A lot starts blogging and web publishing with ultimate goal of having a Google Adsense account, to earn from content. Why Adsense? It is hassle free to implement once you are accepted into this global advertising program. Payments too when you hit threshold is easy to claim using Western Union or wire transfer straight to your local bank account.
But the real struggles of bloggers and web publishers is getting the approval of Google Adsense review officers. Some people applied 3, 4, 5, more time before getting accepted into the program. Others, those who gets discourage easily, gives up. Claiming that it is hard to be approved by Adsense, ‘near impossible’ some will say.
My experience however, belies that statement. I got approved in Adsense after two and a half months of writing and publishing content on this blog iSensey, on my second try. Yep, my first attempt was ‘disapproved’. 🙂
Strive to Always Produce Quality Content
My first application last week of January was declined, disapproved. I hoped for approval, but I was also ready for a ‘declined’ notification. Why I was ready? Because I really just attempted to submit my blog for Adsense Review to know where my website stands and how to improve it to make it Adsense-compliant. But of course it I was approve on first time it would have been a blast! 😀
When I first applied, iSensey was just 2 weeks old with only 4 posts. You can browse through the posts to read my early writings.
This is the disapproved email I received from the Google Adsense Program:
February, March, and early April I made the following changes on this website iSensey. I don’t know which adjustment was instrumental in getting this site approved for Adsense but I will just list the changes I have implemented on this site, one or all of them may have contributed to iSensey switching from Adsense Disapproved to Adsense Approved status.
- Privacy Policy page completed.– When I first applied I had published a page titled “Privacy Policy” but when I visited it was empty, no content. I forgot to add the content of the privacy policy. Lol. So I made sure to add the content for the governing Privacy Policy of this website before my second Adsense application.
2. Improved the navigation menu and hierarchy. Previously I listed lots of categories on the primary navigation bar. Before I reapplied to Adsense, I moved some category under a Parent Category. So now if you hover on “Money”, you will see that “Paypal” category is under it. This streamline the site’s navigation better I think.
3. Posted more content with majority on the same topic. I applied again to Adsense when my post count was 15 (last post then was the NBI Manhunt news story, and previous articles to that were focus on banking tutorials and guides).
4. I write using a ‘personal voice’. Again, if you check post #5 to #15, you will notice that I am mostly writing in the first person, so you can read more “I” references. I also shared my actual experiences. This I think give this site a personality, which Adsense Team member may have look kindly on.
5. Aligned the Contact page. On first try applying for Adsense, the Contact page only has the default WordPress Contact Form. I made some changes to this page by adding the Gmail account I use to apply for Adsense, this way I show to the evaluator that the Google account applying to adsense is really connected to this blog. Not sure if this was relevant, but still I did this.
6. Add plugin for Cookie Consent. Google encourages publishers to add the Cookie Consent option to comply with European cookie regulation. This is automatic for sites on blogspot, but since iSensey is on WordPress, I had to add and activate a Cookie Consent plugin before I applied again to Adsense.
If you notice there is a ‘cookie use notification’ at the footer of this site when you first visited iSensey, that’s the plugin at work.
Those were the changes I made to this site before I again attempted to apply for a Google Adsense account, and subsequently got approved. Yeyyy!
Here’s the Congratulations and Welcome email from The Adsense Team! Yeyyy!
If you have applied but was declined, the best thing to do is to check the reasons outlined by the GA Team why your site was disapproved. Then work to make your site compliant, implement the changes needed. And moving forward, always follow the program policies so your approved Google Adsense account will not be penalized, or worst, banned.
Ultimately, I think aside from quality useful content, Adsense wants that your site looks well made with a reader friendly layout so it is easy to navigate no matter if one uses desktop, mobile, or tablet.
iSensey uses the premium Genesis Framework + Modern Studio child theme. Since I don’t really know coding or web design, I just used my theme’s default feature options. I don’t even have a site logo, because I don’t know photosohop and am also poor in graphics. :/
ADSENSE EARNINGS
This is my first day earnings in Adsense and it’s “0” haha. But that is okay, I am not in a hurry. I know that with diligence in writing quality posts that will interest target readers, web traffic well come over time, and hopefully, I may start to earn, and earn BIG. That’s a dream I intend to make a reality! *wink
Cheers to the future! 😀
If you want to know more about iSensey blogging tips especially on starting a new blog, the initial set-ups, and other tips. Check this Category – Blogging.
How many times did you apply for an Adsense account before you get approved? Or are you still waiting for GA approval?
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Danzee says
Hello there nice blog by the way I have a website (www.danzeevibes.com) but am having though time getting Adsense approval keeps telling me I don’t comply with their policy can you please check my site and give me any advice looking forward to your reply.Thanks
iSensey says
Danzee, you need to do a lot of work on your site in order to be compliant. These are what I found after just a few minutes of checking some pages in your website:
1. Your post has too few actual content or “text” within it, post content very thin.
2. You have a major category “Music Video” that only shows Youtube videos within the post, this is not allowed by AdSense.
If you are going to embed Youtube videos, make sure there is ample useful content within the post.
3. Post contents are copied from other sites. Example: http://screencast.com/t/V3AZxobeN
Do not copy+paste. Rewrite sentences or express same thoughts using your own words.
danzee says
Thanks so much for the reply will start editing my post and removing youtube videos will give you feedback when done.
Carol says
I agree, you really have to be committed to get approved for GA. I haven’t applied yet as my blog’s (http://ohcarol.me/) still new and I’m still trying to find my niche (hopefully, lifestyle). Thanks for the tips, though!
iSensey says
Hi Carol, don’t worry much, you’ll find your own voice and fitting niche soon. write with passion and blog consistently, you’ll get there. and hopefully soon Google Adsense approval too! The best on your blogging journey!
ashish says
I have been rejected twice within 6 hrs of my application submission the reason being insufficient content. But this time when i sent my application, its been 24 hrs and i still haven’t received any reply from google. I am worried that if i never get a reply from them i wont be able to apply ever again!
iSensey says
Hi Ashish, if you submit on a weekend or holiday in US, there is a delay in evaluating sites. Just hold on tight and trust that Google will email you back the result.
Vinay Divakar says
Hello,
Great insights on getting GA approved.
May I know which cookies plugin you are using on WP?
And also, where is your privacy policy page?, I cannot find it anywhere on your site.
iSensey says
Hi Vinay, this website uses cookies plugin named ‘Cookie Notice’ by dFactory.
The Privacy Policy is at the footer section, after Contact and Disclosure links.
Kropson says
Hi isensy,
I must first of all thank you for sharing such a lovely experience. This will really encourage the upcoming bloggers.
But i want to ask:
How did you manage your traffic? I mean how did you grew/built up your traffic in such a short period, because i knew google do says that they dont accept purchased traffic they used to say that such traffic are invalid or invalid source. And much traffic can not be built easily in a fourth-night like that. So please share with us how you did that successfully.
Secondly, I have a blog that i have being maintaining since 2013 and i have not being able to make a dime on it. I have applied for adsence twice and disapproved. I had even bought a domain name for this blog on godaddy for over 2 years, though i have lost it recently because of new banking rules on international transaction in my country which deprived me from renewing the account. But now the blog addresshas gone back to http://businessopportunitiezz.blogspot.com
Please i need your help to help me visit the blog and advice me if there’s anything you think i should adjust or any suggestion on it.
Moreover, now that i have been turned down twice by adsence can i still reapply, if yes how?
Those are my questions please i will be so much happy if you can answer me or if the audience that can also help.
God bless you all.
iSensey says
Hi Kropson, iSensey relies heavily on organic traffic as you can see in the screenshot below. We believe this was achieved because of seo-optimized quality posts and the target audience is really define – for Filipino audience, except for Blogging and Inspirational Stories articles which are for everyone.
iSensey does not use ads. Also, if you check iSensey’s FB page the likers and followers are just 1,200++ and this site is already more than a year old.
Will reply you back once we have browse over your website, this might be in a few days from now since we are currently on the road. And yes, you can apply again even after getting denied twice. Same thing you will sign up to Adsense and insert the ad unit code into before the tag. But we have to check too since we heard from some publishers that GA will no longer approve blogspot blogs for adsense, we don’t know yet if this is true.
Kropson says
Nice one, God bless you.
iSensey says
Hi Kropson,
The first two lines I checked on your site is copy+pasted. See: https://www.screencast.com/t/1Ku98FujrUFY
I checked two more articles, also copy+pasted. You will only get Adsense approval if you will write ORIGINAL articles.
Errors when loading pages is a “No, No”. See: https://www.screencast.com/t/e8akcMaF There are also gadgets in your site that does not load when https:// is called.
I think you need to fix first the main issue – delete all copied articles and write a new one. Or edit existing articles and then rewrite well in such a way that it can be considered as ‘original’ before you even attempt to reapply to Adsense.
Hope this helps.
Gaya says
I used these tips to get my site approved. The ones about the Privacy Policy and the cookies plugin were particularly helpful — I wouldn’t have thought about that on my own. Thank you, isensey! <3
iSensey says
Hi Gaya, you’re welcome and it’s our pleasure to help 🙂