What is Ad Viewability & How Can You Improve it?

As a publisher, you’ve probably heard that ad viewability is a critical factor if you’re looking to maximize your ad revenue. But what exactly is ad viewability, and how does it impact monetization? In short, ad viewability measures whether a user actually sees an ad, and it’s directly linked to how much advertisers are willing to pay for your ad inventory. Improving your viewability rates can lead to a significant boost in your revenue. Let's explore this essential metric and the ways you can improve it on your site.

What Is Ad Viewability?

Ad viewability refers to the percentage of ads on your website that are actually seen by users. An ad is considered "viewable" when a certain percentage of it appears on a user's screen for a minimum amount of time. The standard definition, set by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and Media Rating Council (MRC), is as follows:

• Display Ads: At least 50% of the ad's pixels must be visible for one second or longer.
• Video Ads: At least 50% of the ad's pixels must be visible for two seconds or longer.
• Larger Ads: At least 30% of the ad’s pixels should be visible in the browser at one time.

Why is this crucial for publishers? Advertisers want their ads to be seen, and they're willing to pay a premium for placements that guarantee visibility. High viewability rates signal to advertisers that your website is a valuable platform for reaching their target audience.

What Is A Good Viewability Rate?

A "good" viewability rate can vary depending on factors like your vertical, and ad format. However, a general benchmark to aim for is a viewability rate of 70% or higher. This indicates that the majority of ads on your platform are being seen by users.

If, however, you have a viewability rate below 50%, this is considered too low, and you should spend some time making improvements to your site. A low viewability rate will mean there is considerably less demand for your ad inventory. Below are some factors that can affect the viewability of ads on your site and some ways you can make improvements.

What Affects Viewability?

Several factors can influence your ad viewability rate:

• Ad Placement: Ads placed above the fold (the visible area of a web page without scrolling) generally have higher viewability than those below the fold.
• Ad Format: Larger ad formats and video ads tend to have better viewability than smaller, static banners.
• Website Layout and Design: A cluttered website design or slow loading times can negatively impact viewability.
• User Behavior: If users scroll quickly through your content or leave your site before ads load, viewability will suffer.
• Site Speed: Slow-loading sites mean users can easily scroll past an ad before it has the chance to load.
• Ad Content: Engaging and relevant content captures the user’s interest more easily, improving the viewability rate.
• Non-Human Traffic: Things like bots, crawlers and scrapers can sometimes lead to impressions that aren’t truly viewable.

How to Improve Your Viewability Rate:

• Optimize Ad Placement: Place ads in prominent positions, particularly above the fold. Consider using sticky ads that remain visible as users scroll.
• Use Larger Ad Formats: Experiment with larger ad sizes and video ads to capture more attention.
• Streamline Your Website: Improve website speed and ensure a clean, user-friendly layout.
• Implement Lazy Loading: Lazy loading delays the loading of ads until they're about to become visible, reducing the impact on page load times and potentially boosting viewability.
• Regularly Monitor and Test: Use analytics tools to track your viewability performance and experiment with different ad formats and placements to find what works best for your audience.

Working with Snigel means you don’t have to stress about optimizing your ads for better viewability. Our ad ops team works closely with you to customize ad placements and formats, helping you get the most out of your ad inventory. You dedicated ad operations expert handles everything from setup to troubleshooting. We focus on boosting your ad revenue while ensuring a great user experience, so you can concentrate on your content and audience. Let us handle the details, so you don’t have to. Get in touch to learn more.

Balancing Content And Ads

When designing ad layouts for desktop sites, a common strategy is to use medium rectangle ad units in the sidebar areas. This placement allows the main content to remain the star of the show, keeping the user's focus, while still providing plenty of opportunity for the ad to be seen and potentially clicked on. For mobile-optimized pages, it's considered best practice to ensure that ads don’t occupy more than 30% of the screen's vertical space at any given time. This helps maintain a clean, user-friendly experience that doesn't feel overly intrusive or disruptive to content consumption.

How Do Snigel AdOps Help Improve Viewability?

Ad viewability is a key metric that directly impacts your ad revenue. By understanding what it is, aiming for a good viewability rate, and taking steps to improve it, you can attract more advertisers, command higher CPMs (cost per mille), and ultimately achieve your ad monetization goals.  Remember, it's an ongoing process of optimization, but the rewards for publishers who prioritize viewability can be significant.

With over a decade of industry experience, Snigel’s ad operations team knows their way around optimizing for ad viewability. We analyze your current ad placements and formats, identify areas for improvement, and implement strategies to ensure your ads are seen by your audience. Our advanced ad units and technologies, like ad refresh, ensure that your ads remain visible and engaging. From running ad placements above the fold to using larger, more captivating ad formats, we handle all the details to boost your viewability rates. With our expertise we ensure your ads perform at their best. For more insights and to see how we can enhance your ad viewability, get in touch.