2026 Edition
The Complete Google AdSense Blueprint
From zero to approved to $1000/month — a battle-tested roadmap covering blog setup, content strategy, approval requirements, and revenue optimization. Built from 50+ Reddit war stories and real publisher experiences.
174 items • 10 stages
Stage 8 / 19 items
Post-Approval Setup
Congratulations! You're approved. Now set up ads correctly to maximize earnings without killing user experience.
Enable Auto Ads selectively (not all options)
Enable side rail ads for desktop
Enable anchor ads (bottom only, not top)
Consider disabling vignette ads initially
Limit to 3-4 ads per page maximum
Create manual ad units for key placements
Place one ad after the introduction paragraph
Place ads between content sections naturally
Use responsive ad units that adapt to screen size
Avoid placing ads near navigation or interactive elements
Configure GDPR consent in AdSense
Configure CCPA/US privacy handling
Verify ads.txt has correct publisher ID
Review and understand ad placement policies
Avoid sharing your AdSense-enabled site publicly
Set up invalid traffic protection (Cloudflare)
NEVER click your own ads (not even once)
Never ask friends/family to click ads
Monitor traffic sources for suspicious activity