When you think about digital advertising, what’s the first image that comes to mind? Maybe it’s a flashy banner at the top of a website that grabs your attention before you even scroll. That’s a leaderboard ad—and it’s one of the most popular ad formats in digital publishing.
If you’re a publisher looking to boost ad revenue or just trying to understand what kind of display ads work best, you’ve probably come across the term leaderboard banner. In this post, we’ll break down what a leaderboard ad is, where it appears, how it performs, and what kind of revenue potential it holds for publishers.
What is a Leaderboard Ad?
A leaderboard ad is a type of display advertisement that typically appears at the very top (or occasionally bottom) of a webpage. It spans the width of the content, drawing the viewer’s eye as soon as the page loads.
The standard leaderboard ad size is 728 pixels wide by 90 pixels tall (728×90). This makes it ideal for desktop views, where it has maximum visibility.
There’s also a mobile leaderboard version, often at 320×50 or 320×100 pixels, which is optimized for smaller screens. But when most people refer to leaderboard ads, they’re usually talking about the full-size desktop version.
Why Do Advertisers Love Leaderboard Ads?
Two words: prime real estate.
The top of the page is a high-traffic, high-visibility zone. Advertisers love digital leaderboard placements because:
- They load first.
- They appear “above the fold” (no scrolling needed).
- They get noticed by nearly every visitor to the page.
Because of this prime positioning, leaderboard ads tend to command higher CPMs (cost per thousand impressions) than many other ad placements—especially when the inventory is sold programmatically through real-time bidding (RTB).
How Do Leaderboard Ads Perform for Publishers?
For publishers, the performance of a leaderboard banner depends on a few factors:
- Traffic volume and quality: More eyeballs = more impressions = more revenue.
- Ad viewability: Leaderboard ads tend to have high viewability scores because they appear first.
- Ad density on the page: If your site is overloaded with ads, even the top banner can get ignored.
- Responsive design: On mobile, a 728×90 leaderboard won’t display, so a fallback like a 320×50 unit is essential.
In general, leaderboard ads can be strong earners for desktop traffic—but their mobile performance might lag unless properly optimized.
Where Do You See Leaderboard Ads?
Leaderboard ads usually appear in one of three places:
- Top of the page (most common)
- Bottom of the page (often as a footer ad)
- Within content (less common, but can be used for mid-content breaks)
The most effective placement is at the top of the page, as it’s the first thing users see when they land on a site. That said, savvy publishers often test both top and bottom placements to see what drives the most revenue.
Revenue Potential: How Much Can You Earn from Leaderboard Ads?
Let’s get to the real question: How much can you make from leaderboard ads?
The revenue from leaderboard ads varies based on several factors, including:
- Geography (U.S. and Tier 1 countries tend to pay more)
- Niche (finance, tech, and health often see higher CPMs)
- Traffic volume
- Ad network or monetization partner
- Auction dynamics (e.g., header bidding vs. waterfall)
Here’s a rough idea of what you might expect in terms of CPM:
| Traffic Type | Estimated CPM (Leaderboard) |
| Tier 1 (US, UK) | $1.50 – $4.00+ |
| Tier 2 (Latin America, Eastern Europe) | $0.50 – $1.50 |
| Tier 3 (Asia, Africa) | $0.10 – $0.50 |
Keep in mind these are ballpark numbers. Some publishers working with advanced monetization setups (like header bidding or programmatic direct) can command even higher rates.
With 100,000 monthly impressions from Tier 1 countries, for example, you could earn anywhere from $150 to $400+ per month from just your leaderboard unit.
Multiply that across multiple pages or ad units, and you start to see how leaderboard ads can add up to a meaningful chunk of monthly ad revenue.
Best Practices for Maximizing Leaderboard Ad Revenue
If you’re running leaderboard ads on your site (or thinking about it), here are a few tips to get the most out of them:
- Above-the-Fold Placement
Position your leaderboard at the top of your content, ideally before any navigation or hero images. This boosts viewability and ensures it loads early in the ad call.
- Responsive Design
Make sure your site serves an appropriate leaderboard banner for mobile users. Many sites fail to serve a mobile fallback, leading to missed revenue opportunities.
- Use Header Bidding
Header bidding allows multiple demand partners to bid on your ad space in real-time. This increases competition and can lift CPMs across the board, especially for premium units like leaderboards.
- Lazy Loading (Strategically)
For secondary leaderboard placements (e.g., at the bottom of the page), consider lazy loading to improve page speed without sacrificing ad revenue.
- Test and Optimize
Run A/B tests for different ad placements, colors, and loading strategies. Even small changes can have a big impact on revenue over time.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Even though leaderboard ads are simple in concept, many publishers leave money on the table by making a few avoidable mistakes:
- Not implementing mobile fallback units – This limits your earnings from mobile traffic.
- Cluttered layout – Too many ads can reduce the effectiveness of your leaderboard and lower overall user experience.
- Ignoring ad viewability – If your leaderboard isn’t visible for long enough, it won’t count as a viewable impression, impacting your earnings.
Should You Use Leaderboard Ads?
In a word: yes—especially if you’re monetizing desktop traffic.
Leaderboard ads are one of the oldest, most recognizable formats in digital advertising. Despite newer ad formats entering the scene (native, sticky, in-content), the digital leaderboard still performs reliably for publishers who implement it strategically.
And when paired with a robust ad monetization partner—like Newor Media—you can unlock the full earning potential of leaderboard banners, along with all your other display units.
Final Thoughts
A leaderboard ad may seem like just another banner at the top of the page—but when implemented correctly, it’s a serious revenue driver.
From leaderboard ad sizes and placement to performance tips and CPM benchmarks, knowing how to make the most of this ad unit is key to running a profitable publishing business.
Want to see how much your site could earn with leaderboard ads and a fully optimized monetization setup? Get in touch with Newor Media—we’ll show you how to turn your traffic into steady revenue without compromising on user experience.
