Ads.txt Manager

Manage your site’s ads.txt file directly from the WordPress admin panel. Control which advertising networks are authorized to sell your ad inventory—all without FTP access or file editing.

Use Cases#

• Add Google AdSense authorization entries without editing files
• Manage multiple ad network authorizations in one place
• Update ads.txt when switching ad partners
• Comply with IAB requirements for authorized digital sellers
• Fix “ads.txt not found” warnings from ad networks

What is ads.txt?#

Ads.txt (Authorized Digital Sellers) is a text file that publishers place on their websites to declare which companies are authorized to sell their ad inventory. It helps:

• Prevent ad fraud by verifying legitimate sellers
• Improve ad revenue by building advertiser trust
• Meet requirements from Google AdSense, Google Ad Manager, and other networks

Your ads.txt file is publicly accessible at yoursite.com/ads.txt.

Where to Find It#

Configure your ads.txt content in the Switchboard module settings. Changes take effect immediately at /ads.txt.

How It Works#

1. Open the Ads.txt Manager module settings
2. Enter your ads.txt content in the textarea
3. Save your changes
4. WordPress serves your content at /ads.txt

The module creates a virtual ads.txt file—no actual file is created on your server.

ads.txt Format#

Each line in ads.txt follows this format:

domain, publisher-id, relationship-type, certification-authority-id

Common Entries#

Google AdSense#

google.com, pub-XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0

Replace pub-XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX with your actual AdSense publisher ID.

Google Ad Manager#

google.com, pub-XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0

Multiple Networks#

# Google AdSense
google.com, pub-1234567890123456, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0

# Example ad network
example-ads.com, 12345, DIRECT

# Reseller example
reseller-network.com, 67890, RESELLER, abc123def456

Finding Your Publisher ID#

Google AdSense#

1. Log into your AdSense account
2. Click Settings (gear icon) → Account → Account information
3. Copy your Publisher ID (starts with “pub-”)

Other Networks#

Each ad network provides their specific ads.txt entry in their dashboard. Look for:

• “ads.txt” or “Authorized Sellers” in settings
• Setup or integration documentation
• Publisher tools section

Comments#

Use # to add comments explaining your entries:

# Primary ad network
google.com, pub-1234567890123456, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0

# Added 2024-01-15 for header bidding
example-ads.com, 12345, DIRECT

Verifying Your ads.txt#

After saving, verify your ads.txt is working:

1. Visit yoursite.com/ads.txt in your browser
2. Confirm your entries appear correctly
3. Use Google’s Ads.txt Validator to check for errors

Physical File vs Virtual#

If you have a physical ads.txt file in your WordPress root directory, it takes precedence over this virtual file. To use this module:

1. Delete or rename the physical file
2. Your content will then be served from this module

DIRECT vs RESELLER#

• DIRECT: You have a direct business relationship with the ad system
• RESELLER: Another company is authorized to sell your inventory through that ad system

Most publishers primarily use DIRECT entries. RESELLER entries are typically provided by ad management companies or header bidding partners.

FAQ#