Getting a site ready for Google AdSense is less about reaching a magic number and more about showing that the site is useful, accessible, and policy compliant.

This checklist is based on Google’s published guidance. It can help you catch common problems, but it cannot guarantee approval. Google reviews each site individually.

Quick takeaways

The practical test: If a stranger can arrive, understand what your site is about, find useful information, and move around without confusion, you have covered much of the groundwork.

What Google actually requires

Google’s eligibility guidance focuses on your content, policy compliance, site control, and age. You must be at least 18 years old to apply. If you are younger, a parent or guardian can apply using their own Google Account.

Your site also needs content that belongs to you and complies with the Google Publisher Policies. Google describes eligible content as high quality, original, and able to attract an audience.

Common approval myths

ClaimWhat Google publishesPractical advice
Your domain must be six months old.Google does not state a universal domain-age rule in its general eligibility guidance.Apply when the site is complete enough to review, not simply when a calendar date arrives.
You need a set number of articles.Google does not publish one minimum article count for every site.Cover the topic well enough that the site feels useful rather than unfinished.
You need a traffic minimum.AdSense does not publish a general minimum traffic threshold.Some genuine traffic can help you judge whether visitors can use the site, but it is not a published approval number.
An About and Contact page guarantee approval.Google does not promise approval based on these pages.They can make your site more transparent. A privacy policy is especially important because Google requires disclosures about data and cookies.

1. Check the content

Your pages should answer real questions in your own words. Avoid publishing many thin pages that repeat the same idea, lightly rewriting somebody else’s work, or creating pages mainly to display ads.

If you are still developing your publishing process, read How to Write Helpful, Search-Friendly Articles.

2. Make the site easy to use

A visitor should be able to tell who the site is for, what it covers, and where to go next. Use readable text, descriptive menus, working links, and a layout that behaves properly on mobile screens.

Do not let advertisements or promotional material outweigh the actual publisher content. Google’s policies specifically address pages with more ads or paid promotional material than content.

3. Confirm ownership and technical access

Google needs to verify that you control the site. Follow the verification method shown in AdSense, which may involve adding code to the site or using Search Console ownership.

Set up Google Search Console if you have not already verified the site there.

4. Review policies before applying

Read the Google Publisher Policies instead of relying on a third-party checklist alone. Pay particular attention to prohibited content, copied material, misleading navigation, malware, and invalid traffic.

Never click your own ads, ask friends to click, or buy traffic designed to create ad activity. These actions can be treated as invalid traffic even if the amounts seem small.

5. Add clear privacy disclosures

Google requires publishers to disclose how data, cookies, web beacons, IP addresses, and other technologies may be used in connection with its products. Your privacy policy should reflect what your site actually uses.

If you serve ads to people in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, or Switzerland, review Google’s consent requirements. Google requires a certified consent management platform that integrates with the IAB Transparency and Consent Framework when serving personalized ads in these regions. Non-personalized and limited ads have separate eligibility and consent rules, so check the current settings in your account.

Pre-application checklist

  1. Open the site on desktop and mobile and fix obvious layout or navigation problems.
  2. Review every public article for originality, usefulness, and accuracy.
  3. Remove placeholder pages, copied text, broken links, and empty sections.
  4. Publish a privacy policy with disclosures that match your analytics and advertising setup.
  5. Check the Google Publisher Policies and correct any possible violations.
  6. Confirm the site is live, secure, crawlable, and connected to the correct AdSense account.
  7. Add the verification code or complete the ownership task shown in AdSense.
  8. Submit the site once, then monitor its status without repeatedly removing and resubmitting it.

When should you apply?

Apply when the site has a clear purpose and enough complete content for a reviewer to understand its value. There is no benefit in rushing an unfinished site into review. There is also no published rule that says you must wait for a particular traffic number or article count.

Bottom line

Focus on a useful site, original content, clear navigation, working technical setup, honest privacy disclosures, and full policy compliance. Those are stronger readiness signals than any unofficial formula about domain age or post count.

Frequently asked questions

How many articles do I need for AdSense approval?

Google does not publish one minimum article count for every site. The content should be substantial enough to show what the site offers and why it is useful.

Does my site need traffic before I apply?

AdSense does not publish a general traffic minimum. Genuine visitors can still help you find usability problems before applying.

Does my domain need to be six months old?

Google’s general eligibility page does not set a universal six-month rule. Some locations or products may have additional requirements, so follow the instructions shown in your account.

Is a privacy policy required?

Google requires publishers to provide specific disclosures about data and cookie use. A clear privacy policy is the normal place to provide them.

Can this checklist guarantee approval?

No. It can improve readiness, but only Google can decide whether a particular site is eligible.

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References