Key Takeaways:

• Interstitial ads are full-screen ads that appear during natural transitions in apps or websites

• They typically achieve higher engagement rates than banner ads due to their prominent placement

• Publishers need to balance ad revenue with user experience to avoid frustration

• Google and Apple have specific guidelines for interstitial implementation to avoid penalties

What Is an Interstitial Ad, Anyway?

Ever been playing a mobile game and suddenly your whole screen is taken over by an ad? Or maybe youve been browsing a website and, when clicking to the next page, an advertisement fills your entire screen for a few seconds? That's an interstitial ad.

The name comes from "interstitial" meaning "between spaces." These ads literally sit between pieces of content or app screens. Unlike those tiny banner ads that hang out at the edges of your screen, interstitials demand attention by covering the entire interface.

How Do Interstitial Ads Actually Work?

Interstitial ads are designed to appear at natural breaking points in the user journey. Some common examples include:

• Between levels in mobile games

• During transitions between different screens in an app

• When navigating between articles on a news site

• After completing a specific action (like checking your score)

These ads aren't random popups (which users hate and search engines penalize). Instead, they're strategically placed at moments where the user naturally expects a pause or transition.

Why Publishers Love Them

There's a simple reason publishers use interstitial ads: they work. Here's why they're popular:

1. Higher visibility: By taking over the entire screen, users actually see the ad (unlike banner blindness where users ignore edge-placed ads)

2. Better engagement: Adjust reports interstitials often have higher click-through rates compared to other formats

3. Rich media potential: Their full-screen nature allows for interactive elements, videos, and more engaging creative formats

4. Premium pricing: Advertisers typically pay more for interstitials because they grab more attention, leading to higher publisher revenue

One publisher I spoke with saw a 3x increase in revenue when switching from traditional banners to strategic interstitial placements. The key word there is strategic.

The User Experience Balancing Act

While publishers love interstitials, users... well, that's complicated. Nobody loves ads interrupting their experience, but interstitials don't have to be awful.

Smart publishers follow these best practices:

• Frequency capping: Limiting how often a user sees interstitials (e.g., no more than one every 3 minutes)

• Easy dismissal: Making sure the close button is clearly visible (not hidden or tiny)

• Logical placement: Showing ads at natural breaks rather than interrupting active engagement

• Loading optimization: Ensuring ads load quickly and don't cause app lag

Publift suggests that publishers who ignore these principles see higher bounce rates and decreased retention. User experience still matters!

Google's Interstitial Penalty: What You Need to Know

Here's something important: Google doesnt like certain types of interstitials on mobile websites. In 2017, they started penalizing sites that use intrusive interstitials that make content less accessible.

What Google considers problematic:

• Interstitials that appear immediately when a user lands on a page

• Ads that cover the main content during scrolling

• Layouts where the above-the-fold portion of the page looks like an interstitial

What's generally acceptable:

• Legal obligation interstitials (cookie notices, age verification)

• Login dialogs for private content

• Reasonably sized banners that use a small amount of screen space

This penalty only applies to websites, not mobile apps. Still, it's crucial for web publishers to follow Google's guidelines to maintain their search rankings.

Implementing Interstitial Ads: The Basics

For those looking to add interstitials to their monetization mix, here's a simple implementation overview:

For Mobile Apps:

1. Choose an ad network that supports interstitials (Google AdMob, Facebook Audience Network, ironSource, etc.)

2. Integrate their SDK following documentation

3. Define trigger points in your app code (between levels, after specific actions)

4. Set frequency caps to avoid overwhelming users

5. Test thoroughly across devices

For Websites:

1. Be very careful with Google's guidelines (see above)

2. Consider using interstitials only for desktop users or between page navigations

3. Implement with proper frequency capping

4. Ensure easy dismissal options

5. Test impact on user metrics (bounce rate, pages per session)

AdMob's implementation guide provides detailed technical steps for mobile apps.

The Bottom Line

Interstitial ads can be a powerful tool in your monetization toolkit when used thoughtfully. They offer higher engagement and better revenue than many other formats, but come with user experience risks if implemented poorly.

The key is finding the right balance for your specific audience and content. Used strategically, interstitials can boost your ad revenue without driving users away.

What other ad formats would you like us to cover in future Monetization Minis? Let us know in the comments!

This article is part of our Monetization Minis series, designed to help publishers understand key concepts in digital advertising and monetization.