90-day roadmap to start a blog and get Google AdSense approved
A clear 90-day plan takes the guesswork out of building an AdSense-approved blog from scratch

Starting a blog with the goal of getting AdSense approved doesn't have to be overwhelming. With a clear plan and consistent execution, you can go from zero to approved AdSense publisher in 90 days. This roadmap breaks it down month by month.

Month 1 (Days 1-30): Foundation

Week 1: Choose Your Niche and Setup

  • Day 1-2: Choose your niche based on your knowledge and keyword research. Use Google Keyword Planner to find topics with 500-5,000 monthly searches (not too competitive yet).
  • Day 3: Register a memorable, relevant domain name (.com preferred). Use Namecheap or Cloudflare Registrar.
  • Day 4-5: Set up hosting. Recommended: SiteGround for WordPress, Cloudflare Pages for static sites.
  • Day 6: Install WordPress and choose a fast, clean theme (Astra, GeneratePress, or Blocksy).
  • Day 7: Set up SSL certificate (free via Let's Encrypt through your host).

Week 2: Essential Pages

  • Create About Us page — Share your expertise and why you created the blog
  • Create Contact page — Add an email address or contact form
  • Create Privacy Policy — Required for AdSense, mention cookies and Google advertising
  • Create Terms of Service — Protects you legally
  • Create Disclaimer — Important for YMYL (health, finance) content
  • Set up clear navigation menu linking to all pages

Week 3-4: First Content Sprint

Write and publish your first 8-10 articles. Aim for 1,000-1,500 words each.

  • Focus on beginner-friendly, informational topics in your niche
  • Include at least 2 images per article with descriptive alt text
  • Optimize each post for one specific keyword
  • Add internal links between related articles as you publish them
  • Install an SEO plugin: Yoast SEO or Rank Math (both have free tiers)
Blog content creation strategy for AdSense approval in first 30 days
Consistency is key — publish 2-3 high-quality articles per week during your first 90 days

Month 2 (Days 31-60): Content Growth

  • Publish 2-3 articles per week targeting long-tail keywords
  • Aim for a total of 20-25 articles by end of Month 2
  • Submit your sitemap.xml to Google Search Console
  • Submit your sitemap to Bing Webmaster Tools
  • Start building free backlinks: guest posting, forum participating, social media sharing
  • Add Google Analytics for tracking
  • Create a consistent internal linking strategy across all posts
  • Improve your 5 most important articles with more detail and better formatting

Month 3 (Days 61-90): Application and Beyond

  • Publish 5 more articles to reach 25-30 total
  • Audit your entire site for any layout or navigation issues
  • Check your site on mobile — must be fully responsive
  • Run Google PageSpeed Insights and fix any critical issues
  • Use our free AdSense checker to identify any remaining issues
  • Day 75-80: Apply for Google AdSense at adsense.google.com
  • Day 80-90: While waiting, continue publishing content
  • Respond quickly if Google asks for revisions

Day 90+: After Approval

Congratulations on getting approved! Now focus on:

  • Strategic ad placement (see our ad placement guide)
  • Continuing to publish 2-3 articles per week
  • Building backlinks to increase domain authority and search traffic
  • Analyzing your AdSense reports to optimize placements
  • Growing an email list for return traffic

🎯 Quick Assessment

At the end of Month 2, use our free AdSense checker to get an objective readiness score before applying. This can save you from unnecessary rejections.