How to Add AdSense to WordPress

One of the easiest ways to add AdSense to WordPress is with an AdSense ready Wordpress theme. These are specially designed WP themes with the ad units already included. This is a good option for someone with limited knowledge of HTML or CSS because the designer has already selected the ad sizes and placements that will make you the most money. You usually won't need to worry about doing anything other than adding your AdSense ID or perhaps the ad code from Google. There are both free and premium themes available. Simply search online for "AdSense ready WordPress themes" or look at popular options such as the Socrates Wordpress Theme designed by Joel Comm or these Niche AdSense Themes for WordPress.

Once you get your AdSense-ready theme, adding it to WordPress is easy. These directions will help you install your theme in WP 3.0. First, you'll want to save the zip file to your hard drive. Then log into your WordPress dashboard and select Themes under Appearance. Then click on the Install Themes tab. Right under the tabs you'll see some text links. Click the second one from the left that says Upload. Browse your hard drive for your theme and click Install Now and then follow any directions. Once your theme is installed, go back to the Manage Themes tab, find your theme and click the Activate link. Your theme is now active! Then just follow the directions that came with your theme to update the AdSense code that is already embedded in your template.

The second easiest option for adding AdSense to WordPress is to use a plugin. Plugins are easy to use and don't require any HTML or CSS knowledge. You simply add the plugin, activate it, add your AdSense ID or ad code and then select any available options.

Depending on the plugin you choose, you may be able to select the ad colors, sizes and placements you'll want on your blog. Do you want a green border around your ads to match your theme design? Should ads be at the top of your post or the bottom? What size do you prefer - 300x250 or 160x600? All of these choices can make a huge difference in how much money you make, so be sure to learn more about best options before choosing your settings. Not all plugins will give you all these options, so read the description before installing.

To find a good AdSense plugin and add it to your blog, you can log in to your WP dashboard, click Plugins from the left-hand navigation and then click Add New. Type "adsense" in the search box and click the Search Plugins button. You'll get a list of options with brief descriptions. As of this writing, there are 188 results. You can scan the ratings and descriptions to get a brief overview and then click Details to learn more. When you're ready, click Install Now and the plugin will be installed to your blog. After installation, you'll need to activate it and update the settings according to the plugin instructions.

The third way to add AdSense to your WordPress blog is to manually add the code from your AdSense account. This option gives you the most control, but also requires the most understanding of how to add HTML to your WordPress blog. With this method, you could choose to edit any of your page files to add an AdSense unit to any page or you could add the code to a text box in a widget. If you're comfortable editing HTML and CSS, you'll have plenty of options with this method.

If you're just getting started, you'll probably want to try one of the two easier methods above. As you learn more, you'll be able to branch out and make modifications on your own. But however you choose to add AddSense to your WordPress blog, your pocketbook will be glad you did.

Some content revised with permission from How to Add AdSense to WordPress