15 Common Google AdSense Mistakes to Avoid (2026)
Google AdSense is still one of the easiest ways to earn from a website, but it comes with strict rules. These are the most common AdSense mistakes we have seen publishers make since we first wrote this list in 2005, updated for 2026. Some only cost you money; others can get ads limited on your site or your account closed for good.
Quick answer: The biggest AdSense mistakes are clicking your own ads, asking others to click, buying low-quality traffic, editing the ad code, placing ads on pages that break the policies, disguising ads as content, and ignoring your ads.txt file and policy center alerts. Read the official AdSense Program policies once a year, because they change.
Table of Contents
Mistakes that can get your AdSense account banned
1. Clicking your own ads
It is tempting to click a high paying ad, but Google detects invalid clicks very well. Do not ask friends, colleagues or family to click either, and keep children away from your site while you are logged in.
2. Encouraging clicks
Phrases like “click the ads to support us”, arrows pointing at ads, or rewards for clicking all break the rules.
3. Buying cheap traffic
Traffic exchanges, pop-under networks and bot traffic produce invalid impressions. Since AdSense moved to impression-based payments in 2024, Google watches traffic quality even more closely.
4. Altering the ad code
Never edit the code Google gives you. You can control formats and blocking in your AdSense account, and you can load the AdSense script once per page, but the ad tags themselves must stay unchanged.
5. Placing ads on forbidden content
Adult content, copyright-infringing downloads, hacking tools, violent or shocking material and pages that mislead users are not allowed to show ads. One bad page can trigger ad serving limits for a whole site.
6. Disguising ads as content or navigation
Ads must not look like menus, download buttons or article links. Label them only “Advertisements” or “Sponsored links”.
7. Showing ads on empty or error pages
Thank-you pages, login pages, 404 pages and pages with no real content should not carry ads. AI-written filler is a problem too; see our notes on AI generated content.
Mistakes that cost you money
8. Too many ads
There is no longer a fixed limit of three ad units, but stuffing pages with ads lowers RPM, slows pages and drives readers away.
9. Ignoring mobile
Most visits are on phones. Use responsive units and AdSense Auto ads so ads fit every screen.
10. Poor ad placement
Ads at the very bottom of a page rarely get seen. Learn how to increase AdSense CTR with better placement.
11. Leaving blank ad slots
When there is no ad to show, empty boxes look broken. You can hide unfilled AdSense ad spaces.
12. Missing or wrong ads.txt
Without a correct ads.txt file, advertisers may skip your inventory and earnings fall. AdSense shows a warning in your account until you fix it.
13. Not blocking poor ads
Use Brand safety controls to block sensitive categories and spammy advertisers that hurt trust, and block AdSense ads of affiliate products you already promote.
Account and admin mistakes
14. Ignoring the Policy center
Google posts violations and ad serving restrictions in the Policy center inside AdSense. Check it every week and fix issues quickly.
15. Forgetting payments and tax details
Payments are held until you verify your address with the PIN, add a valid bank account and submit tax information. Many new publishers lose months of earnings this way.
FAQ
Can I get banned for accidentally clicking my own ad?
One accidental click is usually filtered out as invalid. Repeated clicks are a problem. Use the Ad review center inside AdSense, or a separate browser profile where you are not tempted to click, to look at your pages safely.
Can I appeal a disabled AdSense account?
Yes, Google offers an appeal form for invalid traffic closures, but most are rejected. Prevention is far easier than appeal.
How many ads can I put on a page?
Google removed the old three-unit limit. Ads must not outweigh your content, so keep a clear balance.
NIce article. I find it very useful because i use Adsense ads on my blog and i dont want to get banned But You need to update point 15 as Hindi is AdSense sepported language now.
I am running my blog for 3 months, and I also get some amount of organic traffic… after that, I have gone for AdSense approval but, they reject my application for four times, please guide me what should I do?
You need to update point 15 as Hindi is AdSense sepported language now.
NIce article. I find it very useful because i use Adsense ads on my blog and i dont want to get banned
if we ping and the bots come to crawl website.. and maybe if any other enemy of our click…. then wil we get ban??? then how can we be safe from this???
i have really learned alot from that post about adsense, it is really resourceful
Hey thanks for your help. But in my own case I have never been able to get my Adsense account approved! No reasons except the “violation of Google Adsense TOS”. Is there a way to find out what I have done wrong? I have tried about four times already to set up the account.
I have a Google AdSense account but I don’t want to use it on my blog. What can I face If I remove all ad code from my blog? Please tell me.
Nice and true. But if an advertiser click other website ads then what would be happend?
I ve a google ads account. I created lots of blog page and published it. It was 3 months gone even $00.01 also not received, what’s result?
i have no idea how to meke ctr or click CPC.
plz Someone help me i will give $5. i satisfied my confused.
Q. When i start to get $00.01 to my google account. thanks
Can I place three ad unit (two of size 300×250 and one of 468×60) along with a link text unit of size (728×90). Suggest me in this.
Yes. You can add 3 ad units and 1 link unit easily.
This is a good article, but is there any specification for the spacing?
It was nice review but i didn’t quite understand Ensure you Language is Supported and it didn’t allowed as per TOS.
2. Never change the Adsense code ?? I saw some services that generate SEO friendly code. i.e they modify the code for you in a way that it become more SEO friendly (at least that’s what they say) I don’t think I’ll do it again !!
thanks for the article :)
Well that’s some helpful info. I was wondering why the 3rd ad on the page wasn’t showing up. Interesting now that I tried to remove it the code isn’t disappearing even after completely disabling the code from my sidebar widget. Any idea why this would be happening?
Is it illegal to change to size of the adsense? Aside from the pre-determined sized that google has given..
You cant change the adsense size manually. Just cut and paste the code.
I found an intersting list about people who make big money using Google Adsense.I was really amazed to know such masive amounts can be made using Google Adsense.The list may not be accurate but the autjor compiled this list based on the data available publicly.
Though i’m making $1750 a months as a Nigeria, but to make more money months with google adsense and i think is the best and most easiest way to make money online. Even though many find it difficult to believe but that’s true.
I also started with google adsense 2 days back. I convert my adsense code for blogger by using a tool. Now I can display them inside my posts. Is it legal? Check my blog and tell me.
Dont alter your Adsense code in any way. That will surely get you banned.
Thanks for the advice, It was relay helpful. I was banned from Google about a year ago, now i am trying open a new account. I don’t know if they will let me open a new account.
If any one got banned from google and opened a new account, please let me know how did you do it.
Thanks!
is there a better service than google adsense which works by paypal?
This is a little outdated but still a usefull overview of common mistakes.
If you have just created an adsense account or are about to reach payout, it may be worth a quick double check.
Google are well known for letting you get close to the payout limit ($98ish) then closing your account for breaking the TOS ;)
I still use adsense for several sites, but direct adverts seem to pay the most.
Wow this post is old but yet it is still relevant. Overall great information. One of my friends Accounts was closed and for no apparent reason. In this case I would read over the TOS a few times and even confirm it with some other people. I have heard many more horror stories of people having a lot of money in their account and Google shutting it down with no warning. Your whole business can be shut down in the blink of an eye. That’s scary. I word of advice don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
is it wrong to place an ad next to a submit button?
cheers! :)
Thanks a lot for such valuable post. I just got activated my Google Adsense account and find your article. It’s all pleasure to go through.
Hi,
I have question. I have website where people can make their own pages, Can I allow them to paste their own google adsesne code in their pages so they can also earn out of it. would that be legal. In this case there will be usage many adsense accounts in the same website. ??
Thanks
Asad
For jne site – only one adsense account.
it necessary thing, nice tips, i need to be careful of this :)
i was placing a google adsense ads before game is loading. They have banned me for this reason without warning. today atmost all of the game sites are placing pre game adsese ads before their game load. What you are doing don’t have to violate the adsense TOS. Sometimes you are in editor’s hands.
These are very good points to remember. Sometimes it’s difficult to remember to follow all of these so I like to implement all of my ads in a template so I just have to do it one time!
thanks for this tips its really helpfull
but i ve some questions regarding adsense:
i ve another website but its language differ from the language of the site im using adsense on it , so i ve to create a new account for that site or i can put adsense code on that site although its language is different ?
my second question is : i ve a Google adword voucher so is it OK to have an adword account and adsense account or im breaking there policy but for your information my Google adword is provided from my domain host so what can i do ?
my third question is how to target my advertising or how to add keyword to increase click rate ?
finally , i ve some unused domain and i seen that adsense offer you to use your unused domains so if i do so it will decrease my earning of every product have its price as the ad sense have 4 categories :
1- adsense for content.
2- adsence for search.
3- adsense for feeds.
4- adsense for domain.
im asking if i use all the categories for adsense my earning will decrease as it distributed on them.
thanks and sorry for that long comment hope to answer my questions & thanks a lot.
What happens if some one clicks on my adds 1000s of times? I never clicked on my ads at least once also.
I think this article has to be updated. Some of the points noted here are not relevant in this period of time.
I cant get an adsense account and no one over at Google will tell me why my application was not approved. They just don’t respond to emails. Please I request u all to give me some advice or tips to get an approval.
Hi,
What a great article.
I want to ask you about few things:
1. I plan to build a site which automatically embed the videos from youtube and install the adsense code there.
Am I allowed to do this based on the Google Adsense TOS ?
2. I also plan to track my data with the program called “site super tracker”. Am I allowed to do this?
Kindly give me some explanations.
Thanks
Pixel.
Does this mean that I am not allowed to participate in other affiliate programs and/or LinkShare if I have Adsense?
Do you if someone gets banned from Adsense, does the person get banned or the web page ?
For example if I got my account disabled but now closed my web site and opened a new one different can I sign up again or am I banned forever ?
They ban your whole account usually. But they are responsive to your queries, depending on the reason they banned it.
Very good tips. Encouraging clicks is just using poor judgement when you think about it. Thanks for the post!
I think that arabic language is supported and you did not list it under google adsense supported languages.
Thanks