Details

Written by Tech Notes

Published: 24 November 2014

How many Google Adsense ads are allowed per website page and what kind?

I often forget the details of this, and I see a lot of people, including professionals, are wrong or confused about this.  So, I created this article for regular and easy reference.  You would want to bookmark this to come back when you have this question again; you will forget over time.  If changes occur, let me know to update.  This articles focus is on Google's Adsense For Content and not Adsense for other things, like parked domains.  However, it does take into consideration the Adsense For Search.

Please note that I do not get paid to write these articles.  All are done in a best effort manner.

1. Number of display ads allowed per page?
   
   
   1.  THREE. A maximum of 3 display ads are allowed per page.  They can be of any sized defined by Google: 728x90, 320x100, 970x250, 970x90, 468x60, 300x600 (read exception below), 300x1050 (read exception below), 160x600, 120x600, 120x240, 336x280, 300x250, 250x250, 200x200, 180x150, Responsive size.
      
      
      1.  EXCEPTION.  The exception is when you use a 300x600 or larger, which would be 300x1050 as of writing this.  When displaying one of these large ads, then you are only allowed to show 1 of these sizes along with other sizes.  This also means that all 3 display ads can be the same size only when they are less than 300x600.  In case you are wondering, a 160x600 or 120x600 are less (smaller) than 300x600, and so those sizes can repeat.
         
         
2. Total ads allowed per page?
   
   
   1.  SIX Google ads plus two Google Search Boxes (different product: Adsense for search). The maximum number of Google ads types you will be able to get on a page will be 6, plus 2 search engine boxes.  Search boxes would be only if you were enrolled for the Adsense For Search product of Google.  Please note that we are talking about Google ads, and this does not restrict you from having your own or other ads along with the Google ads.  The restrictions are ONLY for the Google ads, which means you can have other ads too.  However, you do not want to abuse the system or do excessive ads or many large ads in a way that causes problems for the visitor, or worse cause Google to frown upon it as making them look bad and end up having your account closed.
      
      
      1.  Per website page, Google allows 3 Display (text or image) ads (refer to size exception indicated above), plus 3 Link Units (regardless how many links display per unit), and 2 Search Boxes of Google's Adsense for Search.  The size of the Link Units does not matter, and can be 728x15, 468x15, 200x90, 180x90.  (Link Units display only text links; a form of advertisement via text).  So, if you got all 3 Display Ads, and 3 Link Unit ads, you get a total of six; and you can still add two Search Boxes on that page.
         
         
3. Can I have the same size display ads on the page?
   
   
   1.  Yes, up to 3, except when your display ad is 300x600 or larger.  Only 1 300x600 ad allowed, along with 2 other smaller sized display ads.
      
      
4.  Can I have my own ads or other ads shown along with Google Adsense ads?
   
   
   1.  YES.  All of the rules and restrictions indicated above are for Google's ads.  In other words, Google does allow other ads to be shown along with their ads.  This is something that I admire about Google's Adsense program.  Do your ads in a reasonable and non-abusive way.  Do not make the ads excessive and in my opinion, if you are gong to show a 300x600 or larger ads, then you should not be showing many of those and probably one is enough.
      
      
      1.  Just make sure you do not violate any frame rules Google has for showing ads.  From Google: "When a site displays someone else's site within a frame or window on their own site, this is considered framing content. Placing Google ads on such pages is strictly prohibited."  I am not sure if they are referring to ads within the frame or on the whole page in general.  Regardless how lame you think such frame rules are, or how disgusted you may be with such rules, since Frames and Iframes are fantastic tools for designing pages, I think Google does not like them.  I suspect it causes problems for their search engine and also removes control away from them and allows abuse.  Frames can be used for good or bad, and unfortunately, if I am not mistaken, Google has taken a stance on not allowing their ads along with frames.  Although, I think I read somewhere on Google, a while ago, that there was exceptions or circumstances where frames were okay on the page. That is separate topic from this article that I cannot go into.

EXAMPLE:

The following page linked is a good example of 3 Display ads being shown along with 2 Link Unit ads:
http://technotes.whw1.com/TNSingles/AppleIpadsComparison1.html

Useful Link

At the time of writing this article, the following link was valid for their Ad Placement Policies.
https://support.google.com/adsense/answer/1346295?hl=en&ref_topic=1271508&rd=1

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