In-app advertising is a significant part of most apps’ monetization strategy. Mobile ads play an essential role in the apps’ revenue; they should be placed as strategically as possible, creating a need for a mobile ad placement strategy. In this blog post, we’ll explore the importance of mobile ad placement strategy, the different types of mobile ad placement, factors to consider, best practices, and case studies.
Mobile ad placement strategy refers to selecting the optimal location and format for an ad to appear on a mobile device. The limited place that is the screens lies a fine line between disrupting the user experience and catching the user’s attention successfully. A well-planned mobile ad placement strategy can lead to higher click-through rates, better user experience, and, ultimately, more revenue.
Understanding Mobile Ad Placement
There are several types of mobile ad placements:
Banner ads
Rectangular display ads that appear at the top or bottom of a mobile screen
Interstitial ads
Full-screen ads that appear between content
Video ads
Skippable or non-skippable ads can appear in various locations within an app.
Playable ads
Allows users to interact with a mini-game or demo that simulates the core gameplay or features of the advertised app.
Rewarded ads
Users are incentivized to engage with an ad by offering a reward, such as in-app currency, for completing a specific action.
Native ads
Ads that are designed to match the look and feel of the content they appear alongside
Rich media ads
All of which can be implemented under the umbrella of in-app advertising.
As seen above, there are many different mobile ad placements, and there is no one-size-fits-all way to place them in your mobile app. If set without a plan, ads might disrupt the user experience, lead to user frustration, and lower click-through rates. Let’s move on to the factors that will help you build a tailored placement strategy and maintain the user experience.
Factors to Consider for Mobile Ad Placement Strategy
When developing a mobile ad placement strategy, businesses need to consider several factors to ensure that their ads are effective and well-received. These factors include user behavior on mobile devices, screen size and device orientation, content and context of the app or website, ad frequency, and duration.
User Behavior
Mobile devices vary from desktops, with users having shorter attention spans and using their devices in different contexts. To create an effective mobile ad placement strategy, businesses need to understand how users behave on mobile devices and ensure that their ads are placed in locations that are easily accessible and engaging. For example, in mobile games, app developers may place an ad right after a level completion or a reward to neutralize the disruption that the ad causes. When shown during an ongoing play, ads might frustrate users and cause them to close the app.
Screen Size and Device Orientation
App owners need to consider the target users’ screen size and device orientation to ensure that ads are well-received. There are different sizes of screens and device orientations that app developers need to take into consideration when placing ads. Ads that are too large or placed in the wrong location can be difficult for users to engage with, leading to lower click-through rates.
Ad Frequency and Duration
Ads that are too frequent or too long can lead to user frustration and, ultimately, lower engagement. Ads should come into place at organic breaks in the user flow, as users don’t choose to see the ads, and therefore the disruption should be kept as little as possible. For example, developers do not prefer interstitial ads on users’ first day using the app not to drive them away. App developers need to find the right balance (which is different for every app) based on frequent A/B testing- it’s all about backing up your strategy with data.
The Content and Context of the app
Ads that are relevant to the content and context of an app or website are more likely to be well-received by users.
Best Practices for Mobile Ad Placement Strategy
To create an effective mobile ad placement strategy, you need to follow some best practices that have been proven to be effective. These best practices include testing and optimizing ad placement, creating relevant and engaging ad content, targeting and segmentation for better ad performance, and balancing revenue and user experience.
Testing and optimizing ad placement
Crafting the right ad placement strategy requires a lot of A/B testing to ensure ads are well-received by users. By testing different ad placements, you can observe how your users perceive the ads, do the ads cause them to leave, or do they smoothly blend in with the UX, and more.
Balancing Revenue and User Experience
It’s important not to focus solely on generating more revenue, as a well-maintained user experience is essential for the long-term success of a mobile ad placement strategy. While it’s important to generate revenue from mobile ads, businesses must ensure that their ads are not overly intrusive and do not negatively impact the user experience.
If you want to go even further with your ad placement strategy, you can consider these practices:
Using targeting and segmentation
Let’s say you want to further elevate the user experience even by observing your users more. Targeting ads to specific user groups and segments can ensure that the ads shown on your app are more relevant to your users and are more likely to be well-received.
Practicing cross-promotion
Especially applicable for mobile game owners, cross-promotion is a great way to utilize your app’s placement strategy to advertise one of your other apps. The critical point here is to create engaging creatives and ensure you have the financial room to promote your own.
Case Studies
Several businesses have successfully implemented mobile ad placement strategies, leading to increased revenue and better user experience. For example, Spotify implemented a mobile ad placement strategy that involved placing ads in between songs and within user playlists. This strategy increased revenue and higher click-through rates, as the ads were contextually relevant and non-intrusive.
Another example is the all-time famous mobile game Candy Crush, which utilized in-game ads. The ads are placed between levels, allowing users to earn extra in-game currency by watching a short video ad. This strategy is aligned with user behavior, smoothly integrated into the flow, and even rewards the players- creating a successful ad placement strategy while monetizing the game. I
Conclusion
In conclusion, mobile ad placement strategy is a crucial aspect of mobile advertising that businesses must master to reach their audience effectively. By understanding the different types of mobile ad placement, factors to consider, and best practices, businesses can create a successful mobile ad placement strategy that leads to higher click-through rates, better user experience, and, ultimately, more revenue.