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Google AdSense Site Requirements: The 2025 Complete Checklist
Before applying for Google AdSense, your website must meet specific requirements. This isn't a guessing game—Google has documented criteria, and we've compiled them into the most comprehensive checklist available.
Use this checklist to audit your site before submitting your application. Each checkmark increases your approval probability.
✅ Category 1: Content Requirements
Your content is the most important factor in AdSense approval.
Minimum Content Volume
- At least 15-20 published articles
- Each article is 600+ words minimum (1000+ recommended)
- Content covers multiple topics within your niche
- Articles are organized into logical categories
Content Quality Standards
- All content is 100% original (not copied)
- Content provides unique value (not just summarizing others)
- Articles are well-researched with accurate information
- No AI-generated content without human editing
- No keyword stuffing or unnatural language
- Proper grammar and spelling throughout
- Content is evergreen or regularly updated
Content Structure
- Each article has one H1 heading (the title)
- Logical heading hierarchy (H2, H3, H4)
- Paragraphs are readable (2-4 sentences each)
- Bullet points and lists for scannability
- Images with descriptive alt text
- Internal links to other articles
✅ Category 2: Essential Pages
These pages are mandatory for AdSense approval:
Legal Pages
- Privacy Policy page exists
- Privacy Policy mentions Google AdSense
- Privacy Policy mentions cookies/tracking
- Terms of Service page exists
- Cookie Policy (required for EU visitors)
- DMCA/Copyright notice
Trust Pages
- About Us page with real information
- Contact page with working contact method
- Email address or contact form that works
- Physical address (for business sites)
- Author bio/information on articles
Navigation Pages
- HTML Sitemap for users
- Clear category pages
- Search function for finding content
✅ Category 3: Technical Requirements
Your site must meet these technical standards:
Security & Accessibility
- SSL certificate installed (HTTPS)
- All pages load over HTTPS
- No mixed content warnings
- Site is publicly accessible (not password protected)
- No login required to view content
Crawlability
- robots.txt file exists
- robots.txt allows Googlebot
- sitemap.xml exists and is valid
- Sitemap submitted to Google Search Console
- No noindex tags on important pages
- All pages are indexable
Performance
- Page load time under 3 seconds
- Site works on mobile devices
- Responsive design or mobile version
- No intrusive popups blocking content
- Images are optimized for web
✅ Category 4: SEO Requirements
Good SEO signals help with AdSense approval:
On-Page SEO
- Every page has a unique title tag
- Title tags are 50-60 characters
- Every page has a meta description
- Meta descriptions are 150-160 characters
- Canonical tags on all pages
- Open Graph tags for social sharing
Technical SEO
- H1 tag on every page (only one)
- Internal linking structure
- No broken links (404 errors)
- Breadcrumb navigation
- Schema markup (Article, Organization, etc.)
✅ Category 5: Design & UX Requirements
Your site design affects approval:
Navigation
- Clear main navigation menu
- Navigation visible on all pages
- Footer navigation with legal links
- Logical site structure (max 3 clicks to any page)
- Breadcrumbs on article pages
Layout
- Clean, professional design
- Easy to read fonts (16px+ for body text)
- Sufficient contrast between text and background
- Mobile-friendly responsive layout
- No auto-playing audio or video
- No excessive animations or distractions
User Experience
- Content is above the fold (no forced scrolling to see content)
- No deceptive buttons or links
- No misleading ad placements
- Clear distinction between content and ads
- No intrusive interstitials
✅ Category 6: Policy Compliance
Your site must comply with all Google policies:
Prohibited Content (None of These)
- No adult or sexually explicit content
- No violence or graphic content
- No hate speech or discrimination
- No illegal activity promotion
- No drug or weapon content
- No counterfeit goods
- No hacking or malware content
- No gambling content (in most regions)
Traffic Requirements
- Organic traffic (not paid or bot traffic)
- No traffic exchange schemes
- No paid-to-click traffic
- Traffic from legitimate sources
✅ Category 7: Domain Requirements
Your domain affects eligibility:
Domain Status
- Domain is registered and active
- Domain age meets country requirements
- Domain is not a free subdomain (e.g., site.blogspot.com has limitations)
- Top-level domain (.com, .org, .net recommended)
Domain History
- No previous AdSense bans on this domain
- Domain not previously used for spam
- Clean domain history
How to Use This Checklist
- Print this page or copy the checklist
- Check each item on your site
- Fix any unchecked items before applying
- Run our free checker tool for automated verification
- Apply only when 90%+ complete
Scoring Your Site
| Completion Rate | Ready to Apply? |
|---|---|
| 95-100% | ✅ Apply now |
| 85-94% | ⚠️ Fix remaining issues first |
| 70-84% | ❌ Significant work needed |
| Below 70% | ❌ Not ready - major improvements required |
Conclusion
This checklist represents the complete set of requirements for AdSense approval in 2025. Don't skip items—each one matters. If you're unsure about any requirement, use our free AdSense Eligibility Checker tool to get an objective assessment of your site's readiness.
Remember: It's better to delay your application and get approved on the first try than to rush and face multiple rejections.