Code implementation guide

How to insert ad code in your WordPress site

Next: Common issues with ad code implementation

There are several ways to place AdSense ad code into your WordPress site. Below, you'll find information about some of the ways you can do this.

Connecting your WordPress site

If you're new to AdSense, one of your first tasks is to connect your site to AdSense. This requires you to copy the code on your AdSense homepage and paste it into the HTML of your page, between the <head> and </head> tags. To do this in WordPress, you can either:

Use a plugin to insert the code. You can use one of the plugins that lets you make changes to the “header” of your site
Or, place the code through your WordPress theme settings. We recommend not editing theme files directly. If the theme you edit is updated, your changes will be overwritten.

Your existing plugin or theme may have a feature for inserting the code. Here’s some additional resources from partners that you may be already using:

Genesis themes (see documentation)
Insert Headers and Footers plugin (see documentation)
Advanced Ads plugin (see documentation)
Ad Inserter plugin (see documentation)

Be aware that not all themes and plugins allow you to insert code into your site's header. Note that Google is not responsible for malicious third-party themes or plugins.

Before adding the ad code to your page, make sure that your page complies with the AdSense program policies. Note that we may disable ad serving and/or disable your AdSense account at any time if we find your site or ad placement is not in compliance with our policies.

How to add Auto ads code

Auto ads are a family of ad formats that offer a simple and innovative way for you to monetize your content. To complete the steps to set up Auto ads on a WordPress site, you need to copy and paste the Auto ad code between the <head> and </head> tags of your site. Auto ad code is the same type of code you added when you connected your site to AdSense. You can use any of the options described in the Connecting your WordPress site section above to add your Auto ad code.

How to add ad unit code

Make sure that you've already created the ad units that you need in your AdSense account.

Plugins

If you're not familiar with coding, but you'd still like to place your ads in specific placements on your site , you might find it useful to use an ads plugin. You can find plugins in the WordPress Plugin Directory.

An ads plugin can have extra features that help you to place ads without writing or editing code.

When choosing a plugin here are some things to keep in mind:

Make sure that your theme and plugin are compatible.
All plugins offer different features. We recommend that you test a few plugins to find the best fit for you and your site.
Google is not responsible for the actions of non-Google plugins.

You might not be able to implement some ad formats such as Page-level ads or Native ads through plugins at this time. If you need assistance with a plugin, contact the plugin developer directly.

WordPress Themes

Themes are a good option if you want an easy way to manage the placement of ad units on your site. We advise you to select WordPress themes that are "optimized" for AdSense. These themes provide predefined spaces and locations where you can place ad code on pages or post elements of your WordPress site.

Bear in mind that using themes with predefined spaces and locations might restrict you from placing your ad units exactly where you want. Additionally, these themes might not support the layout that best suits your content.

For more information on themes and how to use them, see the official WordPress.org documentation.

Some themes have an "ads section" built in, but if your theme doesn’t have one, then the easiest way to add your ad units is to use Text Widgets.

You might not be able to implement some ad formats such as Page-level ads or Native ads through themes at this time.

Text Widgets

A Text Widget allows you to add ad units into your WordPress site, in the predefined spaces and locations available from your site's theme.

For more information on Text Widgets and how to use them, see the official WordPress.org documentation.

You might not be able to implement some ad formats such as Page-level ads or Native ads through Text Widgets at this time.

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