How to Use Google AdSense on Your WordPress Website

Google AdSense allows website owners to earn money by displaying ads. It is common for website owners to wonder if they can earn money by adding ads to their websites.

The answer is Yes! But probably not as much as you think or would like. If you do not do your due diligence and use AdSense correctly, your website can be hampered overall.

The last thing you want is to have too many ads or ads in areas that interfere with visitors’ ability to read or navigate your site easily. So, let’s cover what you must think about and the dos and don’ts of using Google AdSense.

Before adding AdSense to your WordPress website, here’s a rundown of the ad types, settings, and key considerations.

Display Ads

Standard banner ads that can appear anywhere on your site.
Automatically adjust to fit available space.
Best for general monetization.

In-Feed Ads

Blend into the content feed (like in blog post lists).
Works well for sites with scrollable content feeds.

In-Article Ads

Appear within blog posts or articles.
Designed for better user experience by integrating seamlessly with content.

Auto Ads

Google automatically places ads in optimal locations.
Good for beginners who don’t want to manage ad placement manually.
Be careful here — you still need to tweak settings for the best user experience.

Matched Content (now Multiplex Ads)

A mix of recommended content and ads.
Only available for high-traffic sites.

Ad Settings & Controls

There are so many settings and controls that it can be overwhelming. Regardless, you want to take the time to review each one to ensure that the settings are correct for your website and provide the best results.

Ad Placement Control

Manual Ads: You decide where ads appear.
Anchor Ads: Sticky ads that stay at the top or bottom of the page.
Vignette Ads: Full-screen ads that appear between page loads.
Auto Ads: Google picks the best placements for you. (Not always effectively.)

Ad Load (Density)

Adjust how many ads appear on a page.
Too many can hurt user experience and SEO.

Blocking Controls

Block specific ad categories (e.g., gambling, politics). Do this aggressively.
Block individual advertisers or domains. Review regularly.

Revenue Optimization Settings

Optimized Ad Formats: Google adjusts ad size and format for best revenue.
Ad Balance: Reduce low-performing ads to improve user experience.

None of the following points are negotiable.

Website Quality & Eligibility

Your site must have valuable, original content. Creating a site just to place ads never works. You need to have helpful content first to warrant advertising.
Avoid excessive ads or low-quality content. Less is more.
Follow Google’s AdSense Program Policies. To the “T”.

User Experience vs. Revenue

Too many ads = bad experience = lower rankings.
Balance ads with good content.

Ad Placement Strategy

Place ads where users naturally look (above the fold, in the content, sidebar).
Avoid ad placements that interfere with navigation.
Check your site in multiple environments (browsers, mobile, desktop).

Traffic & Earnings

More traffic = more revenue.
Best results come with high-quality, targeted traffic.

Misusing Google AdSense can lead to serious issues, including revenue loss or a permanent ban. Here are the main drawbacks and risks:

Google has strict policies, and breaking them can result in account suspension or termination. The most common violations include:

Click Fraud: Clicking on your own ads or encouraging others to do so.
Invalid Traffic: Getting bot traffic or using paid click farms.
Content Violations: Hosting copyrighted, illegal, or restricted content (e.g., adult content, violence, drugs).
Excessive Ads: Placing too many ads on a page makes it hard to read.

🔹 Tip: Always follow Google’s AdSense policies to stay compliant.

Poor User Experience (Increased Bounce Rate)

Too many ads can make your site look spammy and drive users away.
Intrusive ad formats (like pop-ups or large auto-play video ads) annoy visitors.
Slow page speed due to excessive ads can hurt engagement and rankings.

🔹 Tip: Balance ads with good content. Test ad placement for user experience.

Lower SEO Rankings (Google Penalization)

Google prioritizes user experience in search rankings. Too many ads, slow loading times, or intrusive ads can reduce your SEO score.
Thin content with excessive ads may get de-ranked in search results.

🔹 Tip: Focus on quality content and page speed optimization.

Low Earnings (Bad Ad Placement & Traffic Issues)

Wrong ad placements → Low CTR (Click-Through Rate) = Fewer earnings.
Irrelevant ads → Users ignore them.
Low-quality traffic → If users don’t engage with ads, RPM (Revenue per 1,000 Impressions) drops.

🔹 Tip: Use AdSense reports to analyze and improve ad performance.

Ad Blockers Reducing Revenue

Many users now use ad blockers, which can prevent ads from showing and reduce your earnings.
Overuse of ads encourages users to install ad blockers.

🔹 Tip: Consider a mix of other monetization strategies (affiliate marketing, sponsorships, premium content).

Limited Control Over Ads

Irrelevant ads: Sometimes, AdSense shows unrelated or low-quality advertisements that don’t match your audience.
Competition risks: If you have an e-commerce store, your competitors’ ads might appear on your site.

🔹 Tip: Use blocking controls to filter out unwanted ad categories.

Follow AdSense policies – avoid any risky behavior.
Optimize ad placement – balance revenue with user experience.
Improve site speed – ads shouldn’t slow down your website.
Monitor performance – use reports to tweak strategy.
Diversify income – don’t rely only on AdSense alone.

Start with Auto Ads if you’re unsure about placement. Then review!
Use Google AdSense Reports to see which ads perform best. Once a month!
Test different ad types and placements over time. Regularly!
Keep ads mobile-friendly for better earnings. Primarily!
Comply with Google AdSense policies to avoid getting banned. Always!

Once you get your feet wet, you can tailor ad placement, traffic growth, and revenue optimization strategies. Then, mark your calendars to review the provided reports once every month so you can tune your program for the best results.

At your service,