How to Add Google AdSense to Your Squarespace Website (2025)

A few months ago, I got an email from Squarespace that caught my attention. As a Circle member, I get weekly updates about what's happening on the platform, but this one was particularly intriguing. They had added an extension for Google AdSense!

If you've been using Squarespace for a while, you know that AdSense was notoriously tricky to set up. One of the biggest issues was that it required you to upload a document to the root of your website, and we simply don't have access to do that as Squarespace users. There were workarounds, but they weren't ideal.

I was excited to test out this new Google AdSense extension and see if it would finally make the process seamless. Spoiler alert: it didn't quite live up to my expectations, but I'll walk you through exactly what happened and show you the workaround you'll need to use.

Prefer to watch the video? Scroll to the end…

Finding the Google AdSense Extension

There are a couple of ways to access extensions in Squarespace. Since Squarespace moves menus around periodically, I'll show you both methods:

→ Alternatively, since this isn’t currently a true extension or integration, you can skip this entirely and just go directly to Google AdSense and skip below to “Setting Up AdSense”.

Method 1: Click the cog icon at the bottom of your screen (labeled "Settings"), then navigate to "Third Party Tools and Extensions" on the left sidebar.

Method 2: Press the forward slash key (/) on your keyboard and start typing "extensions." This will take you directly there.

Once you're there, search for "AdSense" and you'll find the Google AdSense extension. The listing promises some key features:

• Maximize earnings

• Customize ad placements and layouts

• Tailor ads to your visitors

• Available anywhere

Setting Up Google AdSense

When you click to set up the extension (at the time I’m writing this it just said “Learn More”), you'll be taken through Google's standard AdSense setup process. Even if you already have an AdSense account for YouTube or other sites, you'll need to go through this process specifically for your Squarespace website.

The setup involves:

1. Sign up

2. Adding your website URL

3. Agreeing to customization options

4. Setting up payment information

5. Creating your first ad unit

Creating Your First Ad Unit

Here's where things get practical. When you turn on auto ads, Google shows you a preview with ads everywhere, which can look overwhelming. Unless you want your site to look a bit unhinged, I recommend turning that off and creating specific ad units instead.

For my test, I decided to add an ad to my blog sidebar. Here's how:

1. Click "Add unit" and select "Display ads"

2. Name your ad unit (I called mine "sidebar")

3. Keep it set to "responsive"

4. Click "Create"

Google will generate code that you'll need to paste into a code block in Squarespace. Copy this code and head back to your website.

Adding the Ad Code to Your Squarespace Site

Navigate to where you want to place your ad (in my case, the blog sidebar) and add a code block. Paste in the code from Google and save.

But you're not done yet. You'll also need to add an activation code to your site header:

1. Copy the activation code from Google AdSense

2. Go to your Squarespace site settings

3. Navigate to "Code Injection"

4. Paste the code in the site header section

5. Save your changes

Return to Google AdSense and click "Yes, I've placed the code," then hit "Verify." Google will verify your site, which can take up to a few weeks.

The Ads.txt File Issue (The Real Challenge)

Here's where things get complicated and where the "integration" falls short. After a few days, my site was approved for AdSense, but I immediately saw a warning: "Earnings at risk. You need to fix some ads.txt file issues to avoid severe impact to your revenue."

While you don't technically need the ads.txt file, not having it can make your ads look fraudulent to advertisers, which means they won't want to bid on your ad space. This significantly impacts your potential revenue.

The problem? Google requires this file to be in the root directory of your website, and Squarespace users don't have access to that location.

The Workaround (Still Required)

Despite the new "integration," you'll still need to use the same workaround we've always used. It's not ideal and sometimes breaks, but here's how to set it up:

Step 1: Get Your Ads.txt Content

In your AdSense account, go to Sites, click on your website, and you'll see the code that needs to go in your ads.txt file.

Step 2: Create the Ads.txt File

1. Copy the code from AdSense

2. Open a text editor (like TextEdit on Mac or Notepad on PC)

3. Paste the code

4. Important: If using TextEdit, go to Format > Make Plain Text

5. Save the file as "ads.txt" to your desktop

Step 3: Upload to Squarespace

1. In your Squarespace admin, go to Pages

2. Under "Not Linked," click the plus sign

3. Choose "Link" then "File"

4. Upload your ads.txt file

5. Name the link "ads.txt" so you can find it later

The file will upload with a URL like /s/ads.txt, but we need it to appear as if it's in the root directory (/ads.txt).

Step 4: Create a Redirect

This is where our friends at Beyond Space have created a helpful tool. Use their free redirection tracer:

1. Paste your ads.txt file link into their tool

2. Click "Trace URL"

3. Copy the redirect code they generate

4. In Squarespace, search for "URL mappings" (using the / shortcut)

5. Paste in the redirect and save

Testing Your Setup

Head back to AdSense and check for updates. If everything worked correctly, you should see "ads.txt status: authorized" and your earnings risk warning should disappear.

My Honest Take on the "Integration"

I was genuinely excited when I saw there was a Google AdSense extension, but honestly, I'm a little disappointed. This integration requires the same amount of effort we've always needed to get Google Adsense working on Squarespace, especially with that tricky ads.txt file.

When I compare this to how seamlessly Squarespace integrates with Google Analytics and Google Search Console, it feels like this "partnership" doesn't actually simplify the process at all. It's really just the same steps we've had to use forever.

I reached out to Squarespace customer support about this. The first person I talked to said they didn't have a Google Ads integration (which was confusing since it's listed as an extension). After escalating my ticket, the next person explained that it's "not a typical extension, it's more a partnership," but there's no new integration over what we've had in the past.

The Bottom Line

While you can successfully add Google AdSense to your Squarespace website using this method, don't expect it to be the seamless experience the extension listing suggests. You'll still need to:

• Create ad units manually

• Add code to both your site and individual pages/sidebars

• Deal with the ads.txt file workaround

• Set up redirects to make everything work properly

I hope that with this partnership, the integration becomes truly seamless in the future. But for now, if you want to monetize your Squarespace site with AdSense, this is the process you'll need to follow.

My Plea to Squarespace

Please create a true integration, just like you have with Google Analytics. In Settings, allow us to paste in the code required for ads.txt, and then Squarespace adds it to the root directory of our website automatically. Bonus points if you automatically include the header code injection, too.

A Few Final Tips

• Consider the size and placement of your ads carefully. My sidebar ad looked a bit long and funky with the responsive setting, so I changed to fixed size square ads

• Monitor your analytics to see if the ads are worth the potential impact on user experience

• Be prepared to occasionally reset the ads.txt redirect if it breaks

• Give it a few days to start seeing revenue once everything is set up

Good luck with your Google Adsense setup!

Watch the Video