Understanding Ad Types and Formats

Choosing the right ad types and formats significantly impacts your revenue. This lesson explores the various ad options available in AdSense and when to use each one.

Display Ads

Display ads are the most common and versatile ad format in AdSense.

What Are Display Ads?

Display ads are visual advertisements that can include:

• Images and graphics
• Animated elements
• Text with imagery
• Interactive components

Display Ad Sizes

Google supports multiple ad sizes to fit different placements:

Popular Desktop Sizes:

Size	Name	Best For
728×90	Leaderboard	Header/Footer
336×280	Large Rectangle	Sidebar, In-content
300×250	Medium Rectangle	Sidebar, In-content
160×600	Wide Skyscraper	Sidebar
300×600	Half Page	Sidebar

Popular Mobile Sizes:

Size	Name	Best For
320×50	Mobile Banner	Header/Footer
320×100	Large Mobile Banner	In-content
300×250	Medium Rectangle	In-content

Responsive Display Ads

Responsive ads automatically adjust their size:

• Fit any screen size
• Adapt to available space
• Optimize for different devices
• Recommended for most placements

When to Use Responsive vs Fixed:

• Responsive: Most situations, especially mobile-first sites
• Fixed Size: When you need precise layout control

In-Feed Ads

In-feed ads blend naturally with your content feed.

How In-Feed Ads Work

These ads appear:

• Between items in a content list
• In news feeds
• Among product listings
• Within scrollable content

Best Practices for In-Feed Ads

1. Match Your Feed Style: Customize to match surrounding content
2. Appropriate Frequency: Don't show too many in-feed ads
3. Clear Labeling: Ensure ads are identifiable
4. Natural Flow: Ads should feel like part of the experience

Customization Options

In-feed ads allow customization of:

• Font family and size
• Text color
• Background color
• Padding and spacing
• Image position

In-Article Ads

In-article ads are designed specifically for content pages.

Placement in Articles

These ads appear:

• Between paragraphs
• After natural content breaks
• Mid-article positions
• Near related content sections

Why In-Article Ads Work

• Native Feel: Blend with editorial content
• High Visibility: Users encounter them while reading
• Non-Intrusive: Don't block content access
• Good Performance: Often achieve strong CTR

Optimal Placement

Place in-article ads:

• After the 2nd or 3rd paragraph
• Before or after subheadings
• Near images or media
• At natural pause points in content

Matched Content

Matched content combines content recommendations with ads.

How Matched Content Works

This format:

• Shows related articles from your site
• Includes sponsored content (ads)
• Drives internal page views
• Generates additional ad revenue

Requirements for Matched Content

To use Matched Content, your site needs:

• Sufficient pages of content
• Adequate traffic levels
• Good content quality
• Site approval from Google

Placement Recommendations

Best positions for Matched Content:

• End of articles
• Sidebar widgets
• Related posts sections
• Footer areas

Anchor Ads

Anchor ads stick to the edge of the viewport.

Types of Anchor Ads

Top Anchor:

• Sticks to top of screen
• Visible while scrolling
• Can be dismissed by users

Bottom Anchor:

• Sticks to bottom of screen
• Common on mobile devices
• High visibility position

Pros and Cons

Advantages:

• Constant visibility
• Doesn't interrupt content
• Good for mobile
• Often high viewability

Disadvantages:

• Can feel intrusive
• Takes screen space
• May affect user experience
• Users might dismiss quickly

Configuration Tips

• Allow user dismissal
• Consider mobile vs desktop separately
• Monitor user feedback
• Balance revenue vs experience

Vignette Ads

Vignette ads are full-screen interstitial advertisements.

When Vignette Ads Appear

These ads display:

• Between page loads
• When navigating between pages
• During natural transition points
• Not on every page view

User Experience Considerations

Vignette ads can be:

• Intrusive: Full-screen interruption
• High Revenue: Strong CPM potential
• Dismissible: Users can skip
• Frequency Capped: Limited impressions per session

Best Practices

1. Don't overuse: Limit frequency
2. Monitor bounce rates: Watch for negative impact
3. Consider audience: Some users strongly dislike interstitials
4. Test carefully: Start with low frequency

Text Ads

Pure text advertisements without images.

When Text Ads Appear

Text ads show when:

• Image ads aren't available
• Text ads win the auction
• Your site is text-heavy
• Advertisers prefer text format

Text Ad Components

A text ad includes:

• Headline (clickable)
• Description lines
• Display URL
• Optional site links

Optimization

To improve text ad performance:

• Ensure ad units have adequate size
• Consider background colors
• Test text and display mix
• Allow all ad types for best competition

Link Ads

Link ads display a list of relevant topics.

How Link Ads Work

• Show topic keywords
• Users click topics of interest
• Leads to full ad page
• You earn when users click

Link Ad Considerations

Pros:

• Compact format
• Can fit small spaces
• User chooses topic

Cons:

• Two-click process
• Lower engagement typically
• Limited placements

Ad Formats Comparison

Here's a quick comparison of main formats:

Format	Visibility	User Experience	Revenue Potential
Display	High	Moderate	High
In-Feed	Medium	Good	Medium-High
In-Article	High	Good	High
Matched Content	Medium	Good	Medium
Anchor	Very High	Variable	High
Vignette	Very High	Poor	Very High
Text	Medium	Good	Medium

Choosing the Right Format

Select formats based on:

Your Content Type

• Blog posts: In-article, display
• News sites: In-feed, display
• Product pages: Display, native
• Forums: Display, text

Your Audience

• Mobile-heavy: Anchor, responsive display
• Desktop-focused: Leaderboard, wide skyscraper
• Mix: Responsive ads throughout

Your Goals

• Maximize revenue: Multiple formats, including vignettes
• User experience focus: In-article, in-feed only
• Balanced approach: Display + in-article, limited anchors

Key Takeaways

• Display ads are the most versatile and commonly used format
• Responsive ads adapt automatically to any screen size
• In-feed and in-article ads blend naturally with content
• Anchor ads provide constant visibility but can feel intrusive
• Vignette (interstitial) ads have high revenue but impact user experience
• Matched content combines recommendations with advertising
• Choose formats based on your content, audience, and goals
• Testing different formats helps find the optimal mix

What's Next

Now that you understand the available ad types, the next lesson teaches you how to place ads strategically for maximum revenue.