Got Rejected by AdSense? Here’s Exactly How to Fix It and Get Approved.

Receiving that “Sorry, we’re unable to approve your site for AdSense” email can feel like a punch to the gut. You’ve put in the work, built a website, and created content, only to be met with a seemingly generic rejection. It’s a frustrating but incredibly common rite of passage for online publishers.

The crucial thing to understand is that a rejection is not the end of your journey—it’s a feedback loop. Google is telling you that your site, in its current state, doesn’t meet its program standards. The good news? Almost every reason for rejection is fixable.

This guide will walk you through the exact steps to diagnose the problem, implement the solutions, and submit a stronger application that gets the green light.

First, Don’t Panic: Understand the “Why”

Google rarely gives a hyper-specific reason for rejection. Their messages often cite broad policy violations like “Value to the user,” “Not enough content,” or “Site does not comply with program policies.”

Your first job is to become a detective. Look at your site through the lens of a Google quality rater whose job is to assess E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness). Be brutally honest with yourself. The issues almost always fall into one of the following categories.

The AdSense Rejection Checklist: 8 Common Reasons & How to Fix Them

Go through this list methodically and apply each point to your website.

1. Insufficient, Thin, or Low-Quality Content

This is the #1 reason for rejection, especially for new sites.

• The Problem: You have only 5-10 short blog posts (under 300 words each). The content is superficial, rephrased from other sources, or stuffed with keywords. It doesn’t provide real value or a unique perspective.
• The Fix:
  • Volume: Aim for a minimum of 15-20 high-quality posts before reapplying. This shows Google you are a serious, active publisher.
  • Depth and Quality: Write comprehensive, long-form content (1,000+ words) that truly solves a problem or answers a question in detail. Your article should be the best result on the first page of Google for that topic.
  • Originality: Every word must be yours. Never copy-paste from other websites or use AI content generators without heavy human editing and fact-checking.

2. Poor User Experience (UX) and Site Design

Your website itself is a ranking factor. If it looks unprofessional or is difficult to use, Google won’t trust it with ads.

• The Problem: The site looks spammy, has a broken layout, uses distracting colors/fonts, or is not mobile-friendly. Critical pages like “About Us” or “Contact” are missing.
• The Fix:
  • Professional Design: Your site must look credible and modern. If you’re using a cheap, overused theme, it’s time for an upgrade. A clean, fast, and professional design is non-negotiable.
  • Mobile Responsiveness: Over 60% of web traffic is mobile. Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test tool. If your site fails, you must fix it immediately.
  • Easy Navigation: Can a user find what they need in three clicks? Organize your menu and use a logical site structure.
  • If you lack the technical skill or time to fix these core issues, consider a professional service. You can request a custom, AdSense-ready website design from [webisdesign.com], ensuring your site’s foundation meets all technical and UX standards from day one.

3. Missing Required Pages

Google needs to see that you are a real person or business operating a legitimate website.

• The Problem: Your site is just a collection of blog posts with no supporting information.
• The Fix: Create and link in your main navigation these three essential pages:
  • About Page: Who are you? Why did you create this site? What is your expertise in this niche? This builds E-A-T.
  • Contact Page: A simple contact form or a business email address. This proves legitimacy.
  • Privacy Policy Page: This is MANDATORY. You must have a detailed privacy policy that discloses how you collect, use, and share user data (including through cookies, which AdSense uses). You can generate one using an online template, but ensure it’s comprehensive.

4. Lack of Traffic or Organic Growth

While not an official policy, applying with zero organic traffic is a red flag. It suggests your site isn’t yet valuable to users.

• The Problem: Your only visitors are you and maybe a few friends.
• The Fix:
  • Basic SEO: Optimize your posts for relevant keywords. Build a few simple internal links between your articles.
  • Promote Your Content: Share your best posts on relevant social media platforms, forums (like Reddit), and online communities. Don’t just spam links; provide value.
  • Wait: Sometimes, the best fix is to let your site age naturally for another 1-2 months while you consistently add content. An older domain with a trickle of organic traffic looks much more legitimate to Google.

5. Technical and Policy Violations

Your site might be breaking specific rules without you even realizing it.

• The Problem:
  • Copyrighted Material: Using images you don’t have the rights to.
  • Hacked Software: Using nulled (pirated) WordPress themes or plugins.
  • Site Speed: A painfully slow loading time creates a poor user experience.
• The Fix:
  • Use Royalty-Free Media: Only use images from sites like Unsplash, Pexels, or purchase them legitimately.
  • Use Legitimate Software: Only install themes and plugins from the official WordPress repository or reputable developers.
  • Improve Site Speed: Compress images, use a caching plugin, and consider a Content Delivery Network (CDN).

6. Being in a Restricted or “YMYL” Niche

YMYL stands for “Your Money or Your Life.” Sites in niches like health, finance, or news are held to a much higher E-A-T standard.

• The Problem: You’re writing about medical advice or investment strategies without demonstrating clear expertise (e.g., you’re not a doctor or a certified financial planner).
• The Fix:
  • Demonstrate Credentials: If you have them, state your qualifications clearly on your “About” page and within relevant articles.
  • Focus on Experience: If you don’t have formal credentials, write from a place of personal experience and heavily cite authoritative sources (e.g., “According to a Harvard Medical School study…”).
  • Avoid Giving Direct Advice: Use language like “In my experience…” or “Many experts suggest…” instead of definitive “You must do this” statements.

7. You Simply Didn’t Wait Long Enough

Google prefers established, stable entities.

• The Problem: You applied when your domain was just a few days or weeks old.
• The Fix: If your domain is less than 6 months old, the single best thing you can do is focus on adding high-quality content and building a small, organic audience. Reapply after the 6-month mark.

Your Action Plan: The Pre-Resubmission Checklist

Before you hit the “apply” button again, run through this final checklist. Your site should have:

✅ At least 15-20 high-quality, long-form, original blog posts.
✅ A professional, mobile-friendly, and fast-loading design.
✅ Clear “About,” “Contact,” and “Privacy Policy” pages.
✅ A small but growing stream of organic traffic.
✅ No copyrighted or plagiarized content.
✅ No broken links or major technical errors.
✅ A clear focus and demonstration of expertise in your niche.

How to Reapply for AdSense

You don’t need to create a new account. Simply log into your existing AdSense account, go to the “Sites” section, and add your website URL again for review. The system will guide you through the process.

Conclusion: Persistence is Key

A Google AdSense rejection is a hurdle, not a wall. By systematically addressing the common issues outlined in this guide, you are not just fixing your site for AdSense—you are building a better, more valuable online asset that users and search engines will love.

Treat the rejection as a forced opportunity to improve. Build a site that deserves traffic first, and the AdSense approval will follow.