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Endless Waiting for Google AdSense 'In Preparation': Deleting 10 Blogs to Get Approved with 3
Google AdSense 'Under Review' Infinite Wait: All Records of Deleting 10 Blogs and Getting Approval for 3
Check This First if You're Stuck in 'Under Review': 5 Key Q&A
Q1. What does the 'Under Review' status mean?
A. This is the status message displayed while Google reviews whether your site is suitable for displaying ads after you apply for Google AdSense (a service that allows you to earn revenue by displaying ads on your website). It usually takes a few days to about 2 weeks.
Q2. Why does the 'Under Review' status last for weeks or even months? (Infinite wait)
A. There can be several reasons. The most common case is that the site's content does not meet Google's policy standards (e.g., insufficient content, duplicate content), or the site structure is too complicated for Google bots to navigate properly. There may also be technical issues during the application process (e.g., issues with the ads.txt file, which helps the ad system recognize your site). Sometimes, the review simply gets delayed.
Q3. Is applying for multiple blogs at the same time detrimental to approval?
A. Yes, it can be. Google values quality over quantity. Even if you operate multiple sites, each site must have unique and valuable content. If there are several low-quality sites, it can negatively impact the overall approval process. Therefore, it might be a better strategy to focus on a few core sites that you are most confident in.
Q4. What was the key strategy to escape the 'Under Review' infinite wait?
A. For me, it was 'selection and concentration'. I boldly streamlined several blogs where quality control was difficult and focused only on the 3 most promising blogs to enhance content quality and thoroughly comply with Google's policies. It was a shift from quantitative expansion to qualitative depth.
Q5. How long did it ultimately take to get approved?
A. I initially applied with more than 10 blogs and spent several months in 'Under Review.' After reducing the blogs to 3 and improving the content, I requested a review again and received the final approval email in about 3 weeks. Of course, everyone's situation is different, but based on my experience, reducing the number of sites and focusing on quality was definitely effective.
"We are reviewing your site. It typically takes a few days, but in some cases, it may take up to 2 weeks." This message is what you encounter after applying for Google AdSense. Initially, I was filled with hope and checked the AdSense page daily. However, days turned into weeks and then months without any news. The word 'Under Review' seemed to remain unchanged forever. With over 10 blogs, I wondered what the problem could be. Did I do something wrong? Frustrated, I searched through communities but struggled to find clear answers. Ultimately, I had to make a decision. I decided to delete the blogs I had nurtured for years, a choice that might seem reckless. Today, I want to share all my struggles and insights as I finally saw the light of AdSense approval after passing through the long and daunting tunnel of 'Under Review.'
A Grand Start: 10 Blogs and Endless Waiting
With dreams of making money through blogging, I challenged Google AdSense. At the time, I was running several blogs on various topics. Was it the belief that 'more is better'? I connected over 10 blogs to my AdSense account and submitted for approval. Each blog had at least a minimal number of posts (about 10-20), and I thought I had a decent variety.
However, Google's response was cold. Contrary to my expectations that results would come in a few days, the AdSense management page displayed the message 'Under Review' for weeks. Hoping for the best, I checked if my sitemap submission in Google Search Console was successful and if there were any issues with my robots.txt file, but I found no significant problems. Time passed endlessly, and the 'Under Review' status felt like an eternal curse.
Episode: College Student Ji-hoon Park's Frustration
"Ji-hoon Park, a college student who started a blog to earn pocket money, desperately wanted AdSense approval. He believed the internet claim that 'having a lot of posts is enough' and churned out multiple short, low-quality posts daily while managing 5 blogs simultaneously. However, he remained stuck in the 'Under Review' status. Without even realizing what the problem was, he eventually gave up on AdSense. He didn't know that quality is more important than quantity."
Setting Hypotheses and Making Bold Decisions: Winning with Quality over Quantity
After months of waiting, I came to a hypothesis. "Could it be that applying for too many blogs at once was the issue? Perhaps Google is struggling to review the quality of so many sites?" In fact, after searching AdSense-related communities, I found many cases of people like me who applied for multiple sites and ended up in an 'infinite review' state. Many experts commonly advised to "focus on quality over quantity."
After much thought, I made a bold decision. Among the more than 10 blogs I was operating, I decided to keep only 3 blogs that I was most attached to and confident in producing quality content and delete the rest. It was not an easy decision, but I felt that a definite change was necessary rather than wasting time.
Afterward, I poured all my energy into the remaining 3 blogs. I wrote in-depth articles that matched the themes of each blog and supplemented existing content to improve readability. I also improved the menu structure (Navigation) to make it easier for visitors to find the information they wanted and ensured that essential pages like the privacy policy were thoroughly prepared. Most importantly, I carefully reviewed Google's AdSense program policies (Program Policies) to check for any violations.
The Waiting Begins Again: Resubmitting 3 Blogs and Seeing Change
After enhancing the content and tidying up the site, I nervously reconnected the remaining 3 blogs to AdSense and requested a review. Due to my previous failure, I felt a lot of anxiety, but I also held onto a small hope that 'this time would be different.'
Once again, the 'Under Review' status began. However, this time it felt a bit different. After a few days, I started to notice minor changes on the AdSense management page. Data began to appear in the reporting sections that had previously shown no movement (though the revenue was still 0). Finally, about 3 weeks after the resubmission, I received the long-awaited email in my inbox.
Finally Approved! Tears of Joy and Lessons Learned
"Congratulations! You can now display AdSense ads on your site."
At that moment, seeing the email subject, I almost screamed. The long wait and emotional turmoil had finally come to an end. I felt as happy as if I had passed a difficult exam. (Maybe that's why everyone calls it 'AdSense Exam!')
The biggest lesson I learned from this experience was the importance of 'selection and concentration.' I realized that three well-established blogs are far more valuable than ten mediocre ones. Additionally, I learned that getting approved by AdSense requires not just filling in the number of posts, but providing high-quality content that offers real value to readers, compliance with Google's policies, and patience in waiting.
"Seo-yeon Lee, a freelance designer, consistently operated a blog sharing her portfolio and design tips. Rather than managing multiple blogs, she focused on writing high-quality articles deeply for one blog. Even when writing one post, she researched thoroughly and included rich visuals she created herself. After applying for AdSense, she received her approval email in just one week. It was the moment her 'focused approach' paid off."
In-Depth Exploration 1: Unpacking Content Policies for AdSense Approval
One of the main reasons Google AdSense remains in 'Under Review' status is content policy violations or not meeting standards. So, what exactly does Google mean by 'high-quality content'?
First, it must be unique and original content. You must not copy or piece together content from other websites. Even if you legally share someone else's work, simply conveying it without your own thoughts or additional information is unlikely to receive good reviews. Google wants original content that includes your own experiences, knowledge, and opinions.
Second, it must provide value to users. This means that the content should contain useful and interesting information that visitors would take the time to read. Articles written solely to get clicks or pages with almost no content will naturally struggle to get approved. It's important to consistently publish articles with sufficient length and depth.
Third, it should have an easy-to-navigate site structure. Menus should be clear so that visitors can easily find the information they want, and page loading speed should not be too slow. Additionally, it's good to have basic credibility pages like the privacy policy and contact page.
Lastly, there must be no prohibited content. Content that is adult-oriented, violent, discriminatory, or infringes on copyrights is explicitly prohibited by Google AdSense program policies and must not be included. It's essential to read the policy documents carefully.
In-Depth Exploration 2: Checking for Technical Issues You Might Miss
If your content is excellent but you're still stuck in 'Under Review,' it may be necessary to check for hidden technical issues. Let's look at some technical factors that may not be obvious but could affect the approval process.
First, there may be an ads.txt file issue. The `ads.txt` file stands for "Authorized Digital Sellers" and is a simple text file that publicly declares who is authorized to sell ads on your website (i.e., Google AdSense). If this file is missing or incorrectly configured, Google may not properly recognize your site, causing delays in review. You need to upload an `ads.txt` file with accurate content to your site's root directory (the top-level folder) as directed by the AdSense management page.
Second, there may be a site crawling issue. Google AdSense reviews are sometimes conducted by humans, but primarily, a program called Googlebot visits your site to collect and analyze content (i.e., crawling). If the robots.txt file settings are incorrect, blocking Googlebot's access, or if the site structure is too complex for the bot to navigate all pages properly, the review may not proceed. It's advisable to check for any crawling-related errors using Google's Search Console 'Index Coverage' report or 'URL Inspection' tool.
Third, consider mobile-friendliness. Nowadays, many people use the internet on smartphones rather than PCs. Therefore, Google places significant importance on whether your website is visually appealing and user-friendly on mobile devices (i.e., responsive design). If your blog's text appears too small on mobile or if buttons are difficult to click, this can also negatively impact approval. You can use Google's 'Mobile-Friendly Test' tool to check.
Additionally, various technical factors such as site loading speed and the use of HTTPS secure connections can influence the review process, so it's a good idea to thoroughly check both content improvements and technical aspects.
AdSense Approval: Additional Questions (FAQ)
FAQ: How many posts should a blog have to be approved by AdSense?
A. Google does not specify a clear number of posts. What's important is not the number of posts itself but the quality of each post and the overall value of the site. Some people get approved with fewer than 10 posts, while others with hundreds of posts may be rejected due to low quality. Generally, it is recommended to have at least 20-30 unique and useful pieces of content, but this is not an absolute standard.
FAQ: Can I reapply immediately if I get rejected in the AdSense review?
A. No, you cannot. Rejection emails usually include guidance on which policies were violated or what aspects were lacking. It is better to clearly identify the reasons for rejection and make sufficient improvements before requesting a review again. Reapplying without addressing the issues is a waste of time and can negatively impact your account.
FAQ: Can I get AdSense approval even with low traffic to my blog?
A. Yes, you can. The most important factors in AdSense approval reviews are the quality of the content and compliance with policies, not the site traffic itself. While some level of activity (consistent posting and a bit of visitor traffic) can help show that the site is not a ghost site, having low traffic alone will not lead to a rejection. Building quality content consistently is the priority.
Editor's Note
This article is written by the topic editor — based on practical experience gained from managing multiple blogs and personally experiencing and resolving the 'Under Review' infinite wait state of Google AdSense. I aimed to help others facing similar difficulties by organizing my personal experiences of shifting strategies from quantitative expansion to qualitative focus, along with objective information on content policies and technical factors that influence AdSense approval.
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