You have applied for Google AdSense for your GitHub Pages blog, only to receive the dreaded "Site does not comply with our policies" rejection. This can happen multiple times, leaving you confused and frustrated. You know your content is original, but something is missing. The problem is that AdSense approval is not just about content; it is about presenting a professional, established, and data-verified website that Google's automated systems and reviewers can trust.
Google publishes its program policies, but the approval algorithm looks for specific signals of a legitimate, sustainable website. First and foremost, it looks for consistent, organic traffic growth. A brand-new site with 5 posts and 10 visitors a day is often rejected because it appears transient. Secondly, it evaluates site structure and professionalism. A GitHub Pages site with a default theme, no privacy policy, and broken links screams "unprofessional." Third, it assesses content depth and originality. Thin, scrappy, or AI-generated content will be flagged immediately.
Finally, it checks technical compliance: site speed, mobile-friendliness, and clear navigation. Your goal is to use the tools at your disposal—primarily your growing content library and Cloudflare Analytics—to demonstrate these signals before you even click "apply." This guide shows you how to build that proof.
Before applying, you need to build a traffic baseline. While there is no official minimum, having consistent organic traffic is a strong positive signal. Use Cloudflare Analytics to monitor your growth over 2-3 months. Aim for a clear upward trend in "Visitors" and "Pageviews." This data is for your own planning; you do not submit it to Google, but it proves your site is alive and attracting readers.
More importantly, Cloudflare helps you verify your traffic is "clean." AdSense disapproves of sites with artificial or purchased traffic. Your Cloudflare referrer report should show a healthy mix of "Direct," "Search," and legitimate social/community referrals. A dashboard dominated by strange, unknown referral domains is a red flag. Use this data to refine your promotion strategy towards organic channels before applying. Show that real people find value in your site.
GitHub Pages is eligible for AdSense, but your site must look and function like a professional blog, not a project repository. First, secure a custom domain (e.g., `www.yourblog.com`). Using a `github.io` subdomain can work, but a custom domain adds immense professionalism and trust. Connect it via your repository settings and ensure Cloudflare Analytics is tracking it.
Next, design matters. Choose a clean, fast, mobile-responsive Jekyll theme. Remove all default "theme demo" content. Create essential legal pages: a comprehensive Privacy Policy (mentioning AdSense's use of cookies), a clear Disclaimer, and an "About Me/Contact" page. Interlink these in your site footer or navigation menu. Ensure every page has a clear navigation header, a search function if possible, and a logical layout. Run a Cloudflare Speed test/Lighthouse audit and fix any critical performance issues (aim for >80 on mobile performance).
Content is king for AdSense. Go through every post on your blog with a critical eye. Remove any thin content100% original—no copied paragraphs from other sites. Use plagiarism checkers if unsure.
Focus on creating "pillar" content: long-form, definitive guides (2000+ words) that thoroughly solve a problem. These pages will become your top traffic drivers and show AdSense reviewers you are an authority. Use your Cloudflare "Top Pages" to identify which of your existing posts have the most traction. Update and expand those to make them your cornerstone content. Ensure every post has proper formatting: descriptive H2/H3 headings, images with alt text, and internal links to your other relevant articles.
When your site has consistent traffic (per Cloudflare), solid content, and a professional structure, you are ready. During the application at `adsense.google.com`, you will be asked for your site URL. Enter your custom domain or your clean `.github.io` address. You will also be asked to verify site ownership. The easiest method for GitHub Pages is often the "HTML file upload" option. Download the provided `.html` file and upload it to the root of your GitHub repository. Commit the change. This proves you control the site.
Be honest and accurate in the application. Do not exaggerate your traffic numbers. The review process can take from 24 hours to several weeks. Use this time to continue publishing quality content and growing your organic traffic, as Google's crawler will likely revisit your site during the review.
If Approved: Congratulations! Do not flood your site with ads immediately. Start conservatively. Place one or two ad units (e.g., a responsive in-content ad and a sidebar unit) on your high-traffic pages (as identified by Cloudflare). Monitor both your AdSense earnings and your Cloudflare engagement metrics to ensure ads are not destroying your user experience and traffic.
If Rejected: Do not despair. You will receive an email stating the reason (e.g., "Insufficient content," "Site design issues"). Use this feedback. Address the specific concern. Often, it means "wait longer and add more content." Continue building your site for another 4-8 weeks, adding more pillar content and growing organic traffic. Use Cloudflare to prove to yourself that you are making progress before reapplying. Persistence with quality always wins.
Stop guessing why you were rejected. Conduct an honest audit of your site today using this guide. Check your Cloudflare traffic trends, ensure you have a custom domain and legal pages, and audit your content depth. Fix one major issue each week. In 6-8 weeks, you will have a site that not only qualifies for AdSense but is also poised to actually generate meaningful revenue from it.