{"id":1020,"date":"2006-03-12T15:04:00","date_gmt":"2006-03-12T09:34:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2006\/03\/12\/use-alternate-ads-in-adsense-chitika-monetize-non-paying-psa-advertising\/"},"modified":"2026-10-15T14:03:19","modified_gmt":"2026-10-15T08:33:19","slug":"use-alternate-ads-in-adsense-chitika-monetize-non-paying-psa-advertising","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2006\/03\/use-alternate-ads-in-adsense-chitika-monetize-non-paying-psa-advertising\/","title":{"rendered":"AdSense Alternate Ads: From PSA Backup Ads to Unfilled Slots Today"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>AdSense alternate ads<\/strong> were a way to earn from ad slots that would otherwise show unpaid public service ads (PSAs). This article explains how bloggers used alternate ads with AdSense and Chitika in 2006, what happened to those services, and what you can do with unfilled ad slots today.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-67164\" src=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/adsense-alternate-ads-2026-1024x538.webp\" alt=\"AdSense alternate ads and unfilled ad slots guide card\" width=\"1024\" height=\"538\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/adsense-alternate-ads-2026-1024x538.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/adsense-alternate-ads-2026-300x158.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/adsense-alternate-ads-2026-150x79.webp 150w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/adsense-alternate-ads-2026-768x403.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/adsense-alternate-ads-2026.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Quick answer:<\/strong> In 2006 you could give AdSense an alternate ad URL, so your own affiliate ads showed whenever Google had no paying ad. AdSense no longer shows PSAs, and an unfilled slot now stays empty. Today you can hide unfilled slots with CSS, or use a WordPress ad plugin that shows a fallback ad when an AdSense slot stays empty.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_89 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6ae7057bb280b\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"ez-toc-cssicon\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #1a202c;color:#1a202c\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #1a202c;color:#1a202c\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6ae7057bb280b\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2006\/03\/use-alternate-ads-in-adsense-chitika-monetize-non-paying-psa-advertising\/#What_AdSense_alternate_ads_were\" >What AdSense alternate ads were<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2006\/03\/use-alternate-ads-in-adsense-chitika-monetize-non-paying-psa-advertising\/#Alternate_ad_services_of_2006\" >Alternate ad services of 2006<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2006\/03\/use-alternate-ads-in-adsense-chitika-monetize-non-paying-psa-advertising\/#What_happened_to_PSAs_and_Chitika\" >What happened to PSAs and Chitika<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2006\/03\/use-alternate-ads-in-adsense-chitika-monetize-non-paying-psa-advertising\/#AdSense_alternate_ads_today_handle_unfilled_slots\" >AdSense alternate ads today: handle unfilled slots<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2006\/03\/use-alternate-ads-in-adsense-chitika-monetize-non-paying-psa-advertising\/#Hide_unfilled_ad_slots_with_CSS\" >Hide unfilled ad slots with CSS<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2006\/03\/use-alternate-ads-in-adsense-chitika-monetize-non-paying-psa-advertising\/#Show_a_fallback_ad_on_WordPress\" >Show a fallback ad on WordPress<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2006\/03\/use-alternate-ads-in-adsense-chitika-monetize-non-paying-psa-advertising\/#Reduce_unfilled_slots_in_the_first_place\" >Reduce unfilled slots in the first place<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2006\/03\/use-alternate-ads-in-adsense-chitika-monetize-non-paying-psa-advertising\/#FAQ\" >FAQ<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2006\/03\/use-alternate-ads-in-adsense-chitika-monetize-non-paying-psa-advertising\/#Does_AdSense_still_have_an_alternate_ads_setting\" >Does AdSense still have an alternate ads setting?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2006\/03\/use-alternate-ads-in-adsense-chitika-monetize-non-paying-psa-advertising\/#Does_AdSense_still_show_public_service_ads\" >Does AdSense still show public service ads?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2006\/03\/use-alternate-ads-in-adsense-chitika-monetize-non-paying-psa-advertising\/#Is_Chitika_still_running\" >Is Chitika still running?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2006\/03\/use-alternate-ads-in-adsense-chitika-monetize-non-paying-psa-advertising\/#Can_I_show_affiliate_ads_when_AdSense_has_no_ad\" >Can I show affiliate ads when AdSense has no ad?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_AdSense_alternate_ads_were\"><\/span>What AdSense alternate ads were<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Back then, Google AdSense units often showed <strong>public service ads<\/strong> for charities when there were no relevant ads for a page. They earned the publisher nothing. Chitika eMiniMalls showed ad units all the time, but paid per click only in selected countries. So why not show paying ads instead?<\/p>\n<p>AdSense let you enter an alternate ad URL to show instead of public service ads, and Chitika had a similar option for alternate Chitika ads. You could fill these alternate ads with any affiliate program and earn commission from the clicks. You just needed a simple web page holding only the ad unit, the same size as the ad unit it replaced.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Alternate_ad_services_of_2006\"><\/span>Alternate ad services of 2006<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Several services specialised in replacing AdSense PSAs:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Alternate Url<\/strong> offered a 50\/50 revenue share, global coverage, monthly payments, referral income, family-safe ads, PayPal payouts and detailed stats.<\/li>\n<li><strong>AlterNut Ad<\/strong> paid a flat monthly rate for showing its ad instead of the PSA, but you needed an invitation to join.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Default Ads<\/strong> let you load your own affiliate ads and generate a link for the AdSense alternate ad URL. It showed its own ads on 1 in every 100 impressions as payment.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Of course you could also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2006\/02\/google-adsense-collapsing-ad-units\/\">collapse AdSense ad units<\/a> to hide non-paying ads, but you needed your own web hosting for that. Or you could show Red Cross donation ads for a good cause.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_happened_to_PSAs_and_Chitika\"><\/span>What happened to PSAs and Chitika<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>These options are history now:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>PSAs are gone.<\/strong> AdSense stopped showing public service ads years ago. When no ad is available, the slot is left unfilled. Our guide to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2005\/02\/public-service-ads-psa-in-adsense-how-to-get-rid-of-them\/\">public service ads and blank ads in AdSense<\/a> covers the causes and fixes.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Chitika shut down.<\/strong> In April 2019 Chitika emailed publishers that it was closing with immediate effect and asked them to remove its ad code.<\/li>\n<li><strong>The 2006 alternate ad services<\/strong> were built around PSAs, so with PSAs gone they no longer serve their original purpose.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"AdSense_alternate_ads_today_handle_unfilled_slots\"><\/span>AdSense alternate ads today: handle unfilled slots<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>You can&#8217;t earn from a PSA anymore, but you can still stop empty slots from wasting space or showing a blank box.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Hide_unfilled_ad_slots_with_CSS\"><\/span>Hide unfilled ad slots with CSS<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>AdSense marks each ad unit as filled or unfilled after the ad request. Unfilled units get the attribute <code>data-ad-status=\"unfilled\"<\/code>, so one CSS rule hides them:<\/p>\n<pre><code>ins.adsbygoogle[data-ad-status=\"unfilled\"] { display: none !important; }<\/code><\/pre>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Show_a_fallback_ad_on_WordPress\"><\/span>Show a fallback ad on WordPress<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>If you want something in the space, a WordPress ad manager such as <a href=\"https:\/\/wpadvancedads.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Advanced Ads<\/a> can check whether an AdSense slot was filled and show a fallback ad you choose, such as an affiliate banner or a link to your own popular post. Note that this works with manual ad units, not with Auto ads.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Reduce_unfilled_slots_in_the_first_place\"><\/span>Reduce unfilled slots in the first place<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Use fewer, better-placed ad units rather than many slots.<\/li>\n<li>Use responsive units or Auto ads so Google can pick formats that fill.<\/li>\n<li>Check the Policy center and your blocking controls in your AdSense account.<\/li>\n<li>Write substantial, focused pages that advertisers want to appear on.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Want income beyond AdSense? See our older roundup of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2007\/05\/beyond-adsense-alternative-programs-earn-huge-money\/\">alternative ad programs beyond AdSense<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQ\"><\/span>FAQ<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Does_AdSense_still_have_an_alternate_ads_setting\"><\/span>Does AdSense still have an alternate ads setting?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The old alternate ad URL was built for PSAs. Since AdSense no longer shows PSAs and leaves unfilled slots empty, the practical options today are hiding unfilled slots or using a fallback ad from your ad plugin.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Does_AdSense_still_show_public_service_ads\"><\/span>Does AdSense still show public service ads?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>No. When no ad is available, the ad unit stays unfilled instead of showing a charity ad.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_Chitika_still_running\"><\/span>Is Chitika still running?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>No. Chitika closed in April 2019 and asked publishers to remove its ad code.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_I_show_affiliate_ads_when_AdSense_has_no_ad\"><\/span>Can I show affiliate ads when AdSense has no ad?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Yes, with a plugin fallback on manual ad units. Make sure the fallback ad follows AdSense policies and is clearly separate from Google ads.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>AdSense alternate ads were a way to earn from ad slots that would otherwise show unpaid public service ads (PSAs)&#8230;.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":67164,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[43],"tags":[13],"class_list":["post-1020","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-advertising","tag-adsense"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1020","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1020"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1020\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":67171,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1020\/revisions\/67171"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/67164"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1020"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1020"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1020"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}