When it comes to online gaming, finding the perfect balance between generating revenue and delivering an exceptional user experience is paramount. As gaming sites and apps continue to flourish, strategic ad placements have become an essential component of monetization strategies. By optimizing ad placements, game developers and publishers can not only maximize their revenue potential but also ensure a seamless and engaging experience for their users.
This comprehensive guide explores the top-performing ad placements for gaming sites and apps, employing money-making strategies. By understanding the most relevant and impactful ad placements, you can make informed decisions that strike the ideal balance between monetization and user satisfaction. Whether you’re a game developer, publisher, or advertiser, this guide will provide valuable insights to enhance your ad placement strategies and boost your success in the competitive gaming industry.
Information Page
The Information page tells what your site is about and the games you feature.
Having an ad above the fold will positively affect your revenues and CPM since the ad will be first seen the moment they open the site. So, have a 300×250 or 336×280 above-the-fold ad unit right above your game introduction. As you can see, it is below your navigation, please be reminded that if you have a drop down menu, it is important that you avoid overlapping your menu links with ads or putting it very close to your ads for it can cause accidental clicks.
You can then have 728×90 or 336×280 in the middle of your page. Put it below the game introduction and just above the comment box. Again, just a reminder: Have enough space between your content and your ad to avoid accidental clicks.
Listing Page
The Listing page is where all the titles of your games are found.
Since you are allowed to put 3 Google standard ad units per page, you can have two 728×90 and one 160×600 on your listing page.
The two 728×90 can be placed on top and bottom part of the page. For the first 728×90, put it on top of the game list and the second 728×90, below the game list. As for the 160×600, you can put it just below your navigation bar.
Game Page
You can have so many options on how to position everything on the game page. So, we have prepared a few suggestions for you, but these placements depend on your game’s layout. Always have enough space away from your game frame, at least 150 pixel-distance to avoid accidental clicks.
Play Page 1
On this kind of layout, you can put one 468×60 above your game frame and one 728×90 at the bottom of your page.
Play Page 2
On this second suggestion, you can only have 1 ad unit on your game page. You can place 728×90 just below the gameplay button.
Play Page 3
Play page 3 shows that you can have one 728×90 ad unit. You can place it just above the game introductions.
Play Page 4
The next layout will show you a more common gaming page setup. You can put a 160×600 on the right-hand side of the game frame, or you can also have it on the left.
Play Page 5
On our last suggestion, you can have a 468×60 ad unit just below your game buttons, right above your navigation bar.
As you experiment with these ad placement suggestions for game sites, just be reminded to review Google’s policies in order to avoid any ad implementation violation. To give you further details on how to successfully optimize and monetize your gaming site, check our series for the gaming vertical:
Gaming Publishers: Maximize Your Ad Revenue with These MonetizeMore Strategies
Let’s explore some really helpful ad monetization strategies that I’ve learned from my gaming site’s ad monetization partner, MonetizeMore, and how these can help you maximize your ad revenue as a publisher in the gaming niche.
Before we get started, it’s worth mentioning that gaming is a goldmine for ad monetization.
Here are a few reasons why:
- High Engagement: Gamers are dedicated, spending a lot of time on your platform, making them highly attractive to advertisers.
- Premium CPMs: This translates to more revenue for you – advertisers are willing to pay a premium for access to this engaged audience.
- Creative Opportunities: There are now a variety of high-performing but non-intrusive ad formats that you can experiment with.
Beyond the Basics: Monetization Strategies for Gamers
1- Display Advertising: Leveled Up
Display ads are a classic, but with MonetizeMore, you can take them to the next level. They offer access to Ad Exchange and other premium ad networks. Plus, their team optimizes ad placements to ensure a seamless experience for your players.
With MonetizeMore, I saw revenue lift from high-impact ad formats such as interstitial ads, in-stream and out-stream video ads, and anchor or sticky ads. What I love most about implementing these ad formats with MonetizeMore is that I can activate and deactivate these ads on my publisher management platform with just a few clicks. I couldn’t believe it initially, as these ad implementations usually involved complex codes and configurations, but it is that easy now.
2- Affiliate Marketing: Partner Up for Success
Expand your revenue streams with affiliate marketing! Promote relevant products and services to your audience and earn a commission on every sale. MonetizeMore doesn’t limit you – you can choose partners that perfectly complement your gaming niche.
3- In-Player Advertising: Strategic Integration
To reiterate what I mentioned, MonetizeMore understands the importance of player experience. They help you easily integrate pre-, mid-, or post-roll video ads seamlessly within your game, maximizing revenue without disrupting gameplay.
4- Content is King: Build a Thriving Community
Last but not least, a thriving gaming community attracts not just players but also potential advertisers! Craft valuable content like game reviews, walkthroughs, and esports news to boost your organic reach and establish yourself as an authority.
Here’s a secret: high-quality content with strong backlinks is like gold for SEO, making your site even more attractive to advertisers. With your team at MonetizeMore taking the lead on ad implementation and optimization strategies, you can dedicate valuable time to analyzing and improving your content.
5- MonetizeMore’s Secret Weapon: PubGuru
Remember the publisher platform I was just talking about? This powerful platform is like a comprehensive interface that lets you monitor your revenue and analyze ad performance in real-time, gives you control over your ad setup, and lets you access valuable insights that can fully optimize your overall performance. You can see what’s working and adjust your strategy for maximum impact accordingly.
MonetizeMore: A Gamer Publisher’s Success Story
“MonetizeMore has a proven track record with gaming publishers like me, which initially led me to try them, and I was not disappointed.”
Gaming publishers don’t just benefit from higher CPMs – MonetizeMore’s expertise helps you unlock additional revenue streams through strategic ad placement and a data-driven approach.
The Verdict: Effortless Revenue Boost
MonetizeMore simplifies ad optimization, freeing you to focus on creating incredible games and fostering your community. By combining smart ad strategies, content creation, and data-driven insights, you can maximize your revenue without sacrificing the player experience.
Earn more from your ad inventory now by getting started here!
FAQ
What are the best ad placements for game sites?
1. Banner Ads: These are typically rectangular or square ads that appear at the top, bottom, or sides of a website. They can be effective on game sites, but their relevance may depend on the specific design and layout of the site. 2. Interstitial Ads: These are full-screen ads that appear in between game levels or during natural breaks in gameplay. They can be engaging but should be used sparingly to avoid interrupting the user experience too frequently. 3. Native Ads: These ads are designed to match the style and content of the website, providing a seamless user experience. Native ads can be placed within game-related articles or in relevant sections of the site. 4. Video Ads: These are short video advertisements that can be placed before, during, or after gameplay videos or as interstitials between game levels. They can be highly engaging but should not be overly intrusive.
What are the best ad placements for Gaming Apps?
Best Ad Placements for Game Apps: 1. In-App Banner Ads: Similar to banner ads on websites, these are rectangular or square ads that appear at the top, bottom, or sides of the app interface. They can be less obtrusive and allow users to continue interacting with the app. 2. Rewarded Video Ads: These ads offer users in-game rewards, such as virtual currency or extra lives, in exchange for watching a video ad. They provide value to users and can be effective in increasing ad engagement. 3. Interstitial Ads: Full-screen ads that appear between game levels or during natural breaks in gameplay can be used in game apps as well. However, it's important to find a balance to prevent them from interrupting the gameplay experience too frequently. 4. Native Ads: As with game sites, native ads in game apps can blend seamlessly with the app's design and content. They can be integrated into menus, leaderboards, or other relevant sections of the app. 5. Offerwalls: Offerwalls provide users with a list of offers, surveys, or app installations they can complete in exchange for in-app rewards. They can be an effective way to monetize game apps while providing value to users.
source https://www.monetizemore.com/blog/best-ad-placements-for-game-sites/
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