How to Add ads.txt File in WordPress

Monetizing your WordPress website with advertisements is a common practice for bloggers and website owners. To ensure that your advertising inventory is being sold by authorized sellers and to prevent fraudulent ad selling, it’s important to implement an ads.txt file on your website. In this blog post, we will guide you through the process of adding an ads.txt file to your WordPress site.

What is an ads.txt file?

An ads.txt (Authorized Digital Sellers) file is a simple text file that helps verify and authorize the ad networks or platforms that are allowed to sell ads on your website. It contains a list of authorized sellers, their publisher IDs, and other information that enables advertisers to confirm the legitimacy of the inventory they purchase.

Why is an ads.txt file important?

1. Fraud Prevention: It helps prevent ad fraud by ensuring that only authorized entities sell ads on your website.
2. Monetization Control: You have control over who can monetize your site and which ad networks can be used.
3. Increased Trust: Advertisers are more likely to spend on sites with a properly configured ads.txt file, as it assures them of the legitimacy of the ad inventory.

Steps to Add an ads.txt File in WordPress

Follow these steps to add an ads.txt file to your WordPress website:

1. Log into Your WordPress Dashboard: Enter your WordPress admin panel.
2. Install and Activate a Plugin: If your website doesn’t have an SEO plugin, consider installing one like Yoast SEO or All in One SEO. These plugins often provide an ads.txt section.
3. Access the Plugin Settings: Go to the settings of the SEO plugin and find the ads.txt section. It might be under the “SEO” or “Tools” tab.
4. Edit Your ads.txt File: In the plugin’s ads.txt section, you’ll find a text box where you can add your ads.txt information. It should look something like this:

   google.com, pub-0000000000000000, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0

Here, replace “pub-0000000000000000” with your own publisher ID, and add other authorized sellers as needed.

5. Save Changes: Once you’ve added your ads.txt information, save the changes.
6. Check Your ads.txt File: To ensure your ads.txt file is working correctly, enter your domain in a web browser followed by “/ads.txt” (e.g., “yourwebsite.com/ads.txt”). You should see your ads.txt file displayed in the browser.
7. Verify with Ad Networks: Inform your ad networks about your ads.txt file update so that they can verify and authorize your site for advertising.

Conclusion

Adding an ads.txt file to your WordPress site is a simple but crucial step to ensure that your advertising is secure and legitimate. By authorizing only trusted sellers, you not only prevent fraud but also build trust with advertisers, potentially increasing your ad revenue. Remember to update your ads.txt file as needed when working with different ad networks or platforms to maintain control and transparency in your ad monetization efforts.