AdSense account. Disablement of an account only occurs due to issues violating Adsense Policies and you cannot do anything of it as Google never ever suspend/disable any website without any logical reason. 

The activation of Google AdSense is like a dream coming true to earn more and more money. But, this is just not. A lot of effort and analysis is to be done to set up ads in the right places. We will study in this guide the best ways to customize ads on your site. We will also share Tips as per our experiences that would help you earn more and more revenue for the Google AdSense account. 

While you sign in to your AdSense account, the first screen will show up:

And it’s time to Set up Ads on your site.

Get your first ads up and running

Before we set up ads, let’s make our basics clear about the features and options for ads. 

There are two ways to Set up Ads:

1. Auto Ads
2. Manual Ads

Auto Ads

Introduced by Google in Feb 2018 Auto Ads, a new way to place ads automatically on your website. Auto ads use machine learning to make smart placement and monetization decisions on your behalf, saving your time. We just need to place one piece of unique code generated by Google in the <head> section of the website just once, and Auto ads will scan your site and automatically place ads where they’re likely to perform well and potentially generate more revenue.

Manual Ads

Manual ads are the ones you generate code by selecting the type of ad format from your AdSense account and then, place in any position you would like to show ads. Ads will only be only shown to the spaces where you have placed your ad code.

Types of Ads formats

In-Page Ads	Ads are shown in between the content of the blog pages
Anchor Ads	Ads stick to the edge of the user’s screen and are easily dismissible. They appear at the top of the user’s screen and if it determines that it would negatively affect the user experience, then it shows them at the bottom.
Vignette Ads	Ads are mobile full-screen ads that appear between page loads and can be skipped by users any time.
Matched Content	Type of mobile native ad that combines ads with content recommendations from your site. By offering visitors more content that’s relevant to them, you can potentially increase time spent on your site, page impressions, and ultimately revenue.

Recommendations: Using In-Page ads and Matched Content Ads in your website will help you generate more revenue and great user experience. 

What are the factors that Google AdSense shows an ad on the website?

There are various factors- the most common and popular ones are:

1. Context of the Page: Google Ads are also known as Contextual ad network. It shows ads according to the content of the page
2.  Retargeting: It shows ads based on the relevancy that the user have interacted at least once with the ads. It shows ads based on the interest. 

Example: You have searched for a product say wrist-watch on amazon and then, wherever you go- any website, games, etc you see the same product from the day onwards everywhere. That’s how Google seeks that you are interested in the product and then, starts following you (targets you). 

TIP: Filter unwanted ads: Yes! Google allows you to filter ads and you can stop showing ads from a particular category that are useless for your niche. You can stop displaying ad from unwanted category to ensure your website shows relevant ads to the users 

Set Up Auto Ads

1. Sign in to your Google AdSense account
2. Click on Ads>Overview
   

   • Save
3. In the table of all your sites, click Edit, next to your site. Ad settings preview opens. (You can use the preview to try out different ad settings before your Auto ads go live)

Within the ad settings preview you can:

• See where Auto ads will appear on your pages
• See how many Auto ads will appear on your page
• See how Auto ads work with your existing ad units
• Be alerted if your page is missing the AdSense code
• Remove Auto ads from an area of your site
• Navigate through the pages of your site
• Switch between mobile and desktop views

4. Turn on Auto ads under “Site settings”

5. Turn On-Off ad formats according to your website and For Ad Load: Use the slider to control the no. of ads you show on your pages.

Tips:

• Turn on Matched Content and In-Page ads format and for Ad Load, Bring the slider in between the minimum and maximum ads. Optimize it according to your site performance later.
• Use Page exclusion after a while, on the basis of ads shown on your site.
• Exclude specific pages on your site from showing ads

6. Click Apply to site.

Note*: Make sure you’ve successfully placed the AdSense code on the <head> section of your website.

Set Up Ad Units: 

You can also Set up Ad Units to earn more revenue at the best spaces on your website using the unique ad code generated by your ad unit.

Steps to set up Ad units:

1. Select your ad unit you want to place in your page
2. Name your ad unit
3. Select the options you want to embed in your page (different for different ad units).
   (Tip: Change the font and color according to your website theme) 
4. Click on save and get code
5. Enter the code in the area of website you want to place your ad
6. Click on “I’m Done”

Note*: You can place the same code in other pages where you want the same ad unit to be placed. You can create as many ad units on your website.

AdSense for Search:

You can create a search box for your blog that would add to your other potential revenue queue. You are allowed to place 2 AdSense for search ad units on your page. 

This ad type gives great results. You can try it out as well. 

Best Places to Set Ads in the Pages:

Google AdSense produces better results when ads are placed at the best spaces and with the most bid sizes. Hence, in this guide Google AdSense: Account Activation+Money Earning: Tutorial, we have shared with you the best areas and size list below:

AdSense Sizes that work best on Desktop and Mobile:

According to statistics by Semrush, the best ad sizes are mentioned in the image with %age of ads which should be used in your websites to display ads.

While the AdSense account is activated, Ads are set up. Each business/individual with AdSense activated- tracks and makes efforts for revenue progress reports and Earnings. Now, let’s understand when you are paid and how the earnings are visible in the reports.

Earning and Payments from Google AdSense:

While you set up ads, the first and foremost thing everyone checks every other day is the income report. Each day estimated earnings grow steadily but the balance remains $0 putting you in the dilemma if everything is processed correctly. 

So, I’m here to tell you. Balance payment gets updated between 21st-25th of every month.  

Difference between Google AdSense Estimated Earnings and Total Earnings:

Estimated Earnings that are visible in reports reflect close estimates of recent account activity. However, these earnings are not finalized until the end of the month and won’t necessarily reflect the amount that you will ultimately be paid. In short, estimated earnings are not the exact earnings- it also includes invalid clicks, impressions, and other activities.

Finalized earnings are accurate earnings amounts that include all revenue you will be paid for validated clicks and impressions. These amounts are equal to the current balance found on your “Transactions” page. Here, Google reviews the estimated earning of each account and deducts the amount assumed from clicks that are not even valid.

Earnings are the revenue that you accrue through your participation in AdSense. 

Your earnings go through several stages during the payment timeline:

• Estimated earnings – earnings accrued throughout the month. Appears in your Home and Reports pages.
• Finalized earnings – total earnings with all invalid activity deducted. Appears in your Home and “Payments” pages.
• Earnings – Same as finalized earnings in your “Payments” page
• Balance – Your total account balance including all finalized earnings, debits and credits.

Payment Threshold:

Once your AdSense earning reaches $10, AdSense will mail/send you a PIN to your address. Once your AdSense earning reaches $100, Google will send you or wire your earnings. 

Recommendations: Enable direct bank transfer for AdSense payments.

We have studied and understood the basics of Google AdSense, now let’s understand the calculations and in-depth points to how to earn revenue from Google AdSense.

Google Algorithm:

Google does show the random ads but that too has a criterion of what level ads are to be shown and this directly impacts the AdSense Earning. The basic formula that Google uses to determine that which ads will appear on your website is given below (Formula is also known as Ad Rank)

Ad Rank= CPC * Quality Score

Quality Score is an estimate of the quality of your ads, keywords, and landing pages. Higher quality ads can lead to lower prices and better ad positions. Also, the Ad Quality Score is measured predicted by CTR (Click through rate) based on the past performance.

Getting paid with Google AdSense- Type of Bids

Google pays the website owners on the basis of various bid types for the ads they display:

• CPC (cost per click)
• CPM (cost per thousand impressions)
• Active View CPM (active view cost per thousand impressions)
• CPE (cost per engagement)

CPC:

With the CPC monetization strategy, you’re paid each time a visitor clicks on an ad displayed on your website. Depending on the content of the ad, some advertisers are willing to pay higher rates for clicks than others.

CPM:

Cost Per Mile Or the cost per 1,000 impressions. In this case, publishers are paid for displaying the ad, regardless if a user clicks on it or not. CPM bids are typically lower than CPC bids since the fee structure is not contingent on the user taking an action. 

Active View CPM:

In order to get paid for Active View CPM ads, the impressions must be measured as “viewable.” This means that at least 50% of an ad needs to be shown on the screen for at least one second. These bids will be higher than traditional CPM bids since the chances of a website visitor actually seeing the ad are increased.

CPE:

Cost per engagement is based on how active a user is with an advertisement. These formats are expandable — they take up a large portion of the screen if they’re clicked on. If a website visitor hovers over an ad for more than two seconds, the ad will expand. 

How Much Can You Earn from Google AdSense?

The commission you get depends heavily on the competition and CPC in the niche. In practice, the commission per click can range from $0.20 to $15. The majority of niches bring less than $3 per click to publishers. Here’s a guide on how to make money from Google AdSense.

There’s no upper limit to earn from Google Adsense. Bloggers/Media Houses are earning thousands and millions of dollars from AdSense every month.

The biggest challenge is finding a profitable niche. To monetize Google AdSense, we have to focus on a niche where we can get a high CPC (cost per click). 

Note*: Sometimes, it’s good to pick a lower CPC niche if that niche is of particular interest to you.

How To Select a Profitable Niche for AdSense: 

Here’s the 4-step mantra:

1. Traffic: Ensure your blogs generate 1000+ visitors every day from search engines
2. Trend: Understand trends in the market and then work on them. You can check trends from Google Trends (free) and Semrush (paid)
3. CPC: Check the CPC of the topics. You can use Google Keyword Planner or Semrush
4. Interest: Pick topic of your personal interest and publish High-Quality Original Content

Note*: Make sure you have written 20+ posts on the niche to rank website higher on Google so the audience can find you.

Also Read: Best SEO Tips to Rank#1, Hence generating organic Traffic

There are two ways to discover the most profitable topics:

1. Estimate an average cost per click in the niche with the CPC Map tool
2. Check the CPC of a particular keyword in the Keyword Magic tool

SEMRush -All in one marketing tool is powered by the biggest keyword database in the world. You can just enter a seed keyword and it will give you tons of related search terms with CPC, search volume, and competition level for each of these terms.

Tip: The amount you earn doesn’t solely depend on the cost per click value in your niche. It also depends on how ads match your audience’s interests, where the ads are located on the page, etc. So pay attention to the content of your website, its look, and feel, and test different placements within a page to find the most efficient option.

Major 3 factors that impact your overall AdSense revenue

• Ad Size
• Ad Placement
• Quality of Traffic

Best Methods and Tips for Adsense Optimization:

1. Integrate Adsense In Google Analytics
2. Drive Traffic To Your Highest CPM Areas
3. Be Aggressive
4. Correct Background Color
5. Horizontal Link Units
6. Keep Link Unit Results Page in White
7. Wrap Your Ads
8. Use Adsense for Search
9. Consider Applying For Adsense For Search Ads Only

Best Ways to Track and Improving Ad Revenue:

These are the Top tips from AdSense specialists who work with publishers of all sizes: (Source: Google)

• Ensure your site has a positive user experience
• Develop a multi-screen strategy
• Experiment with A/B tests
• Get ideas to improve your account performance
• Integrate your AdSense account with Google Analytics

Pro-Tips on How to Improve Google AdSense Revenue Includes:

• Use Ezoic (AdSense Automated Optimization)
  • Improve upon Ad Size and Location (as suggested above)
  • Discover the most profitable niche for the content you are producing
  • Drive Traffic from countries like USA, UK- you will end up with high CPC
  • Add Extra Revenue Source ie. by using AdSense for Search
  • Use AdSense Category blocking feature that are not working well
  • Blacklist the advertisers URLs that are performing poor (Your revenue will improve by 10%)
  • Enable Placement Targeting in your existing custom channels
  • Make ads more relevant by working on AdSense Section targeting
  • Use Images/Text Ads wisely and Place Ads between blog posts
  • Experiment and Keep Experimenting (Google also suggests you A/B tests and opportunities to earn extra revenue). Try them!

Conclusion on Google AdSense Account Activation

The long Guide on “Google AdSense: Account Activation + Money Earning: Tutorial” is an in-depth study and understanding of Generating a passive/recurring revenue from Google AdSense. Know how Google AdSense works, remember the Google Algorithm and Earn money using Best Ad Optimization and Earning Revenue Tips that are provided after long research, analysis, and experience. Remember that, if optimized carefully you can earn millions and if not, you can end up with a permanent suspension.  A quick brief about Google AdSense has been explained in the infographic below:

HAVE PATIENCE AND EXPLORE YOUR GOOGLE ADSENSE DASHBOARD!! If you have any queries regarding anything about Google AdSense, you can share your queries on [email protected] or directly here in the comment box. I will be there to respond to you as soon as possible.