WPBeginner

Beginner's Guide for WordPress

  • Blog
    • Beginners Guide
    • News
    • Opinion
    • Showcase
    • Themes
    • Tutorials
    • WordPress Plugins
  • Start Here
    • How to Start a Blog
    • Create a Website
    • Start an Online Store
    • Best Website Builder
    • Email Marketing
    • WordPress Hosting
    • Business Name Ideas
  • Deals
    • Bluehost Coupon
    • SiteGround Coupon
    • WP Engine Coupon
    • HostGator Coupon
    • Domain.com Coupon
    • Constant Contact
    • View All Deals »
  • Glossary
  • Videos
  • Products
X
☰
Beginner's Guide for WordPress / Start your WordPress Blog in minutes
Choosing the Best
WordPress Hosting
How to Easily
Install WordPress
Recommended
WordPress Plugins
View all Guides

WPBeginner» Blog» Beginners Guide» How to Optimize Your AdSense Revenue in WordPress

How to Optimize Your AdSense Revenue in WordPress

Last updated on April 5th, 2018 by Editorial Staff
189 Shares
Share
Tweet
Share
Pin
Free WordPress Video Tutorials on YouTube by WPBeginner
How to Optimize Your AdSense Revenue in WordPress

Are you looking to increase your Google AdSense revenue? Recently one of our users asked us to share some AdSense optimization tips for WordPress users. In this article, we will share tips on how you can increase your AdSense revenue, give you a list of some great AdSense optimized WordPress themes, and share with you a list of plugins that can help you boost your AdSense revenue.

Sounds good? Let’s get started.

Grow AdSense Revenue

What is AdSense and How does it Work?

Google AdSense is an advertising network run by Google that allows bloggers and website owners an opportunity to earn money by showing text, image, video, and other interactive advertisements on their websites. These ads are targeted by site content and audience.

AdSense ads are cost-per-click (CPC) meaning you get paid for every time an ad is clicked on your website. The amount you receive per click varies based on ad content and user’s demographic.

So you can receive 10 clicks on your ads where one click may be worth $6 while others are only work $0.20 each.

It all depends on your user demographic and site content. For example traffic from tier-1 countries (U.S, U.K, Australia, and Canada) usually get a much higher CPC vs traffic from tier-3 countries.

Here are three factors that impact your overall AdSense revenue:

  • Ad Size
  • Ad Placement
  • Quality of Traffic

Let’s take a look at which AdSense size and placements perform the best.

Best Adsense Ad Size and Placement

Since we know that Adsense revenue depends on how your users interact with ads on your website, strategic placement of ads is crucial for increasing your Adsense revenue.

In our experience, the AdSense sizes that work best are:

  • 336 x 280 (Large Rectangle)
  • 300 x 250
  • 728 x 90
  • 160 x 600

Notice that these are fairly large ads thus are more prominent by default. The areas where you would generally place them also have to be prominent.

The ideal ad placements are your site header, above content, in-between content, and after post content.

Sidebar ads rarely have a good click through rate (CTR) thus we tend to avoid them altogether.

The general rule of thumb is that you should place at least one ad unit above the fold of your website. Above the fold is the area visible to users when they land on your website without scrolling.

Placing ads above the fold

There are few AdSense placements that you absolutely want to avoid at all cost because it can result in your account getting terminated.

Floating Scrolling Ads – Some publishers use floating sidebar widgets or floating footer bars to display ads that scroll with users. We’ve seen people getting their AdSense account banned for doing this, so we recommend against using this placement.

Popup Ads – We have also seen folks displaying their AdSense ads inside a lightbox popup. This is also against AdSense policies, and you should avoid this placement.

Ads above pagination – One of the best places to generate accidental clicks is above pagination. We received a warning from Google about this and made a quick change to prevent getting our account suspended.

Also whatever you do, DO NOT click on your own ads. Because that’s a sure-fire way to get your Google account banned.

Having that said, let’s take a look at the best Google AdSense plugins for WordPress that can help you increase your AdSense revenue.

Managing and Inserting Adsense Ads in WordPress

The best way to manage ads in WordPress is by using an ad management plugin. These plugins allow you to insert and manage your ads from one spot without writing any code.

Here are some WordPress plugins to optimize your AdSense placements.

1. Insert Post Ads

Insert Post Ads

As the name suggests, Insert Post Ads is a free plugin that allows you to easily insert ads inside your WordPress blog posts.

The plugin allows you to place your ads in between your paragraphs which can significantly boost your revenue.

It is very easy to use and does not require any complicated settings. Simply create a new ad unit and paste the Adsense ad code. Select where you want the ad to appear, e.g. after paragraph 1 and publish the ad unit. That’s all, the plugin will automatically start displaying the ad in your posts.

Check out our tutorial on how to insert ads within your post content in WordPress.

2. Adsanity

Adsanity

Adsanity is a premium WordPress plugin to properly manage ads on your WordPress site. It works with all advertising platforms including Google AdSense. You can easily create and insert ads on your WordPress site and manage all your ad units from your WordPress admin area.

You can create ad groups and display ads on rotating basis. You can also display ads using drag and drop WordPress widgets. For more information take a look at our tutorial on how to manage ads in WordPress with Adsanity plugin.

3. OIO Publisher

OIO Publisher

OIO Publisher is another ad management tool available for WordPress. It is simple to use and provides you an easier way to manage and insert AdSense ads into your WordPress site. You can create Ad zones for different ad units and use buttons and widgets to insert ads on your site. OIO Publisher also offers stats on how your ad units are doing. Check out our tutorial on how to manage ads in WordPress with OIO Publisher.

These plugins work with all WordPress themes, and we highly recommend that you use them for your ad placements.

If you’re about to start a new website, then consider using some of the AdSense optimized WordPress themes.

Adsense Optimized Themes for WordPress

While you can add Google AdSense to any WordPress theme, there are some WordPress themes that are more optimized for advertisement. These themes either have special designated areas where you can place an ad code or have a layout that allows you to insert ads in optimized locations.

Here are some Adsense optimized WordPress themes that you can use.

1. ModernMag

ModernMag

ModernMag is an Adsense-ready WordPress theme. It is fully mobile responsive and unlike other premium themes it is easy to setup and totally clutter free. ModernMag works well with all ad management plugins for WordPress. Theme’s layout allows you to easily place different size of ad units any where on your site.

2. Magazine Pro

Magazine Pro

Magazine Pro is a fully responsive Adsense friendly WordPress theme by StudioPress. Built on the powerful Genesis theme framework, Magazine Pro comes with a rock solid code foundation optimized for performance. Theme’s layout provides ample space for you to display your Adsense ads anywhere on the site. It is also fully compatible with ad management plugins we mentioned above.

3. CWP Youit

CWP Youit

CWP Youit is Adsense optimized WordPress theme for gaming and magazine sites. It comes with easy to use spots for your Adsense ad placements right under the post blocks on the front page. It’s mobile responsive design allows you to use Adsense ads anywhere on your site without worrying about breaking the site’s layout. CWP Youit is also compatible with all popular ad management plugins. It features a flexible design that makes it suitable for all kind of websites.

4. RedWaves Lite

RedWaves Lite

RedWaves Lite is a free Adsense optimized WordPress theme. It features a minimalist design with a fully mobile-friendly layout. The header area supports a large banner ad unit which adjusts itself for mobile devices. It comes with easy customization options and full support for post thumbnail. It can be used as a multi-purpose theme suitable for any kind of website.

5. MH Newsdesk

MH Newsdesk

MH Newsdesk is a fully mobile-friendly WordPress theme for magazines and news websites. The main feature of this theme is that it is fully Adsense optimized theme for WordPress sites. Theme comes with 14 widget ready areas allowing you to place your ad widgets anywhere on your site.

6. Digital

Digital

Digital is a free Adsense friendly WordPress theme. It is a multi-purpose theme with a fully responsive layout. It comes with full support for WooCommerce and an inbuilt slider. Digital can be easily customized with custom header, background, and color options.

7. MH Squared

MH Squared

MH Squared is a premium WordPress theme optimized for Adsense. It comes with ready to use ad placement areas. Theme layout is fully mobile-responsive and looks equally great on all screen sizes. It comes loaded with custom theme options and it is highly optimized for performance.

8. ProMax

Promax

ProMax is a beautifully designed free Adsense ready theme for WordPress. It comes with ample spots to prominently display your Adsense ads in above the fold area without compromising user experience. The theme features custom background, header, and social menu.

9. TruePixel

TruePixel

TruePixel is a multi-purpose fully responsive WordPress theme optimized for Adsense and SEO. It comes loaded with custom options like prallax scrolling, multiple adsense widgets, multiple layout choices, color variations, fixed menu, and a very comprehensive theme options panel.

10. Nominal

Nominal

Nominal is a fully responsive Adsense ready WordPress theme. It features a soothing colors and mobile respnsive layout. The theme comes with multiple Adsense areas where you can place your ad code to boost your earnings with a higher CTR.

We hope this article helped you optimize your Adsense revenue in WordPress and boost your earnings.

While Adsense is a great way to monetize your site, we recommend all users to diversify their site’s earning potential with affiliate marketing. Take a look at our list of the best affiliate marketing tools and plugins for WordPress and see how you can boost your affiliate earnings as well.

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

189 Shares
Share
Tweet
Share
Pin
Popular on WPBeginner Right Now!
  • Revealed: Why Building an Email List is so Important Today (6 Reasons)

    Revealed: Why Building an Email List is so Important Today (6 Reasons)

  • Google Analytics in WordPress

    How to Install Google Analytics in WordPress for Beginners

  • How to Start Your Own Podcast (Step by Step)

    How to Start Your Own Podcast (Step by Step)

  • How to Fix the Error Establishing a Database Connection in WordPress

    How to Fix the Error Establishing a Database Connection in WordPress

About the Editorial Staff

Editorial Staff at WPBeginner is a team of WordPress experts led by Syed Balkhi. Trusted by over 1.3 million readers worldwide.

The Ultimate WordPress Toolkit

19 Comments

Leave a Reply
  1. Swiddle D'Cunha says:
    Aug 26, 2020 at 12:14 am

    This post is written in 2018. Which plugin do you recommend in 2020 for adsense ad insertion?

    Reply
    • WPBeginner Support says:
      Aug 26, 2020 at 10:50 am

      For the moment we are still recommending the options in this article :)

      Reply
  2. Adamu Maigari says:
    Mar 22, 2020 at 7:21 pm

    Please what is the name of Wpbeginner.com Theme. I want to use it.

    Reply
    • WPBeginner Support says:
      Mar 24, 2020 at 8:42 am

      Our theme is a custom made theme, it is not something available to others at this time.

      Reply
  3. Fathnan Id says:
    Jun 30, 2019 at 11:33 am

    Hi, I am from Indonesia, I am very inspired by your website, thank you

    Reply
    • WPBeginner Support says:
      Jul 1, 2019 at 1:10 pm

      You’re welcome, glad you like our content :)

      Reply
  4. Colin says:
    Jan 10, 2019 at 11:20 pm

    Hi! So on my blog, my “above the fold” is a large featured photo of my article, which takes up the entire screen. My post doesn’t begin until you scroll down below the fold. My first ad is within the first two paragraphs of my post, but again, is below the fold.

    What do you think? I like the large featured photo, but I don’t know if it will affect the ad since it’s pushing the ad (and everything else) below the fold.

    Reply
    • WPBeginner Support says:
      Jan 11, 2019 at 1:03 pm

      If I’m understanding you correctly, if you like the theme you are using currently you should continue to use it. If you are concerned about the location of your ad you can move it to a different location on your site.

      Reply
  5. Ephrem Firew Asrat says:
    Apr 12, 2018 at 3:56 am

    WpBeginner, you are my number 1 help and support center for my WordPress experience. But Adsense Supports Popup but with a rule.

    Reply
  6. Tushar Bansal says:
    Mar 24, 2018 at 1:46 pm

    thnx 4 dis post help me alot to optimize my ads .keep it up

    Reply
  7. Christiana says:
    Dec 14, 2017 at 11:07 am

    Thank you for this wonderful post! I have been struggling with placing my ads properly. With this ad before placement has become a lot easier.

    Reply
  8. Ahsan says:
    Feb 15, 2017 at 4:02 am

    Is it safe to use sticky adsense ads?

    Reply
  9. Raghavendra Mahendrakar says:
    Jun 8, 2016 at 9:49 am

    Great Article, now I have implemented your tips to my website. But still my revenue generating is very low? any tips to improvements please…

    Reply
  10. Frederick says:
    Apr 28, 2016 at 6:49 pm

    Hi,

    Thanks for the article.

    I am wondering, does adsense give a lower revenue when you place the adds in a add widget?
    Because, when the adds are in a widget, can google still show an add, that is foccused on your keywords?

    Sorry, i hope you understand what i’m saying.

    Best Regards,

    Frederick

    Reply
  11. AMISH says:
    Jan 1, 2016 at 10:48 pm

    HELLO,
    I wanted to know that can one use ad -sense in their free blog of wordpress. Means like “…xyz.wordpress.com” is allowed for google ad sense or not? Does google permit free blog?
    if not word press then any other blog?

    Reply
    • WPBeginner Support says:
      Jan 2, 2016 at 2:33 pm

      Please see our guide on the difference between self hosted WordPress.org vs free WordPress.com blog.

      Reply
  12. kam says:
    Nov 26, 2015 at 11:49 pm

    Great article. Lots of information.

    Reply
  13. Joseph says:
    Oct 6, 2015 at 9:30 pm

    Hi just curious why no AdSense has placed on this super high traffic site of wpbeginner.com?

    Reply
    • Editorial Staff says:
      Oct 8, 2015 at 7:22 am

      Because we don’t use AdSense as a monetization method for this website. Working on an eBook to explain different monetization methods that we use across our websites which will help answer the question for you :)

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Thanks for choosing to leave a comment. Please keep in mind that all comments are moderated according to our comment policy, and your email address will NOT be published. Please Do NOT use keywords in the name field. Let's have a personal and meaningful conversation.

Over 1,320,000+ Readers

Get fresh content from WPBeginner

Featured WordPress Plugin
TrustPulse
TrustPulse
Instantly get 15% more conversions with social proof. Learn More »
How to Start a Blog How to Start a Blog
I need help with ...
Starting a
Blog
WordPress
Performance
WordPress
Security
WordPress
SEO
WordPress
Errors
Building an
Online Store
Useful WordPress Guides
    • 7 Best WordPress Backup Plugins Compared (Pros and Cons)
    • How to Fix the Error Establishing a Database Connection in WordPress
    • Why You Need a CDN for your WordPress Blog? [Infographic]
    • 30 Legit Ways to Make Money Online Blogging with WordPress
    • Self Hosted WordPress.org vs. Free WordPress.com [Infograph]
    • Free Recording: WordPress Workshop for Beginners
    • 24 Must Have WordPress Plugins for Business Websites
    • How to Properly Move Your Blog from WordPress.com to WordPress.org
    • 5 Best Contact Form Plugins for WordPress Compared
    • Which is the Best WordPress Popup Plugin? (Comparison)
    • Best WooCommerce Hosting in 2021 (Comparison)
    • How to Fix the Internal Server Error in WordPress
    • How to Install WordPress - Complete WordPress Installation Tutorial
    • Why You Should Start Building an Email List Right Away
    • How to Properly Move WordPress to a New Domain Without Losing SEO
    • How to Choose the Best WordPress Hosting for Your Website
    • How to Choose the Best Blogging Platform (Comparison)
    • WordPress Tutorials - 200+ Step by Step WordPress Tutorials
    • 5 Best WordPress Ecommerce Plugins Compared
    • 5 Best WordPress Membership Plugins (Compared)
    • 7 Best Email Marketing Services for Small Business (2021)
    • How to Choose the Best Domain Registrar (Compared)
    • The Truth About Shared WordPress Web Hosting
    • When Do You Really Need Managed WordPress Hosting?
    • 5 Best Drag and Drop WordPress Page Builders Compared
    • How to Switch from Blogger to WordPress without Losing Google Rankings
    • How to Properly Switch From Wix to WordPress (Step by Step)
    • How to Properly Move from Weebly to WordPress (Step by Step)
    • Do You Really Need a VPS? Best WordPress VPS Hosting Compared
    • How to Properly Move from Squarespace to WordPress
    • How to Register a Domain Name (+ tip to get it for FREE)
    • HostGator Review - An Honest Look at Speed & Uptime (2021)
    • SiteGround Reviews from 4464 Users & Our Experts (2021)
    • Bluehost Review from Real Users + Performance Stats (2021)
    • How Much Does It Really Cost to Build a WordPress Website?
    • How to Create an Email Newsletter the RIGHT WAY (Step by Step)
    • Free Business Name Generator (A.I Powered)
    • How to Create a Free Business Email Address in 5 Minutes (Step by Step)
    • How to Install Google Analytics in WordPress for Beginners
    • How to Move WordPress to a New Host or Server With No Downtime
    • Why is WordPress Free? What are the Costs? What is the Catch?
    • How to Make a Website in 2021 – Step by Step Guide
Deals & Coupons (view all)
LiveChat logo
LiveChat Inc Coupon
Get a 30 day free trial and 30% OFF LiveChat, one of the best live chat service providers for WordPress users.
LearnDash
LearnDash Coupon
Get the lowest price on the best learning management system (LMS) plugin for WordPress.
Featured In
About WPBeginner®

WPBeginner is a free WordPress resource site for Beginners. WPBeginner was founded in July 2009 by Syed Balkhi. The main goal of this site is to provide quality tips, tricks, hacks, and other WordPress resources that allows WordPress beginners to improve their site(s).

Join our team: We are Hiring!

Site Links
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • FTC Disclosure
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Free Blog Setup
  • Free Business Tools
  • Growth Fund
Our Sites
  • OptinMonster
  • MonsterInsights
  • WPForms
  • SeedProd
  • Nameboy
  • RafflePress
  • Smash Balloon
  • AIOSEO

Copyright © 2009 - 2021 WPBeginner LLC. All Rights Reserved. WPBeginner® is a registered trademark.

Managed by Awesome Motive | WordPress hosting by SiteGround | WordPress Security by Sucuri.