Why Google AdSense Approval is Harder Than Ever in 2025
The Complete 9-Step AdSense Approval Checklist
1. Mature Your Domain Name (The 3-6 Month Rule)
Build trust with domain age
Why This Matters
Google views domain age as a critical trust signal. First and foremost, aim for a domain name that is at least 3 to 6 months old before applying. Unfortunately, new bloggers often make the costly mistake of buying a domain, setting up a blog, writing a few posts, and immediately applying for AdSense.
However, Google sees older domains as clear evidence that your blog represents a long-term project, not a temporary venture. Therefore, this single factor significantly increases your approval chances from the start.
Action Steps:
- Purchase your domain and wait 3-6 months before applying
- Meanwhile, focus on building quality content and traffic
- Use this waiting period to implement all other requirements
2. Prioritize Copyright Compliance (Zero Tolerance Policy)
Original content is non-negotiable
Why This Matters
Copyright violations lead to instant rejection and potential legal issues. Most importantly, never use copyrighted content on your blog posts, whether it's text, images, or videos, unless you have explicit written permission. Google's content detection systems can easily identify stolen material.
Content Strategy:
- Always create your own original content
- Use AI tools like ChatGPT to generate unique text, then add personal insights
- Develop your unique voice and perspective on topics
Image Guidelines:
- For high-resolution, copyright-free images, Freepik.com comes highly recommended
- Alternatively, use AI tools like Midjourney to design completely unique images
- Always check licensing requirements before using any image
Video Requirements:
- Create your own videos for maximum SEO benefit
- Even simple screen recordings or talking head videos work well
- Original video content significantly boosts approval chances
3. Embrace a Niche Focus Strategy (Micro-Niche Approach)
Targeted content performs better
Why This Matters
Focused content helps Google understand your audience and improves ad targeting. When starting a new blog, choosing a micro-niche or specific niche and publishing posts solely related to it is highly recommended. This strategic approach offers multiple benefits for AdSense approval.
Benefits of Niche Focusing:
- Improves your blog's search engine rankings
- Helps Google understand your target audience clearly
- Enables more effective ad targeting by advertisers
- Builds topical authority faster than broad content
Implementation Strategy:
- Choose one specific subtopic within a larger niche
- For example: "WordPress SEO" instead of "Digital Marketing"
- Create content pillars around your chosen micro-niche
- Maintain consistency across all posts
4. Include Essential Legal Pages (Non-Negotiable Requirements)
Meet AdSense policy requirements
Why This Matters
Legal pages demonstrate professionalism and meet AdSense policy requirements. Your blog absolutely must include several important legal pages to fulfill AdSense's legal requirements. These pages should be easily accessible through your blog's header or footer menus.
Privacy Policy:
- Details how you collect and use visitor data
- Must mention cookie usage and analytics
- Should comply with GDPR requirements
Terms of Service:
- Outlines rules for using your website
- Protects you from liability issues
- Shows professional website management
Disclaimer:
- Especially important for advice-based content
- Clarifies that your content is for informational purposes
- Reduces legal risks significantly
Affiliate Disclosure:
- Required if you use affiliate links
- Must be clearly visible on relevant pages
- Builds trust with your audience
5. Create Robust "About Us" and "Contact Us" Pages
Establish authenticity and credibility
Why This Matters
These pages establish your blog's authenticity and credibility. Both pages are extremely important for demonstrating that a real, serious individual is running the blog. Google's reviewers specifically look for these pages during the evaluation process.
About Us Page Requirements:
- Detail who you are and your background
- Explain what you do and your expertise
- Share your experience, vision, and mission
- Include links to your social media profiles
- Add a professional photo of yourself
- Write in a personal, authentic tone
Contact Us Page Requirements:
- Provide active contact information
- Include a working phone number (AdSense may test it)
- Add your professional email address
- Consider including a contact form
- Optionally add your physical address
- Ensure all contact methods actually work
6. Ensure Lightning-Fast Loading & Mobile-Optimized Design
Speed directly impacts rankings and approval
Why This Matters
Site speed directly impacts user experience and Google rankings. Your blog absolutely needs to load super fast in today's competitive landscape. If a user clicks your link and the page takes too long (4-6 seconds) to load, Google will likely demote your ranking and reject your AdSense application.
Hosting Recommendations:
- Use reliable web hosting services like Hostinger (highly recommended)
- Alternatively, consider Bluehost for WordPress sites
- Avoid cheap shared hosting that slows down your site
- Invest in quality hosting as a business expense
WordPress Theme Selection:
- Choose mobile-responsive themes only
- Test your theme on multiple devices
- Ensure Google's mobile-friendly test passes
- Prioritize loading speed over fancy features
Performance Optimization:
- Compress all images before uploading
- Use caching plugins like WP Rocket
- Minimize the number of plugins installed
- Optimize your database regularly
7. Install SSL Security Certificate (Mandatory Security)
Security is now non-negotiable
Why This Matters
Google now considers SSL certificates mandatory for all websites. An SSL (Secure Socket Layer) certificate provides a secure connection for your domain, indicated by a padlock symbol next to your domain name in browsers. When visitors click this symbol, it should display "Connection is Secure."
SSL Benefits:
- Builds trust with your visitors
- Improves search engine rankings
- Meets Google's security requirements
- Protects user data transmission
Getting SSL Certificates:
- Hostinger often provides SSL certificates absolutely free
- Most quality hosting providers include SSL
- Never launch a blog without SSL in 2025
- Check that your SSL is properly configured
8. Design Seamless Navigation & Eliminate All Broken Links
Professional site management is crucial
Why This Matters
Poor navigation and broken links signal unprofessional website management. Your blog requires easy-to-use navigation that helps visitors find content effortlessly. The AdSense review team specifically analyzes how intuitive your blog navigation is for users.
Navigation Best Practices:
- Place category links in header or footer menus
- Create logical menu hierarchies
- Use descriptive menu labels
- Include a search function
- Add breadcrumb navigation for deeper pages
Broken Link Prevention:
- Regularly check for broken internal links
- Fix or remove links leading to "404 Page Not Found" errors
- Use tools like Broken Link Checker plugins
- Test all external links periodically
- Monitor your site for link issues monthly
9. Submit XML Sitemap to Google Search Console
Help Google crawl your content efficiently
Why This Matters
Sitemaps help Google crawl and index your content more efficiently. Submitting an XML sitemap to Google Search Console represents a critical final step in the approval process. This technical requirement helps Google's bots crawl your blog posts more effectively and speeds up the indexing process significantly.
Sitemap Benefits:
- Faster content discovery by Google
- Improved search result visibility
- Better crawling of your site structure
- Easier monitoring of indexing issues
Implementation Steps:
- Generate an XML sitemap using WordPress plugins
- Submit sitemap through Google Search Console
- Monitor indexing status regularly
- Update sitemap when adding new content
- Fix any crawling errors immediately
Common AdSense Approval Mistakes to Avoid
Even after following all steps correctly, many bloggers still face rejection due to these critical mistakes:
Content-Related Errors
- Publishing thin content under 800 words
- Using too many affiliate links per post
- Copying content from other sources
- Focusing on prohibited topics
Technical Issues
- Slow loading speeds above 3 seconds
- Missing mobile optimization
- Broken website functionality
- Poor user experience design
Policy Violations
- Insufficient original content
- Missing required legal pages
- Fake traffic generation attempts
- Misleading website navigation
Timeline for AdSense Approval Success
Months 1-3: Foundation Building
Build domain authority and create quality content
Month 4: Technical Implementation
Implement all technical requirements and optimize performance
Month 5: Application Submission
Submit application with confidence after thorough preparation
Months 6+: Growth & Expansion
Focus on traffic growth and content expansion