AdSense
Google AdSense is Google's advertising program that lets website owners earn money by showing ads. Advertisers buy ad space through Google Ads, and Google automatically matches ads to the page content and its audience. The publisher receives a share of the ad revenue. Since 2024, display ads have been paid mainly per impression rather than per click. The program has been running since 2003.
How does AdSense work?
AdSense connects advertisers with publishers: Google shows ads on participating websites and shares the revenue with them. The publisher adds the AdSense code to the site, and the system picks which ads to show.
The ads are bought by advertisers on Google Ads and on other buying platforms. Each buy-side platform takes its own fee. The publisher receives a fixed share of the remaining amount.
In November 2023, Google announced a change to how payments are calculated. Dan Taylor, Vice President of Global Ads, announced it on the company blog. The table below sums up the main changes.
| Item | Before the change | After the change |
|---|---|---|
| Payment model | mainly per click | mainly per impression |
| Publisher share of display ads | 68% of revenue | 80% of revenue after the buy-side platform fee |
| Google Ads fee on purchase | not disclosed separately | 15% of advertiser spend on average |
| Publisher share on Google Ads purchases | 68% | about 68% |
According to Google, publishers should see no difference in revenue after the change. The company based this assessment on its own tests. The new split shows buy-side and sell-side fees separately.
What is the history of AdSense?
AdSense launched in 2003, built on technology from Applied Semantics, a company Google bought that year. Google acquired it on April 23, 2003.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| April 23, 2003 | Applied Semantics acquired for USD 102 million in cash and stock |
| 2003 | AdSense launches, with ads matched to page content |
| around 2005 | AdSense accounts for about 15% of Google's revenue |
| November 2, 2023 | move to per-impression payments announced |
| 2024 | the new payment model takes effect |
Applied Semantics, based in Santa Monica, developed technology for contextual ad matching. According to Digiday, Google bought it to improve its sponsored links program. AdSense took Google's ads beyond its own search engine.
According to Digiday, within two years AdSense brought in about 15% of Google's revenue. The Applied Semantics deal is often listed among the best tech acquisitions in history.
What do you need to use AdSense?
A publisher must be at least 18 years old, have original content that complies with the program policies, and have access to the site's HTML code. These are the requirements listed in the AdSense Help Center.
Google expects the content to be high quality, original and engaging for visitors. A minor cannot open an account on their own. A parent or guardian can do it with their own Google account, and payments then go to them.
Payment is issued once unpaid earnings reach the payment threshold. Thresholds depend on the account currency.
| Currency | Payment threshold | Payment method selection threshold |
|---|---|---|
| USD | USD 100 | USD 10 |
| EUR | EUR 70 | EUR 10 |
| PLN | PLN 300 | PLN 30 |
Payment also requires an account with no holds and compliance with the program policies. Creators on Blogger and YouTube must meet separate requirements to get a hosted account or AdSense for YouTube.
What are the program's policies and restrictions?
AdSense policies prohibit artificially inflating clicks and impressions, encouraging clicks, and placing ads in misleading ways. If these rules are broken, Google may disable ads on the site or the entire account.
Publishers may not click their own ads for any reason. Inflating traffic manually, with automated tools or with bots is also prohibited. You may not pay users to view ads or ask them to click, for example with a phrase like “support us”.
Ads may not appear in pop-ups, emails or software. They also may not be made to look like site content, navigation links or download buttons. The site must be easy to navigate and may not redirect users to unwanted websites.
An account disabled by Google loses the right to take part in the program. Allowed and restricted content is defined separately in the Google Publisher Policies and the Google Publisher Restrictions. Ads may show on pages with restricted content, but usually fewer of them.
Frequently asked questions
Q.How much does AdSense pay?
Rates are not fixed, because they depend on how much advertisers pay for impressions on a given site. The publisher receives 80% of display ad revenue after the buy-side platform fee. For purchases through Google Ads, this works out to about 68% of advertiser spend. Since 2024, AdSense has paid for display ads mainly per impression.
Q.What is the minimum payout for AdSense?
AdSense pays out once earnings reach the payment threshold. It is USD 100 for accounts in dollars, EUR 70 in euros and PLN 300 in Polish zloty. Earlier, at USD 10, EUR 10 or PLN 30, you need to choose a payment method. The account must have no holds and the publisher must follow the program policies.
Q.Can I click my own AdSense ads?
No. AdSense policies prohibit clicking your own ads for any reason. Inflating clicks and impressions manually, with automated tools or bots, and encouraging others to click are also prohibited. If these rules are broken, Google may disable ads on the site or the entire account. A disabled account loses the right to take part in the program.
Q.Can a minor open an AdSense account?
No. AdSense accepts applications only from people who are at least 18 years old. A minor can still use the program through a parent or guardian. The adult opens the account with their own Google account and receives the payments. YouTube creators can link their channel to a parent's or guardian's AdSense account.
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