AdSense Manager PRO 1.0.9
- Author Michaelb24179
- Creation date
AdSense Manager Pro — FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
General
What is AdSense Manager Pro?
AdSense Manager Pro is a comprehensive Google AdSense integration add-on for XenForo 2.3. It lets you manage all your ad placements, monitor earnings via the Google API, protect against ad blockers and click fraud, and share revenue with content creators — all from within your admin panel.
Do I need a Google AdSense account?
Yes. You need an active Google AdSense account to display ads. The API integration (reporting, alerts, etc.) is optional — the add-on works for ad placement even without connecting to the API.
Is the API connection required?
No. You can use AdSense Manager Pro purely for ad placement (paste your ad codes, choose positions, done). The API connection is optional and unlocks the dashboard, reporting, alerts, and payment history features.
Which XenForo version is required?
XenForo 2.3.x with PHP 8.1 or higher.
Are there any dependencies?
None. AdSense Manager Pro works standalone with no other add-ons required.
Does the add-on create database tables?
No. All data is stored using XenForo's built-in Options system and SimpleCache. No custom database tables, no migrations, clean uninstall.
Installation & Setup
How do I install the add-on?
Upload the add-on files to
src/addons/DEB/AdSense/, then install via Admin Panel > Add-ons > Install/upgrade from archive. A setup wizard guides you through the initial configuration.How do I connect to the Google AdSense API?
- Create a project in the Google Cloud Console
- Enable the AdSense Management API v2
- Create OAuth2 credentials (Web Application)
- Enter Client ID and Client Secret in the add-on settings (API tab)
- Click "Authorize with Google" and grant read-only access
What permissions does the API need?
Read-only access only (
adsense.readonly scope). The add-on never modifies your AdSense account, ads, or settings.How do I set up my first ad slot?
Go to AdSense Manager Pro > Positions in your admin panel. Click on any of the 10 available zones in the visual editor, paste your AdSense ad code, and save. The ad will appear immediately on your forum.
Ad Placement
How many ad positions are available?
10 positions: Above Content, Below Content, Sidebar, Footer, Above Thread List, Above Messages, Below Messages, Between Posts, Between Threads, and Between Sidebar Widgets.
Do I need to edit any templates?
No. All ad positions are injected automatically via template modifications. You only paste your ad code in the admin panel — no template editing required.
Can I control how often "Between" ads appear?
Yes. For Between Posts, Between Threads, and Between Sidebar Widgets, you can set the frequency from every 2 to every 10 items. For example, setting Between Posts to 3 means an ad appears after every 3rd post.
Can I use different ad codes for mobile?
Yes. Enable "Mobile Slots" in settings and configure separate ad codes for mobile devices. The add-on detects mobile visitors via User-Agent and serves the appropriate ad code.
Can I limit the ad size?
Yes. You can set a maximum width and height per position. This prevents oversized ads from breaking your layout.
Targeting & Exclusions
Can I hide ads from certain user groups?
Yes. You can exclude any user group (e.g., Premium, VIP, Staff, Moderators) from seeing ads entirely.
Can I exclude specific forums?
Yes. Select individual forum nodes in the settings to exclude them from ad display.
Which pages are excluded by default?
15+ templates are excluded by default, including login, registration, error pages, account settings, help pages, and payment pages. You can customize this list.
What does "Guest Density" do?
It controls how aggressively ads are shown to non-logged-in visitors:
- Normal — Same ad density as registered users
- High — More frequent ad display for guests
- Exclusive — Ads shown only to guests (registered users see no ads)
A/B Testing
How does A/B testing work?
Enable A/B testing in settings, then enter a Variant B ad code for any position. The add-on splits visitors 50/50 — each user consistently sees either Variant A or Variant B based on their user ID (or IP hash for guests).
Can I test different positions independently?
Yes. Each of the 10 positions has its own A/B test. You can run tests on one position while others serve a single ad code.
Is the split truly 50/50?
Yes. The split is deterministic using CRC32 hashing — each user always sees the same variant, and the distribution is statistically even.
Revenue Sharing
How does revenue sharing work?
You assign individual Google publisher IDs to content creators along with a share percentage (1–100%). When a visitor views a thread, the add-on may swap the ad code publisher ID with the thread author's ID based on the configured percentage.
Is the distribution fair?
Yes. Distribution is deterministic based on thread ID and timestamp — not random. Over time, each creator receives their configured share percentage.
Does the creator need their own AdSense account?
Yes. Each creator needs an approved Google AdSense account with their own publisher ID (pub-XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX).
Protection Features
How does ad blocker detection work?
The add-on places a bait element on the page and checks if it was hidden by an ad blocker. If detected, a configurable message appears (banner, modal, or inline). Options include a countdown timer, dismiss button, or redirect URL.
What is click fraud protection?
The add-on tracks ad clicks per session. If a user clicks more than the configured maximum (default: 3 clicks), ads are hidden for that user for a cooldown period (default: 30 minutes). This protects your AdSense account from invalid click activity.
Is the GDPR consent banner included?
Yes. A cookie-based consent banner can be enabled. When active, no ads are loaded until the visitor explicitly agrees. Consent is stored in a cookie for one year.
What about bots and crawlers?
When "Hide from Bots" is enabled (default), search engine crawlers and bots are served no ad code. This prevents invalid impressions and can improve your SEO performance.
Reporting & Dashboard
What data is shown on the dashboard?
The dashboard displays 4 KPIs (today's earnings, clicks, impressions, RPM), feature status cards, ad slot configuration status, and a quick-sync button — all refreshed via the API.
What reports are available?
7+ report types: Earnings by Day, Geographic Breakdown, Platform Analysis (Desktop/Mobile/Tablet), Ad Format Performance, Ad Size Performance, Slot-Level Performance, and Viewability Metrics.
How often is data synced?
Every 15 minutes via a cron job. You can also trigger a manual sync from the dashboard at any time. API data is cached with a configurable TTL (default: 6 hours) to minimize API calls.
Can I choose custom date ranges?
Yes. Reports support Today, Last 7 Days, Last 30 Days, Current Month, and fully custom date ranges.
Email Alerts
What alerts are available?
5 alert types: Earnings Drop (>30% day-over-day), Policy Violations, Site Status Changes, Low RPM (<$1), and Low Viewability (<40%).
Who receives the alerts?
All super admins receive alert emails automatically.
How often are alerts checked?
Once daily at 7:30 AM via cron job.
Can I see past alerts?
Yes. The alert history (last 100 alerts) is viewable in the admin panel under AdSense Manager Pro > Alerts, including a timeline view and statistics.
Performance
Does the add-on slow down my forum?
No. The add-on uses lazy loading (IntersectionObserver) so ads only load when scrolled into view. API data is cached to prevent repeated requests. No database queries are made on the frontend — all configuration is served from the option cache.
What is lazy loading?
Ads are not loaded immediately when the page opens. Instead, they load when the user scrolls near them (200px before they enter the viewport). This significantly improves initial page load time, especially on pages with multiple ad slots.
How much API quota does the add-on use?
Minimal. With the default 6-hour cache TTL and 15-minute sync interval, the add-on makes approximately 10–15 API calls per sync cycle. Google AdSense API has a generous daily quota that is never reached in normal operation.
ads.txt Management
Can I edit my ads.txt from the admin panel?
Yes. The built-in ads.txt editor lets you view, edit, and save your ads.txt file directly from the admin panel. It shows file status, permissions, line count, and last modified date. No FTP access needed.
Does the add-on create the ads.txt automatically?
No. The editor lets you create and manage the file, but you control the content. Google requires specific entries for your publisher ID — the editor makes it easy to add and maintain them.
Troubleshooting
Ads are not showing. What should I check?
- Is "Enable AdSense" turned on in settings?
- Is your user group excluded from seeing ads?
- Is the current page/template in the exclusion list?
- Is ad code entered for the position you expect?
- Do you have an ad blocker active in your browser?
- Check the browser console for JavaScript errors
The API connection test fails. What should I do?
- Verify your Client ID and Client Secret are correct
- Ensure the AdSense Management API is enabled in Google Cloud Console
- Check that your OAuth redirect URI matches your forum URL
- Try re-authorizing via the "Authorize with Google" button
- Check your server's outbound connectivity (cURL to googleapis.com)
Dashboard shows no data after connecting the API.
Data syncs every 15 minutes. Click the "Sync Now" button on the dashboard to trigger an immediate sync. If data still doesn't appear, check the XenForo error log for API errors.
Revenue sharing is enabled but the creator's ID is not showing.
Revenue sharing only activates on thread view pages. The creator must be the thread author, and the percentage determines the probability — it may not trigger on every page load.
Compatibility & Support
Is AdSense Manager Pro compatible with other ad add-ons?
Yes. The add-on uses its own template modifications and does not conflict with other advertising add-ons. You can run it alongside XenForo's built-in advertising system.
Does it work with custom styles/themes?
Yes. Ad slots are injected into standard XenForo template positions and adapt to any style. The admin panel UI uses its own scoped CSS that does not interfere with your theme.
Is the add-on translatable?
Yes. All phrases use XenForo's phrase system. English is the default language, and a complete German translation is included. Additional languages can be added via XenForo's standard language system.
Where can I get support?
Support is available at https://www.digital-eliteboard.com. Please include your XenForo version, PHP version, and any error messages when reporting issues.