Top 10 AdSense Mistakes to Avoid in 2025 (With Proven Fixes)

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If you’re starting your blogging journey or trying to monetize your website with Google AdSense in 2025, congratulations — you’ve chosen one of the easiest and most beginner-friendly monetization methods. But here’s the hard truth: most new AdSense publishers either get rejected or banned within the first year, often due to avoidable mistakes.

With Google getting stricter about user experience, AI-generated content, and ad policy violations, it’s no longer enough to just slap a few articles on a site and expect revenue. According to a recent transparency report by Google, millions of ads were disapproved in 2024 due to violations of content and policy guidelines — many from small publishers unaware they were doing anything wrong.

So before you lose your hard-earned approval or worse, your entire account, let’s break down the most critical AdSense mistakes to avoid in 2025 — with real fixes and examples to help you stay compliant, ethical, and profitable.

Top 10 AdSense Mistakes to Avoid in 2025 (With Proven Fixes)
Top 10 AdSense Mistakes to Avoid in 2025 (With Proven Fixes)

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10 AdSense Mistakes to Avoid in 2025 (With Proven Fixes)

AdSense isn’t just about getting approved — it’s about staying compliant and optimizing for real income. Every year, Google disables thousands of accounts due to policy violations, poor content quality, or invalid traffic — most of which could have been avoided. In this post, we’ll walk you through the 10 most common AdSense mistakes to avoid in 2025, complete with real examples, tools, and step-by-step fixes. Whether you’re a new blogger or already earning, these insights will help you stay safe, grow your traffic, and maximize your AdSense earnings the right way.

1. Publishing Low-Quality or AI-Generated Thin Content

In 2025, the quality of your content isn’t just about getting traffic — it’s about keeping your AdSense account safe. Google is cracking down harder than ever on low-value content, especially the kind that’s mass-produced using AI tools without real human input or value.

If your blog is full of short posts that offer little more than keyword stuffing and repetitive sentences, it’s not just your SEO rankings that suffer — your AdSense earnings will too. Worse, your account could get flagged or disabled.

Why Google Penalizes Thin Content

Google’s Spam Policies clearly mention that sites with “automatically generated content” that adds no real value may be considered spam. This includes:

  • Blog posts rewritten using AI without originality
  • Pages with no clear purpose or intent
  • Articles copied or spun from other sources
  • Posts created just to rank for a keyword without solving a real user problem

Real-World Example

One blogger submitted a 50-post niche site to AdSense, built entirely using AI tools. Within two weeks of approval, AdSense started showing “Limited Ads” warnings, followed by a complete ad restriction due to “unoriginal and low-quality content.”

What You Should Do Instead

  • Follow EEAT: Make sure your content shows Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trust. Even basic product reviews or “how-to” guides should include a personal experience or insight.
  • Add real value: Don’t just summarize what’s already on Google. Offer something fresh — even if it’s just better formatting, helpful visuals, or case studies.
  • Use AI as a tool, not a crutch: Draft with ChatGPT or other tools if you need, but always add your own editing, examples, voice, and tone.
  • Write longer, helpful content: Aim for at least 800–1000 words per post that answers multiple user queries naturally.
  • Use plagiarism checkers like Originality.ai or Quetext before publishing.

Pro Tip:

Include author bios and publish under a name with credibility. Google looks for signals that a real person wrote the article.

In short, don’t chase quantity — build quality. It’s not just good SEO advice — it’s essential to keep your AdSense earnings safe and growing in 2025.

2. Clicking on Your Own Ads or Encouraging Invalid Clicks

This is one of the most dangerous — and surprisingly common — mistakes that leads to instant disqualification from AdSense. In fact, invalid click activity is the #1 reason why Google bans AdSense accounts. And once you’re banned, it’s almost impossible to get reinstated.

So what counts as invalid click activity? It’s more than just clicking your own ad.

What Google Considers Invalid Clicks

According to AdSense Program Policies, the following are considered violations:

  • Clicking on your own ads — even “just to test”
  • Asking friends or family to click
  • Writing phrases like “Click the ad to support us”
  • Using bots or automated tools to generate ad clicks
  • Encouraging accidental clicks with misleading design (e.g. placing an ad under a “Download” button)

Google has systems (including machine learning algorithms and manual reviews) that track user behavior, IP addresses, session patterns, and click consistency. If something looks suspicious, your account will get flagged almost instantly.

A Real Story You Should Learn From

In a popular blogging group on Reddit, a new publisher shared how they lost their AdSense account just 5 days after approval. Why? They asked a few WhatsApp friends to visit and “just click on any ad.” The result? Their account was permanently disabled with no option to appeal. One mistake, and months of hard work — gone.

How to Avoid This Costly Mistake

  • Never click your own ads — not even once. If you want to check if they’re displaying properly, use Chrome’s Incognito mode or ad preview tools.
  • Do not ask anyone to click your ads. Even sharing your site link and saying “check out the ads” can be risky if someone takes it literally.
  • Avoid misleading UI tricks. Ads should be clearly distinguishable from content. No tricks, no sneaky placements.
  • Use tools like Google AdSense Invalid Click Protector for WordPress to prevent click bombing.
  • Check your account regularly using the AdSense Dashboard > Policy Center > Invalid Activity Report.

Bonus Tip: Improve Click-Through Rate (CTR) Naturally

If your earnings are low, don’t manipulate clicks — optimize for better ad performance:

  • Test ad placement (middle of content performs well for blogs)
  • Use responsive ad units so they display well on all devices
  • Try blending ad colors to match site design without tricking users

Final Word on This Mistake

Google’s policies are strict for a reason — they want advertisers to get real value. Once your account is flagged for invalid activity, there’s no second chance. So always play safe, follow the rules, and focus on organic growth — not shortcuts.

3. Placing Too Many Ads Above the Fold

If your website looks like an ad board before users even see your content, you’re heading straight for trouble. In 2025, user experience (UX) is not just a ranking factor—it’s directly tied to your AdSense revenue and policy compliance.

What Does “Above the Fold” Mean?

“Above the fold” refers to the portion of your webpage visible without scrolling. When ads dominate this space and push content down, it frustrates visitors and signals poor UX to both Google Search and AdSense.

Since the Page Layout Algorithm update, Google has been penalizing pages that show too many ads before the content begins. It’s not just about the number of ads—it’s about the balance between ads and value.

Example of a Bad Setup

Let’s say you open a recipe blog, and the first screen on mobile shows:

  • One sticky banner at the top
  • One big square ad block
  • One floating ad at the bottom

By the time the user scrolls to the actual recipe, they’re already annoyed. This setup increases your bounce rate and reduces engagement, which in turn lowers your AdSense RPM (Revenue per Thousand Impressions).

What Google Recommends

As per Google’s Webmaster Blog, content should be the focus, not ads. If your layout looks like an obstacle course of banners, it’s time to rethink.

Here’s a better structure:

  • 1 banner ad at the top (header or navbar)
  • 1 display ad mid-content (after paragraph 2–3)
  • 1 ad at the end of content
  • Optional: 1 sidebar ad (desktop only)

Important: Always check how your page appears on mobile. Use Google Mobile-Friendly Test and PageSpeed Insights to detect layout issues caused by excessive ads.

Fixes You Can Apply Today

  • Use fewer ads, but smarter placement: Focus on where users are most engaged, like inside long-form content.
  • Enable Auto Ads carefully: Review what Google places, and adjust the ad load in your AdSense Auto Ads settings.
  • Avoid sticky side ads on mobile: They often cover content and violate policies.
  • Use heatmaps from tools like Hotjar or Microsoft Clarity to identify where users interact most.

Personal Tip

When I first set up AdSense on one of my blogs, I went overboard with five ad units above the fold—thinking more ads = more revenue. Within two weeks, my site got a page-level policy warning. I reduced ads, focused on content-first design, and saw not only higher RPMs but longer user time on site.

4. Ignoring Mobile Optimization

If your website isn’t mobile-optimized in 2025, you’re not just losing traffic — you’re losing AdSense revenue and possibly risking a policy violation. Over 70% of global web traffic now comes from mobile devices (Statista, 2024), and Google’s entire indexing system is now mobile-first. This means your mobile version is what Google checks first — not your desktop layout.

Yet, one of the most common mistakes beginners make is testing their site only on desktop, while mobile visitors suffer from broken layouts, overlapping ads, or text squeezed between banners.

Why Mobile Optimization Matters for AdSense

Poor mobile layout leads to:

  • Lower Click-Through Rate (CTR)
  • Higher bounce rate
  • User frustration, especially when ads overlap content
  • Policy violations due to accidental click risks

Google wants users to engage with content, not dodge intrusive ads. If users exit your site quickly, your RPM (revenue per thousand impressions) and ad fill rate can drop dramatically.

A Common Example

A beginner blogger enabled auto ads, which looked fine on desktop. But on mobile, every paragraph was interrupted with an ad, and the “Next” button was covered by a sticky footer ad. The result? Visitors bounced within seconds, and AdSense sent a warning email: “Fix user experience issues to avoid ad limitations.”

How to Check if Your Site is Mobile-Friendly

Run your blog through these tools:

How to Fix Mobile Optimization Issues

  • Use responsive ad units: These automatically adapt to screen size.
  • Avoid fixed-width designs: Choose a mobile-first WordPress theme like Astra or GeneratePress.
  • Minimize pop-ups and sticky ads: Especially on smaller screens.
  • Test after every design or plugin update: Don’t assume mobile is “still fine.”
  • Use lazy-loading for ads and images: To improve speed without sacrificing ad revenue.
  • Consider AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages): If you’re in news or media blogging, AMP can load pages faster while supporting AdSense.

Bonus Tip: Ad Load Settings

Inside your AdSense Auto Ads settings, you can adjust the ad load — lower it for mobile to maintain better UX. High ad load may boost impressions short-term but ruins long-term earnings if users keep leaving.

5. Publishing Copyrighted Content (Even by Mistake)

One of the fastest ways to get your AdSense account suspended or rejected is by using copyrighted material — knowingly or unknowingly. In 2025, Google’s content detection tools have become smarter, and even minor copyright violations can result in ad limitations, payment holds, or a permanent ban.

Many beginners assume that copying a few lines from another site, embedding images from Google Search, or using song lyrics or film dialogues is harmless. But when you’re monetizing with AdSense, these small mistakes can cost you big.

What Counts as Copyright Violation?

According to Google’s Publisher Policies, you may not:

  • Post copyrighted text, song lyrics, movie scripts, or book excerpts without permission
  • Use images from Google or Pinterest that aren’t licensed for reuse
  • Embed YouTube videos with pirated or reused content without transformative purpose
  • Share download links to movies, software, or music—even if hosted elsewhere

Even if you give credit or link to the original source, that doesn’t mean you have legal rights to publish or monetize it.

Real-World Example

A tech blog included a review of a Netflix show and used the official poster found on Google Images. Within a month, the site received a DMCA takedown notice, and AdSense ads stopped appearing on that post. Soon after, their entire account was flagged for policy review, leading to ad serving restrictions across multiple pages.

How to Avoid Copyright Mistakes

  • Use royalty-free image libraries:
  • For videos, only use official embeds from YouTube and add commentary or analysis (fair use).
  • Avoid publishing full lyrics, scripts, or articles — even partial copying can trigger content matches.
  • Use tools like Copyscape or PlagiarismDetector.net to check if your content closely resembles copyrighted pages.
  • Rewrite content in your own voice: Paraphrasing with added insight is safer and more useful for SEO too.

Bonus Tip: Add a Disclaimer

If you’re writing reviews or news commentary, include a clear disclaimer and cite your sources. While it doesn’t offer complete protection, it shows you’re not claiming ownership or promoting pirated content.

Example:

Disclaimer: This article includes commentary on a copyrighted film/series. All trademarks and images belong to their respective owners.

Final Word

In short, when you’re monetizing with AdSense, your blog is a business — and businesses must follow copyright law. Don’t assume something online is “free to use” just because it’s publicly visible.

6. Slow Website Speed and High Bounce Rate

You could have amazing content and clean ad placements, but if your website loads slowly, you’re silently killing your AdSense earnings. In 2025, website speed is not just a ranking factor—it directly impacts your ad impressions, RPM, and user trust.

When visitors land on your page and it takes more than 3 seconds to load, most of them leave before even seeing the ads. That’s lost money right there.

According to Think with Google, a delay of just 1 second in mobile load time can reduce conversions by up to 20%. The same logic applies to AdSense CTR and impressions — the longer it takes to load, the less likely someone will see or click an ad.

How Slow Speed Hurts Your AdSense Revenue

  • Fewer impressions: If users bounce quickly, ads don’t fully load or get counted.
  • Lower RPM: Advertisers pay less for placements with poor performance metrics.
  • Policy violations: Excessive load time from heavy ad scripts may trigger UX warnings in AdSense.
  • Poor Core Web Vitals scores, affecting both SEO and monetization eligibility.

Real Example

One food blog owner had pages filled with 10+ high-resolution images, multiple tracking scripts, and 5 ad units. While the content was great, the average mobile load time was 7 seconds. Within weeks, AdSense auto ads showed fewer impressions, and average RPM dropped from ₹160 to ₹45. After optimizing page speed, the blog’s RPM bounced back within 10 days.

How to Check Your Website Speed

Use these free tools:

These tools also give you suggestions to fix speed issues — especially on mobile.

Actionable Fixes to Improve Speed

  • Compress images: Use tools like TinyPNG or enable lazy loading.
  • Enable caching: Use WordPress plugins like WP Rocket or W3 Total Cache.
  • Minify CSS, JS, and HTML: Helps browsers load your page faster.
  • Avoid using too many ad networks together: Stick to AdSense if you’re just starting.
  • Limit heavy plugins and popups: They slow down the First Contentful Paint (FCP).
  • Use a CDN: Services like Cloudflare serve your content faster globally.
  • Choose a faster host: A slow shared hosting can bottleneck everything — consider moving to Hostinger, Bluehost, or Cloudways.

Bonus Tip: Monitor Bounce Rate in GA4

If your Engagement Rate in Google Analytics 4 is below 50%, it’s a sign that visitors aren’t sticking around. Use this data to improve content layout and page loading.

7. Ignoring AdSense Policy Updates

If you treat AdSense as a “set it and forget it” system, you’re walking on thin ice. In 2025, Google is actively updating its AdSense policies more frequently—especially due to AI-generated content, privacy regulations, and evolving ad placement rules. The problem? Most publishers never bother to check those updates, and they get penalized without even realizing what went wrong.

Why Policy Updates Are So Crucial

Google expects publishers to follow not just the current rules—but also new changes as they’re introduced. These updates can affect:

  • Ad placement standards
  • Content eligibility
  • Click fraud detection mechanisms
  • Child-directed content labeling (for COPPA compliance)
  • AI and automation disclosures

Miss one update, and you might face:

  • Ad restrictions on specific pages
  • Account holds due to invalid activity
  • Payment delays
  • Or worse, a permanent ban from the AdSense program

Real-World Example

In late 2024, Google quietly rolled out a stricter enforcement policy for AI-generated content and deceptive mobile ad formats. Thousands of websites—many approved for years—started seeing “ad serving limited” warnings due to violations they weren’t even aware existed.

One blogger shared on Google AdSense Help Community that he lost 70% of revenue in a month because auto-ads began displaying in sensitive content areas, which now violated updated guidelines.

How to Stay Updated (Without Getting Overwhelmed)

Here’s what you should do to stay compliant and avoid surprises:

What to Check Monthly

  • Are any pages marked “limited” or “violating” in your AdSense Policy Center?
  • Is your site content type still allowed under the new rules?
  • Are your ads appearing in appropriate locations, especially on mobile?

Bonus: Add Policy Audit to Your Monthly Checklist

Every 30 days, do this:

  • Open your AdSense dashboard → Click “Policy Center”
  • Check for “Page-level enforcement” issues
  • Fix violations and request review if needed

This 10-minute task can save your entire blog’s income stream.

8. Using Banned or Prohibited Niches

Not all traffic is good traffic — especially when you’re relying on AdSense for monetization. One of the biggest but least talked about mistakes is choosing a niche that falls under Google’s restricted or prohibited content categories. Even if your content is popular and SEO-optimized, AdSense might show limited or no ads at all—or even suspend your account.

What Are Prohibited Niches?

Google has a comprehensive list of content types that violate its Publisher Policies. Here are the high-risk categories that are strictly not allowed:

  • Adult content (even mildly suggestive or partially censored material)
  • Gambling or betting-related content
  • Recreational drugs or drug paraphernalia
  • Fake news, clickbait, or misleading medical claims
  • Violent or graphic content
  • Copyright infringement or piracy
  • Weapons, explosives, or other dangerous products

Even some “borderline” niches, like crypto, forex, or dating, fall under limited monetization unless labeled properly and handled with transparency.

Real Example

A blogger wrote “educational articles” about online casinos and sports betting. While traffic was growing rapidly, AdSense showed zero earnings. A week later, a policy notice appeared: “Prohibited content: Gambling.” That entire website was disqualified from showing ads, and repeated appeals failed.

Another site on cryptocurrency price predictions saw limited ads because the content wasn’t properly labeled as financial advice, lacked disclaimers, and promoted speculative returns.

How to Check If Your Niche is Safe

Before applying to AdSense or writing new blog posts:

  1. Visit the Content Policies Page
  2. Search your niche in the list of Prohibited and Restricted Content
  3. Use tools like Google’s Publisher Toolbar to see which pages are displaying ads — and which aren’t.

Safe and Profitable Niches to Focus On

If you’re just starting and want AdSense-friendly topics, consider these evergreen categories:

  • Personal finance & saving tips
  • Tech reviews & tutorials
  • Health and fitness (without misleading claims)
  • Parenting and education
  • Home improvement, DIY, and gardening
  • Blogging, WordPress, and digital marketing
  • Career guidance and interview tips

These niches attract quality advertisers, have strong CPCs, and are considered “safe” under Google’s ad ecosystem.

Bonus Tip: Use Disclaimers for Sensitive Topics

If you’re in a gray area like crypto, mental health, or finance:

  • Add a disclaimer stating it’s not financial/medical advice
  • Avoid making guaranteed claims or income promises
  • Ensure the page is educational or comparative in nature

Final Word: AdSense isn’t just about content quality—it’s also about content suitability. A niche that violates Google’s rules won’t just fail to earn—it could put your entire site at risk.

9. No Privacy Policy, About Us, or Contact Page

This might sound like a small thing, but having the right legal and trust pages on your website is mandatory for AdSense approval — and even more critical to keep your account in good standing in 2025.

Many bloggers focus only on content and SEO, forgetting that Google wants trust signals. If your website lacks basic pages like Privacy Policy, About, and Contact, it may look unprofessional, suspicious, or even unsafe to Google’s reviewers.

Why These Pages Are So Important

According to Google AdSense Help Center, all sites that serve ads must clearly inform users:

  • How data is collected and used (cookies, third-party tracking, etc.)
  • Who runs the website (identity or business information)
  • How users can get in touch for support or concerns

These aren’t just nice to have—they are compliance requirements, especially under laws like GDPR (Europe), CCPA (California), and India’s Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDP).

Real-World Scenario

A beginner blog on educational tips was getting consistent traffic but was rejected three times by AdSense. After reviewing everything from content to theme, the only thing missing? A Privacy Policy and About Us page. As soon as those were added, the next application got approved within 5 days.

What Pages You Absolutely Must Have

  1. Privacy Policy Page
    • Must mention usage of Google AdSense, cookies, and third-party tracking.
    • Include phrases like: “We use Google AdSense to serve ads. AdSense may use cookies to serve ads based on a user’s visit to our site or other sites on the internet.”
  2. About Us Page
    • Share who you are, what your site is about, and your purpose or mission.
    • Add a name, author bio, or business identity — even if it’s informal.
  3. Contact Page
    • Provide at least one working email address.
    • Use a contact form plugin (like WPForms or Contact Form 7) to make it easy for users and reviewers to reach you.

Optional But Recommended

  • Disclaimer Page — Especially if you’re in finance, health, or education.
  • Terms and Conditions Page — Helps build legal trust and avoid disputes.
  • Cookie Consent Banner — Tools like CookieYes or Termly make this easy.

Tools and Resources

Pro Tip: Link These Pages in Your Footer

Always place these legal/trust pages in your website’s footer menu or main navigation bar. Google bots and human reviewers both check for them.

Think of these pages like your blog’s ID proof. Without them, your site looks incomplete, untrustworthy, and non-compliant — and that’s the last thing you want when applying for or running AdSense in 2025.

10. Expecting Passive Income Without SEO or Content Strategy

AdSense is often marketed as “easy money” — slap some ads on a blog, wait, and watch the money roll in. But in 2025, this myth is further from reality than ever. The days of earning from 5-page blogs with random content are long gone. Without a proper SEO strategy, keyword targeting, and content plan, even approved AdSense accounts can earn less than ₹100/month.

Google doesn’t pay you to publish content. It pays you when:

  • Users find your page (via search or referral)
  • Ads are seen and clicked
  • Your site aligns with advertiser bidding priorities

If you’re getting just 100–200 pageviews a day with no clear niche, your AdSense earnings will likely be negligible.

Real Example

A beginner blogger had over 80 posts in 3 months, all written in short, generic formats like “Top 10 Smartphones.” There was no keyword research, no backlink building, and poor on-page SEO. Despite regular posting, their daily earnings never crossed ₹10. After shifting focus to targeted content like “Best 5G phones under ₹15,000 in India,” traffic jumped — and so did earnings.

What You Need Instead

  1. Clear Blog Niche
    Choose a focused niche like personal finance, education, tech tutorials, or health (while complying with AdSense policies).
  2. Keyword Research
    Use tools like:Google Keyword Planner, Ubersuggest, Answer the Public, Semrush Keyword Magic Tool
  3. Target low competition + high search volume keywords.
  4. SEO-Optimized Content
    Structure content using:
    • H1, H2, H3 tags
    • Bullet points
    • Internal linking
    • Meta descriptions
    • Alt text for images
  5. Content Strategy
    Plan at least 3 months of posts in advance:
    • 60% evergreen content (e.g., “How to file ITR online in India”)
    • 30% trending topics (e.g., “2025 Budget Highlights”)
    • 10% affiliate + monetization support articles
  6. Analytics & Optimization
    • Use Google Search Console to track keywords and impressions
    • Use GA4 to find your best-performing posts and double down
    • Update old posts every 6 months to keep them ranking

Bonus: Don’t Skip Internal Linking

A well-linked blog helps:

  • Keep users on-site longer
  • Increase ad visibility
  • Pass SEO value between pages

Tools like Link Whisper (WordPress plugin) make this easy even for beginners.

In short, AdSense isn’t passive — it’s performance-based. With solid content, SEO, and consistent publishing, it can generate great income. But without strategy? It’s just decoration on a blog that no one visits.

Final Thoughts: Avoiding AdSense Mistakes in 2025 is the Real Shortcut to Success

If you’ve made it this far, you’re already ahead of the majority of new bloggers who blindly dive into AdSense hoping for overnight success. The truth is, AdSense isn’t hard — but it does require discipline.

In 2025, Google is smarter, the competition is tougher, and the rules are stricter. But that’s not a bad thing. It just means the people who follow best practices, write for users (not algorithms), and treat their blog like a business — are the ones who will thrive.

Let’s quickly recap the top 10 AdSense mistakes to avoid:

  1. Low-quality or AI-generated thin content
  2. Clicking on your own ads or encouraging others to
  3. Too many ads above the fold hurting user experience
  4. Ignoring mobile responsiveness and speed
  5. Publishing copyrighted content without rights
  6. Slow website speed and high bounce rate
  7. Not staying updated with AdSense policies
  8. Choosing prohibited or high-risk niches
  9. Missing legal/trust pages (Privacy Policy, About, Contact)
  10. Expecting passive income without an SEO/content plan

Each of these can hold back your earnings or even get your account banned. But the good news? Every single one is fixable.

What You Should Do Right Now

✅ Audit your blog using this checklist — are you violating any of these?
✅ Fix layout and speed issues with PageSpeed Insights and GTmetrix
✅ Update or add required legal pages today
✅ Research your niche keywords and update your content strategy
✅ Bookmark and monitor the AdSense Policy Center
✅ Focus on long-term value over short-term clicks

Want to Future-Proof Your AdSense Earnings?

Success with AdSense in 2025 and beyond is about building a clean, fast, content-rich website that users trust — and advertisers love.

If you’ve made any of these mistakes in the past, don’t panic. Every top blogger has. What separates successful publishers is the ability to learn, fix, and grow.

🔔 Bookmark this post, share it with your blogging community, and come back each month for a quick compliance check.

Affiliate Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. This will not cost you a single penny extra. Thanks for the understanding and rewarding me for my hard work.

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