This is the first guide in our Ad Manager setup series, aimed at publishers getting started from scratch. Everything else in the series builds on what's covered here.
Before you start
You'll need a Google account, a website that meets Ad Manager's eligibility requirements, and (for most independent publishers) either an approved AdSense account to link, or an MCM partnership if you're joining through a parent like AdPulse.
Creating the account
- Sign up for Google Ad Manager and complete the initial site verification.
- Add and verify your site's domain.
- Review and accept the publisher policies — this matters more than it seems at signup, since violations later trace back here.
The pieces that need to connect
Displaying an ad requires three things working together: an ad unit (the placement), a line item inside an order (what fills it and at what price), and a tag implemented on your site (the code connecting the two). Guides #2 through #4 walk through each of these in order.
If you're joining through an MCM partner
Much of this initial setup is handled jointly with your parent account. AdPulse walks new publishers through account setup, verification, and the first working ad tag as part of onboarding.
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