If you’re thinking about buying a website, there’s one crucial thing you should check before you make a deal: Is the website banned from Google AdSense? A domain that has been penalized or banned by AdSense could mean serious financial losses.
Many people overlook this step and end up with a site that can’t generate ad revenue. Don’t let that happen to you. In this guide, we’ll explain:
- Why you should always check a domain before buying
- How to verify a website’s AdSense status
- Other key factors to consider before purchasing a site
Let’s dive in!
Why You Should Check a Domain Before Buying
Imagine this: You find a great website for sale. It has high traffic, good SEO rankings, and solid content. Everything looks perfect. But after purchasing it, you realize you can’t monetize it with AdSense.
This happens more often than you think. Many domains get banned or restricted by Google due to policy violations. Some common reasons include:
1. Click Fraud & Invalid Activity
If the previous owner clicked on their own ads or encouraged others to do so, Google may have permanently banned the domain.
2. Policy Violations
Google has strict content guidelines. Websites that previously hosted adult content, copyrighted materials, or misleading information may be blacklisted.
3. Past SEO Manipulation
Some sellers use black hat SEO tactics to boost rankings quickly. If Google detects this, it can penalize the site—making it nearly impossible to generate ad revenue.
4. Domain History Issues
Even if a website looks fine today, its past matters. A domain that was banned before may still carry a negative reputation with Google.
Skipping this check can be a costly mistake. But don’t worry—you can easily verify a site’s AdSense status with a few simple steps.
How to Check If a Website Is Banned from AdSense
The good news? There are several tools to check if a site is AdSense-approved or banned. Here’s how you can do it:
1. Use Google’s Official AdSense Eligibility Check
- Sign in to your Google AdSense account.
- Go to Sites > Add Site and enter the domain name.
- If Google rejects the site, it may be banned or restricted.
🔹 Tip: If you don’t have an AdSense account yet, you can create one for free.
2. Use Third-Party AdSense Ban Checker Tools
There are several online tools that quickly check a website’s AdSense status:
- IsBanned.com
- AdSense Sandbox
- BannedCheck.com
Simply enter the website URL, and these tools will tell you whether the domain is banned from AdSense.
🔹 Warning: These tools aren’t always 100% accurate. Always double-check with Google’s official method.
3. Check Google’s Cache & Index Status
If a domain is banned from AdSense, it may also be de-indexed from Google Search. To check:
- Search “site:yourdomain.com” on Google.
- If no results appear, it may be completely blacklisted.
- If results appear but the site has low visibility, it could have SEO penalties.
🔹 Extra Step: Use tools like Google Search Console and Ahrefs to see if the site has a manual penalty from Google.
4. Look for AdSense Ads on the Website
A quick way to check: Does the site currently display AdSense ads?
- Visit a few pages.
- If you see Google ads, it’s likely approved.
- If there are no ads, but the site claims to be monetized—this is a red flag.
🔹 Be careful: Some sellers remove ads before selling to hide a ban. Always verify.
Other Important Factors to Check Before Buying a Website
Checking for an AdSense ban is critical, but it’s not the only thing to consider. Here are some other must-check factors:
1. Traffic Quality & Sources
- Use Google Analytics or SimilarWeb to check traffic data.
- Look for organic traffic rather than bot or fake traffic.
- Avoid sites with sudden traffic drops—they might have been penalized.
🔹 Ideal Monthly Traffic: At least 5,000+ real visitors per month for a stable investment.
2. SEO Health & Backlink Profile
- Use Ahrefs, Moz, or SEMrush to check domain authority and backlinks.
- Avoid sites with toxic backlinks or spammy SEO tactics.
- Look for consistent organic rankings—not just temporary spikes.
🔹 Tip: A healthy site should have natural backlinks from reputable sources.
3. Monetization & Revenue Sources
- Check if the site earns revenue from AdSense, affiliate marketing, or product sales.
- Verify earnings using screenshots, Google Analytics, and payment reports.
- Be cautious if a seller can’t provide proof of revenue.
🔹 Minimum Safe Revenue: Look for sites making at least $200-$500 per month if your goal is profit.
4. Website Content & Niche
- Avoid niches that violate Google policies (e.g., adult content, gambling, illegal downloads).
- Make sure content is original (use tools like Copyscape to check for plagiarism).
- Consider niches that have long-term potential (e.g., finance, health, tech).
🔹 Best Niches for AdSense: Finance, travel, technology, and education tend to perform well.
5. Website Performance & Security
- Use Google PageSpeed Insights to check site speed.
- Make sure the website is mobile-friendly (over 60% of users browse on mobile).
- Scan for malware using Google Safe Browsing or Sucuri SiteCheck.
🔹 Ideal Load Time: Under 3 seconds for the best user experience.