Sticky ads are one of the ad placement tactics that generate the most revenue while improving overall page metrics. Sticky ad units will not compromise the original page content as the viewer can still read the text and view images and videos as they scroll, even though the sticky ad will still be in view. 

Sticky ads, otherwise known as anchor ads, can affix to the sidebar, top or bottom of a user’s screen and stay in the viewport as they scroll the page. These ad units work on both desktop and mobile devices and enhance website monetization including both banner ads and video clips.

One of the challenges to the success of digital display ads is banner blindness. A web page visitor can scroll past standard digital ads and continue reading the content without being distracted. 

With sticky ads, banner blindness is no longer an issue for ad viewability because of how it sticks with the viewer on the web page. It improves ad revenue for the website while enhancing the ad experience for visitors.

What Are The Different Types of Sticky Ads?

There are two main types of sticky ads: vertical and horizontal. Vertical sticky ads are on either side of the web page, whether to the left or the right. Horizontal ads can be at the top or bottom of the web page in the form of banners. 

Horizontal Sticky Ads

Digital advertisers choose from one of two types of horizontal sticky ads. Landscape ads remain at the top of a web page, while bottom horizontal sticky ads are in the opposite position. 

The best size for horizontal sticky ads is 728 x 90. Otherwise known as leaderboards, they include one or more elements to advertise a product or service, such as text and images.

Sticky ads have undergone extensive research and enhancement via the Coalition for Better Ads. A bottom horizontal sticky ad can consume about 30% of an overall webpage on a laptop or desktop. 

Different sizes are more popular based on the sticky ad’s position. The one selected for digital advertising depends on the ad inventory. It’s the space allotted to the digital publisher to enhance high viewability for their ads. 

Vertical Sticky Ads

Vertical sticky ads are in a portrait-like display that sticks to one side of the page or the other whether left or right. These are also skyscraper ads because of their vertical shape. 

The best ad size for vertical sticky ads is as follows:

• 300 x 250 is best for sidebar content and can be present either on a desktop or a mobile webpage format.
• 300 x 600 is a half-page vertical sticky ad where one side of the page is the original webpage content and the other side is the ad itself. 
• 160 x 600 enhances the cost per mille (CPM) with improved demand for the product or service in which you are advertising. Check more in the next section for further details on CPM. 

Advantages of Using Sticky Ads

There are many advantages of using sticky ads compared to other types of ad formats. Besides enhancing overall revenue potential because of better engagement in contrast to other types of ads, other advantages include:

• Meets standards set by digital advertising entities: Sticky ads satisfy the minimum standards that the Interactive Advertising Board (IAB) and the Media Rating Council (MRC) set for administrate about ad viewability guidelines.
• Less intrusive: Sticky ads do not intrude on user experience like other ad options. They stay static in the same place, whether horizontally or vertically. Certain ads that pop up without a webpage visitor’s knowledge or continue to flash during page viewing are more intrusive elements, which are things that sticky ads do not do.
• Improved CPM: CPM is how much a marketer funds an advertiser for receiving a thousand digital impressions. This rate is important because it shows the potential success of a sticky ad. 
• Better ad viewability: Since sticky ads stay stationed stantioned where they are originally placed, they will get more view time than other ad formats. Therefore, they typically generate a better click-through rate (CTR) and higher CPM. 
• Shows up on all devices: Viewability on mobile devices and desktop formats maintains the same quality. The sticky ad accommodates the viewer’s screen size accordingly to improve user experience. 
• Header bidding capability: Sticky ads can be included in in header bidding. Hence, demand partners can place their bids at the same time until the end of the bidding period when the highest bid is given the space for the sticky ad. 

Disadvantages of Using Sticky Ads

Despite the many advantages of using sticky ads on your website, there are a few disadvantages to keep in mind such as:

• Too many sticky ads compromise user experience: Opt for one to two sticky ads on the page so that it optimizes user experience without compromising it. 
• An overabundance of ads slows down the webpage: The page will not be able to load as fast if you place too many sticky ads tags. 
• Too much space compromised: Especially since sticky ads take up almost a third of a webpage, not choosing the correct size format can decrease user experience as well.  

How To Add Sticky Ads To Your Site

Adding sticky ads to your website takes only a few steps. No matter what type of platform you use, the very first step is to analyze your ad network, exchange, or SSP that will be responsible for displaying the sticky ads. 

If you are having trouble implementing sticky ads, check the platform’s frequently asked questions section. Otherwise, if you are more of a visual learner, you can look up video tutorials on YouTubeYou.

In Summary

Implementing sticky ads enhances the user experience while enjoying the perks of monetization for your website. Because of the ad unit’s placement horizontally or vertically, sticky ads generate better viewability for web page visitors by reducing banner blindness to enhance click-through rate (CTR) and higher-quality CPM. 

Use one or two sticky ads per webpage for the best results so that it does not slow down page loading times or compromise user experience. Add the sticky ads by following the steps based on what your ad manager tells you to do to properly install them. 

Partner with Us at Newor Media to help you post sticky ads. It’s a lot like AdSense, but our platform utilizes AI to boost ad revenue for your website.

Contact Newor Media today to see how you can enhance your ad revenue with sticky ads to get started with earning or earn more!