Controlling Interstitial Ads In-App: App Developer Guide

Control Interstitial Ads In-App: App Developer Guide

CONTENTS

Defining Ad Skippability Challenges

Interstitial Ads in Mobile Apps

Controlling Interstitial Ads 

Effects of Bad Ads On App Metrics

Improving Interstitial Ad
Monetization

Auto-Close Control

IN-APP AD QUALITY TRENDS

Defining Skippability Challenges: Unskippable mobile ads

Interstitial ads deliver greater engagement and more profitable in-app monetization opportunities. Even though interstitial ads are supposed to let users skip or close ads after clicking the “X” button, they frequently fail to do so. When interstitial ads malfunction or behave improperly, they harm the in-app user experience and lead to increased bounce rates, resulting in permanent churn due to app uninstalls.

This guide explains the various types of unskippable ads coming from AdMob, Unity Ads, AppLovin, and other sources. We’ll explain how publishers can handle interstitial ads with skippability issues, such as ads without functioning “X” buttons from various demand sources.
Unskippable interstitial ads load correctly, but the ‘X’ button either doesn’t appear or doesn’t respond to clicks, resulting in ads that are too long or ‘unskippable’. When there is no visible close button on the ad, users must choose between clicking on the ad or closing the app altogether, causing a bounce for the app developer. 

Interstitial Ads in Mobile Apps

Interstitial ads are full-screen advertisements that cover the interface of their host app. They are frequently displayed at various stages in an app’s flow, such as during pauses between game levels or between activities. Interstitial ads, which can be static, video, or interactive, occupy the entire screen. Unskippable ads take various forms and appear without the option to close or skip, including:

Interstitials when opening an app: Static ad/video ads appear after selecting the app icon before app content has loaded

Full-screen Video: Video ads that appear full screen during gameplay or content viewing

Interstitials: An image ad that displays full screen during gameplay or content viewing

Playable ads: Allow users to play a snippet of a mobile game before downloading it

Controlling Interstitial Ads Through Mediation Networks  

Controlling interstitial ads through mediation is inadequate due to the absence of interstitial close features, real-time blocking modes, and limited ability to block unwanted campaigns.

Mediation networks offer limited ad creative transparency which makes it challenging to control unwanted ads across all demand sources.

Unwanted campaigns cannot be blocked on mediation solutions since the serving network requires its ID, which is unavailable.

Appharbr interstitial control

To secure the in-app user experience, publishers should automatically close ads after a predefined time that aligns with Google Play/App Store requirements, industry regulations and their apps user experience guidelines. Relying on the blocking controls provided by ad networks including AdMob, Unity Ads, and AppLovin- is not enough to ensure that interstitial ads function properly within your app.

AppHarbr enables app publishers to gain control of all ads that appear in-app by enforcing a predefined time limit for interstitial ads. The solution acts as a control when interstitials malfunction or their close buttons are unresponsive or obstructed.

Publishers can set a time limit threshold, and AppHarbr automatically closes the ad if it remains open beyond that threshold. This prevents user churn and ensures that the session continues uninterrupted. Even in the case of malfunctioning ads, AppHarbr allows an app to continue monetizing with interstitials to prevent revenue loss.

Since the Autoclose Interstitial feature is integrated through an SDK, it operates seamlessly wherever an app is running, helping app publishers reduce app bounce rate and user churn. 

Effects of Bad Ads On App Metrics

According to GeoEdge research, disruptive and bad ads can have a negative impact on app developers’ monetization strategies. This can result in low ratings and removal from app stores, as well as negatively affecting user engagement metrics.

Improving Interstitial Ad Monetization

To effectively run interstitial campaigns, implement AppHarbr’s real-time controls that allow you to:

Set a maximum time limit for interstitials: Automatically close ads after a predefined time that aligns with industry regulations and your user experience.

Actionable data and reporting: Gain insight into ads that appear in your app, including ads that malfunction or behave improperly.

Auto-play audio control: Enforce mute across disruptive ads in real-time, ensuring a non disruptive experience.

About AppHarbr

AppHarbr’s mission is to ensure high-quality in-app ads and secure the mobile user experience. AppHarbr guarantees that disruptive and offensive ads don’t reach app users without disrupting monetization. Real-time ad quality protection equips apps with control and defense against disruptive, unwanted, malicious, offensive, and inappropriate ads while maintaining maximum revenue.

With AppHarbr, app developers can maximize their ad revenue without worrying about quality issues, protect their brand reputation, and increase user loyalty.