Interstitial ads are a popular format used in mobile apps and mobile web to generate ad revenue. If appropriately implemented, mobile interstitial ads give advertisers and publishers significant monetization opportunities.
Interstitial ads are those that cover your whole screen while using a mobile app or looking at a mobile website. They show up between different activities or pages you're viewing.
These ads appear when you move around within an app or a mobile site, like when you go from one part to another. Interstitial ads let mobile app creators make money whenever they reach a natural stopping or switching point while using the app.
Interstitial ads have become one of the most popular mobile ad formats among publishers and advertisers looking to generate ad revenue from mobile inventory. They’re typically displayed at natural transition points throughout the user experience, such as when transitioning between various app screens.
These strategic placement points allow interstitial ads to monetize a user's focus during loading or transition periods without interrupting the core aspects of the experience.
Interstitial ads can drive reasonable click-through rates and engagement from users with the proper optimization. Their full-screen nature makes interstitials eye-catching, which can help increase brand awareness and app discoverability.
While interstitials represent an opportunity to monetize user attention, advertisers and publishers must consider the experience to maintain engagement levels over time. Too many ads run the risk of banner ad blindness and lower user retention rates as the experience becomes intrusive.
It’s important to only place interstitial ads at natural points in the user flow to minimize disruption, such as after discrete tasks are complete or when navigating between major app sections.
Interstitials with slow or unresponsive rich media, video content, or that take too long to load can frustrate users by delaying progress unnecessarily. Such ads tend to perform poorly and damage the overall perception of the brand or app.
Have interstitials automatically close after 3-5 seconds should the user choose not to engage rather than holding up the experience. This practice helps avoid intrusive advertising.
While static images remain standard, rich media and interstitial video ads often see more robust results regarding click-through and viewer engagement rates. Testing different types can maximize monetization opportunities.
Interstitial placement should follow a natural flow and not disrupt the linear nature of the core app functionality or pages. Unexpected pop-ups or full-screen activations away from core transition points tend to feel intrusive.
In addition to static images, some of the most popular interstitial ad formats used by mobile app publishers and advertisers include:
Testing an interstitial ad format and creatives routinely helps app marketers and advertisers find high-performing placements optimized for specific apps and audiences. Careful balancing of monetization and users' experiences remains key.
To evaluate interstitial ad campaigns and monetization strategies, publishers and advertisers commonly track key performance metrics. Standard benchmarks for measuring interstitial success include:
Routinely monitoring these metrics helps app marketers and advertisers optimize interstitial campaigns to maximize revenue and keep the web users' experiences in mind. Subtle placement tweaks based on data can make a big difference over time.
When done right, judiciously implemented interstitial ads provide a popular and effective means of mobile app and site monetization.
With careful planning according to best practices, publishers and advertisers can balance experience and outcomes to enhance discovery, increase installs, and drive sustainable revenue through this commonly used ad format. Ongoing measurement and refinement help maintain this delicate balance over the long run.
