Ad Placement and Timing in HTML5 Games: Best Practices

Without a sliver of a doubt, ads are the ultimate way to make your games accessible to a broad audience while generating a stable revenue stream. We explored the benefits of in-game advertisements compared to freemium-style monetization models in a recent post (go check it out!) and will now expand on the intricacies of in-game advertisement.

Advertising is a tale as old as time, and the general principles have remained mostly unchanged throughout the years. That also pertains to in-game ads: as a rule of thumb, everything that applies to mobile titles also works for HTML5 games. Although players often see in-game ads as a nuisance, advertisements don’t have to be annoying — you just need to choose high-quality ad providers and place the ads smartly to ensure that they don’t interrupt the gameplay.

We at Yandex Games will take care of the first part: with the help of the Yandex Advertising Network, ads picked from the finest ad providers are automatically targeted to players depending on their interests. This way, you can be at peace knowing that your players will never be exposed to inappropriate content. The only thing you’ll need to consider is where to place the ad blocks. There are quite a few options to choose from, and we’re here to help you get the most out of your in-game ads!

Before the Game Starts

Perhaps the least intrusive way to approach in-game ads is to place them right before the gameplay kicks in. A few longer ads at the start won’t faze players too much if it means they get to play for an extended time without interruptions. This model works best with games that have lengthy sessions, such as racing simulators and MOBAs.

Between Games or Lives

Inserting ads into the gameplay is generally considered bad etiquette: few things can be more annoying than getting interrupted in the middle of a game. That’s why interstitial (full-screen) advertisements should be limited to spots that comprise a natural break, such as in between levels or when the player has lost a life in the game and is restarting for another attempt. This approach shows the best results when used in casual games, such as match-3.

Below or Above the Game Screen

A common strategy among mobile game devs is to have anchor blocks that take up a small portion of the screen and persist throughout the game, occasionally rotating the ads within. It doesn’t interfere with the gameplay in any way but has the drawback of pretty modest engagement numbers: players tend to simply ignore banners, much less interact with them.

Wherever (in Exchange for Rewards!)

You can incentivize players to watch ads by rewarding them with in-game currency, extra lives, tips for beating a level, or other progression boosts. Another reward that’s relatively under-utilized is rewarding players with discounts on in-game purchases for watching a short ad: it’s a best-of-both-words strategy that helps you sell paid items more efficiently and ensures a high number of ad interactions. Ad rewards stand out due to their versatility: they work equally well in any type of game.

Deciding on the right way to show ads is essential for any free-to-play game developer. The above list is far from exhaustive but makes for a great base: these ad placement strategies are often used in a mix. For example, you can display interstitial ads between levels and let your players watch adverts for in-game rewards. Throw in the paid option to disable ads for players that prefer enjoying their games with no distractions — and you’ve got yourself a balanced and reliable source of revenue.

In-game ads feel right at home in any free-to-play game, regardless of its complexity or genre. But game development takes careful planning, especially when talking about monetization. The monetization model has to be decided very early on, and if you choose the way of in-game ads, you’ll need to set the stage for them when your game is no more than just a concept. The further along in development your project is, the more room for mistakes you’ll have.

Once you’ve chosen your monetization model and are ready to show your game to the world, integrate our SDK and publish it to Yandex Games — we’ll handle the rest. Our comprehensive Developer’s Guide is there to help you every step of the way!