Adding Google AdSense to Your WordPress Blog

If you want to use Google AdSense with your WordPress blog, there are two things you need to add - Google AdSense advertisement code, and a privacy policy link.

You can easily add both into your WordPress blog by using the text widgets that come with WordPress 2.2 or later. If you have an older WordPress release, you can enable widgets by installing the widgets plugin.

To use these widgets, you must install a WordPress theme that is widget-ready, i.e. a WordPress theme that has predefined widget areas. It is best to choose a WordPress theme that is easily customizable, and has several widget-ready areas where you can insert your Google AdSense advertisements, or other useful widget functions.

How to Add Google AdSense Advertisements:
Log into your Google AdSense account. If you do not have a Google AdSense account, here are some tips on how to get started with Google AdSense.
Once you are logged in, click on the AdSense Setup tab on top of your screen. Then select Get Ads to create new advertisements, or Manage Ads to access previous advertisements you have created.
After you finish creating an advertisement, Google AdSense will provide you with the code for displaying that advertisement on your blog or web-page. You can also access that code at a later date by going into AdSense Setup >> Manage Ads, and clicking on the Code link to the right of your advertisement unit.
Open another browser window and log into your WordPress blog.
Click on the Appearance menu on the left of your WordPress dashboard, and then select the Widgets option.
Click on the widget area in the right column where you want to insert your Google AdSense advertisement to open it up.
Drag a Text Widget box from the middle column and drop it in the widget area on the right column.
Click on the right corner of the Text widget to open it.
Copy your Google AdSense code and paste it into the Text widget area.
Click on the Save button at the bottom right of the Text widget to save your Google AdSense code.
Refresh your WordPress blog and your Google AdSense advertisement should now be displayed in the widget area that you just edited.
You can add as many Text widgets as you want to your WordPress blog but remember that Google AdSense only allows 3 advertisement units per web-page.

How to Add a Privacy Policy to Your WordPress Blog:

Google AdSense now requires that you add a privacy policy to all your pages that display Google AdSense advertisements. This privacy policy must include a cookie disclosure notice.

AdSense publishers must have and abide by a privacy policy that discloses that third parties may be placing and reading cookies on your users' browsers, or using web beacons to collect information as a result of ad serving on your website. ~~ [Excerpt from Google AdSense Program Policies]
Create a privacy policy page in your WordPress blog. For more information on what needs to be included in your privacy policy, refer to the Google Advertising Cookie and Privacy Policies page.
Drag and drop a new Text widget into the area where you want your privacy policy link to appear.
Add your privacy policy link to your Text widget.
Your privacy policy link code may look something like this -
<a href="[Your Privacy Policy HTML link]">Privacy Policy</a>

Failure to add a privacy policy may lead to rejection of your Google AdSense account application or to the disruption of your current Google AdSense account.

How to Use Google Adsense

Google Adsense is an affiliate pay per click program that has taken the Internet by storm. There are a plethora of sites dedicated solely to Google Adsense. Google Adsense is a good way for a small Internet site owner to make some extra money. Using Adsense does not require any special knowledge, just a computer and a working web site.

Instructions
1Construct a web site for use with Google Adsense. Google has a published criteria for the web sites they accept to the Adsense program. A good rule of thumb is just construct an honest and forthright web site that has legitimate purpose other than attaining revenue from the Google Adsense program.

2Sign up for the Google Adsense Program having the following information available during sign up: website URL, website language, name, address and telephone number.

3Submit the sign up information. Once all the steps at Google are complete and the policies are read, click the "Submit" button.

4Activate the Google Adsense account. Upon account approval, an email notification will arrive. Click on the link in the email to activate the Adsense account.

5Log in to the adsense account and obtain the HTML code for the approved site. Type in the username and password in the adsense log in box. Next click on the "Adsense setup" tab. Click on the "Adsense for content" link. Choose the "Ad unit" option in the next screen and select "Continue." And finally select the correct "Ad format" and then choose "Continue."

6Copy and paste the generated ad code into the appropriate section of the web site. In the grey Google adsense box there is HTML code to copy into the user web site. Copy that code and place in the appropriate place in the web site.


Tips & Warnings

Make sure the mailing address is correct when signing up.

Ensure that a valid email address is entered correctly during sign up.

Have a valid and complete web site. Do not submit sites that are under construction or inaccessible.

Be an administrator of the submitted web site. The user will need to have access to the HTML code in order to incorporate Google Adsense.