🌱 Start Here

Complete Beginner's Guide

Everything you need to know — from using this site safely, to understanding ads, setting up analytics, and earning money from your own site.

📋 Table of Contents

  1. What is CoreLinks?
  2. Step 1: Install an Adblocker (Do This First!)
  3. Step 2: How to Stay Safe Online
  4. Step 3: Understanding Ads on This Site
  5. Step 4: Setting Up Google Analytics (Track Your Traffic)
  6. Step 5: Understanding Traffic Quality
  7. Step 6: Earn with Google AdSense
  8. Step 7: Earn with Adsterra
  9. Step 8: How to Place Ads on Your Site
  10. Step 9: DMCA, Privacy Policy & Legal Pages (Required!)
  11. Step 10: Get More Traffic with SEO
  12. FAQ
Ads

1. What is CoreLinks?

CoreLinks is a link directory — we curate and list thousands of free tools, software and websites so you don't have to search for them. We do not host any files or content ourselves. Every link goes to a third-party website.

💡 Think of it like this: CoreLinks is like a phone book of free internet tools. We list where things are, we don't own them.

⭐ items are recommended by our team — they are generally the most reliable, safest and highest quality options.

2. Step 1: Install an Adblocker (Do This First!)

Before you use any free streaming or download site on the internet, you must install an adblocker. Without one, you will be exposed to pop-up ads, fake download buttons, and potentially malicious sites.

STEP 1

Install uBlock Origin

uBlock Origin is free, open-source, and the most effective adblocker available.

Once installed, the orange shield icon appears in your browser toolbar. You're protected.

⚠ī¸ Important: Chrome is removing support for uBlock Origin (MV2). Switch to Brave Browser or Firefox for the best adblocking experience.

3. Step 2: How to Stay Safe Online

Recognize fake download buttons

Many sites have multiple big green "Download" buttons. Most are fake ads. The real download button is usually smaller and says the exact software name and version. When in doubt, look for the official website first.

Use a VPN for torrenting

If you torrent files, your IP address is visible to everyone in the torrent swarm. Use ProtonVPN Free (unlimited free data) before using any torrent client.

Scan downloaded files

Before running any downloaded .exe or .zip file, scan it at VirusTotal.com. Upload the file and 70+ antivirus engines scan it instantly for free.

Use throwaway emails

Never use your real email to sign up for streaming sites. Use Temp Mail or Guerrilla Mail for disposable temporary email addresses.

💡 Golden Rules:
✅ Always have uBlock Origin active
✅ Scan .exe files before running
✅ Use ProtonVPN before torrenting
✅ Use throwaway emails for sign-ups
✅ Never enter credit card info on unofficial sites

4. Step 3: Understanding Ads on This Site

CoreLinks is free to use and is funded by display advertising. Here's what you'll see:

Our ads come from Google AdSense and Adsterra. They are safe and vetted. We do not allow malicious or deceptive ads.

ℹī¸ Note: The placeholder boxes marked "[AD ZONE]" on this site are where real ads will appear once you add your AdSense/Adsterra code. See Step 8 below.

5. Step 4: Setting Up Google Analytics

Google Analytics lets you see exactly how many people visit your site, where they come from, what pages they read, and much more. Ad networks require this data to approve you.

STEP 1

Create a Google Analytics Account

  1. Go to analytics.google.com
  2. Sign in with your Google account
  3. Click "Start measuring"
  4. Enter your Account name (e.g. "CoreLinks")
  5. Enter your Property name and website URL
  6. Select your industry and reporting time zone
STEP 2

Get Your Tracking Code

  1. In Google Analytics, go to Admin → Data Streams → Web
  2. Click on your data stream
  3. Copy the Measurement ID (looks like: G-XXXXXXXXXX)
  4. Click "View tag instructions" to get the full script
STEP 3

Add the Code to Every Page

Paste this in the <head> section of every HTML page on your site (replace G-XXXXXXXXXX with your actual ID):

<!-- Google Analytics -->
<script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-XXXXXXXXXX"></script>
<script>
  window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];
  function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);}
  gtag('js', new Date());
  gtag('config', 'G-XXXXXXXXXX');
</script>

In CoreLinks, add this inside the <head> tag of index.html and inside the shell() function in gen.py to apply it to all pages.

6. Step 5: Understanding Traffic Quality

Ad networks pay you based on your traffic. Not all traffic is equal. Here's what matters:

Key Metrics to Watch in Google Analytics

What is CPM?

CPM = Cost Per Mille (per 1,000 impressions). This is how much advertisers pay per 1,000 ad views. A CPM of $2 means you earn $2 per 1,000 page views.

ℹī¸ Example: If you have 100,000 monthly page views from mostly US traffic with a CPM of $5, you would earn approximately $500/month from display ads.

7. Step 6: Earn with Google AdSense

Google AdSense is the most popular and trusted ad network. It pays the highest rates but has strict approval requirements.

Requirements to Get Approved

HOW TO APPLY
  1. Get a domain name from Namecheap (~$8–12/year)
  2. Host your site — Netlify is free for static sites
  3. Make sure Privacy Policy, DMCA and Disclaimer pages are live
  4. Go to adsense.google.com
  5. Click "Get Started" and enter your website URL
  6. Add their verification code to your site's <head>
  7. Wait for review — typically 1–4 weeks
⚠ī¸ Important: Google AdSense does NOT approve sites that directly promote or link to pirated content (cracked software, movie downloads, etc.) on visible pages. If your site links to torrents, keep those pages clearly labeled and ensure your main pages pass review first.

8. Step 7: Earn with Adsterra

Adsterra is easier to get approved than AdSense and accepts sites with more liberal content policies. It's a great starting point or complement to AdSense.

Adsterra vs AdSense

Google AdSense

Highest CPM rates. Strictest approval. Best for clean content sites with US/EU traffic.

CPM: $2–$15 (Tier 1 traffic)

Adsterra

Easier approval. Accepts most content types. Good for global traffic and link directories.

CPM: $0.50–$5 (varies by geo)

Ezoic

AI-optimized ad placement. Requires 10,000+ monthly visits. Higher CPM than AdSense long-term.

CPM: $5–$20+

Media.net

Yahoo/Bing ads network. Good for US/UK traffic. Alternative if AdSense rejects you.

CPM: $1–$8 (US focused)
HOW TO APPLY FOR ADSTERRA
  1. Go to adsterra.com and click "Sign Up"
  2. Select "Publisher" (you publish the ads, you don't buy them)
  3. Enter your website URL and category
  4. Wait for approval (usually 24–72 hours)
  5. Once approved, go to Dashboard → Create New Ad Zone
  6. Choose your ad format (Banner, Native, Popunder)
  7. Copy the JavaScript code they give you
  8. Paste it into your site where the [AD ZONE] placeholders are

9. Step 8: How to Place Ads on Your Site

In the CoreLinks code, every ad zone is clearly marked with a comment and a placeholder div. Here's how to replace them with real ads:

Finding Ad Zones in the Code

In js/layout.js, look for the AD object at the top. You'll see:

const AD = {
  top: `<div class="ad-box ad-728">Ads</div>`,
  mid: `<div class="ad-box ad-728">Ads</div>`,
  box: `<div class="ad-box ad-300">Ads</div>`,
  ...
};

Replacing with AdSense Code

Replace each placeholder string with your actual AdSense code:

const AD = {
  top: `
    <ins class="adsbygoogle"
     style="display:inline-block;width:728px;height:90px"
     data-ad-client="ca-pub-XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX"
     data-ad-slot="XXXXXXXXXX"></ins>
    <script>(adsbygoogle=window.adsbygoogle||[]).push({});</script>
  `,
  ...
⚠ī¸ Remember: Add your AdSense publisher script tag in the <head> of each page too:
<script async src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-XXXX" crossorigin="anonymous"></script>

Ad networks require specific legal pages to approve your site. CoreLinks already includes all of them — just update the email addresses.

✅ Privacy Policy

Required by AdSense, Adsterra and GDPR law. Located at privacy-policy.html. Update the email address.

✅ DMCA Policy

Required if your site links to any copyrighted content. Located at dmca.html. Update the email.

✅ Disclaimer

Protects you legally by stating you don't host content. Located at disclaimer.html.

✅ Advertise Page

Lets sponsors contact you directly for paid placements. Located at advertise.html.

Update the Email Addresses

In each legal page, replace the placeholder emails with your actual contact email:

Ads

11. Step 10: Get More Traffic with SEO

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is how you get free traffic from Google. More traffic = more ad revenue.

Submit Your Site to Google

DO THIS FIRST
  1. Go to Google Search Console
  2. Add your site and verify ownership (add a meta tag to your <head>)
  3. Go to Sitemaps and submit https://yoursite.com/sitemap.xml
  4. Create a simple sitemap.xml listing all your page URLs

Basic SEO Tips

Create a Sitemap

Create a file called sitemap.xml and list all your pages. Submit it to Google Search Console.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<urlset xmlns="http://www.sitemaps.org/schemas/sitemap/0.9">
  <url><loc>https://yoursite.com/</loc></url>
  <url><loc>https://yoursite.com/ai.html</loc></url>
  <url><loc>https://yoursite.com/video.html</loc></url>
  ... (add all 27 pages)
</urlset>

12. Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I host my site for free?

A: Use Netlify. Drag and drop your CoreLinks folder to their deploy page and your site is live in 30 seconds. Free forever for static sites. You can also connect it to a custom domain.

Q: How much can I earn?

A: It depends on your traffic. With 100,000 monthly visitors (mostly US/UK):

Building to 100K monthly visitors takes roughly 6–18 months of consistent effort and SEO.

Q: Can I use both AdSense and Adsterra on the same site?

A: Yes, but be careful. AdSense allows other ad networks as long as they don't violate AdSense policies. Adsterra is generally compatible. Don't use too many ad zones or your site will feel spammy — 4–6 zones per page is a good maximum.

Q: AdSense rejected my site. What do I do?

A: Common rejection reasons:

Q: How do I track which pages earn the most money?

A: In Google AdSense, go to Reports → Pages to see earnings per URL. In Google Analytics, go to Reports → Engagement → Pages and screens to see which pages get the most traffic and how long users stay.

Q: How do I update the site with new tools?

A: Open gen.py, find the relevant page section, and add new tool entries to the list. Run python3 gen.py to regenerate all pages. Then re-upload to Netlify.

Q: Do I need a business/company to get paid?

A: No. Both AdSense and Adsterra pay individuals. You'll need to provide your name, address and tax info for payment. AdSense pays via bank transfer or check. Adsterra pays via PayPal, Paxum, wire transfer and more. Minimum payout is usually $100 for AdSense and $5 for Adsterra.

🚀 Quick Start Checklist:
  1. Install uBlock Origin in your browser
  2. Buy a domain ($8–12/year at Namecheap)
  3. Upload CoreLinks to Netlify (free hosting)
  4. Update email addresses in legal pages
  5. Add Google Analytics tracking code to all pages
  6. Submit site to Google Search Console
  7. Apply for Adsterra (easier, gets you money faster)
  8. Apply for AdSense (higher rates, takes longer)
  9. Post about your site on Reddit to get first visitors
  10. Keep adding new tools regularly for SEO growth