Home Guides and Tutorials Popunders or Banner Ads: Which Ad Format to Choose in 2022

Popunders or Banner Ads: Which Ad Format to Choose in 2022

by Adsterra Team

We now have different ad strategies and formats effective enough to convince millennials and gen Z without disturbing their experience. And how about the “oldies” among ad units? Are popunder ads still ruling the market? Are banner ads capable of making good ROI? Which format is better for advertisers and publishers, popunder on banner ads? That’s what will be under review in this informative guide. 

You want to start a winning ad campaign but you are not sure if you should opt for popunder or banner ads? This post will help you decide.


Contents

  1. What are display banner ads?
  2. Pros of banner ads for advertisers and publishers
  3. Cons of banner ads for advertisers and publishers
  4. What are popup and popunder ads?
  5. Pros of popunder ads for advertisers and publishers
  6. Main cons of popunder ads for advertisers and publishers
  7. Why advertisers and publishers still prefer popunder ads in 2022
  8. How to advertise with pop ads: tips for advertisers
  9. Monetization with pop ads: tips for publishers
  10. How to advertise with banner ads: tips for advertisers
  11. Monetization with banner ads: tips for publishers
  12. Final thoughts


What are display banner ads?

A banner ad is rectangular image-based content displayed on a web page to advertise a product, service, or brand to web users.

Also known as web ads, banner ads could be static .png or .jpg images or animated Flash multimedia. Banners have been around for quite some time, and you will find them on lots of websites because they generate enough clicks and are easy to create.

Banner ads from Adsterra

 

Adsterra provides banners that fit desktop and mobile screens: 468×60, 728×90, 320×50, 800×440, 300×250, 160×300, 160×600

Pros of banner ads for advertisers and publishers

Command attention

One of the most basic benefits of this style of ad is that the ad content isn’t difficult to notice. Every internet user already sees them on almost every site they visit.

So with the most suitable design and strategy in place, banner ads could drive massive traffic, particularly when delivered to the right audience.

Easy to create

Another vital reason you should opt for banners is that they are easy to design. The use of an image makes it easy to convey so much information to viewers at one glance. What is even more interesting is that you can design your banner ads with ease, using tools like Canva, Google Web Designer, Fotor, and Pixl.

You can also produce several designs to suit the target audience at each point of the way. It works better than recycling the same content to different sets of people.

Familiar to users

These ads are some of the oldest ad formats in use. How this argument can help? This means boomers and even millennials are pretty used to seeing them. While it could be detrimental in a way, it’s still a trusted approach to build user reach and brand awareness.

Some experts suggest that visitors are not offended by banners as much as by other ad formats.

Inexpensive for advertisers. Profitable for publishers

With lots of rivaling ad formats (like in-page push or Social Bar), banners remain one of the most inexpensive ways of advertising. Advertisers still rely on them when running global-scale campaigns. Low CPMs may sound like good news for merchants, but how about publishers? They profit, too. Even with discreet payout, they enjoy a near 100% fill rate with ads that continually bring predictable revenue.

Straightforward and transparent

Display banner ads are the most transparent ad formats—making it easy for potential customers to identify with them. When targeted toward the precise audience, banners tend to amount a high CTR. They also have a penetrating audience reach and average high viewability.

Align with web pages

People browse the internet with all sorts of devices, from mobile phones to tablets and desktop computers. Banners are easy to adjust to your web page’s responsive design. So irrespective of the device your potential customers are browsing on, they still get to enjoy their experience on your website and hopefully click the ads.

Using a suitable ad format gives you an edge and boosts the chances of getting prospective customers/clients to click your ad. There are various formats but for a vast reach and assured results, you can use our tailored ad formats here at Adsterra.

Cons of banner ads for advertisers and publishers

Ad blindness

One of the main disadvantages of banner ads is also tied to an advantage: they are common. And as a result, users have become over-familiar with them. So much so that the campaigns hardly draw attention anymore; they can easily be ignored.

Banners are equally subject to adblock

As more sophisticated ad-blocking tools are developed from time to time, it becomes increasingly difficult for banners to escape adblock.

Dynamic banner ads could irritate users

Most advertisers and publishers use dynamic banners as a way of spicing things up, drawing viewers’ attention with blinking ads or ads with moving features. On one hand, this might be a step in the right direction but it could also irritate potential customers.

What are pop-up and popunder ads?

A popunder ad appears on a new window or tab behind your current browser window. They work like a coupon put at the bottom of your grocery pocket in a regular store. On the other side, a popup ad is an interface suddenly displayed to a viewer during their session on a website.

Both popups and popunders contain information intended to elicit an action from the web user, which could range from purchasing to booking a service with the advertiser.

However, popunders are different from pop-up ads; the latter format is much more obtrusive because it appears in front of the web user’s opened pages. Popunders are subtle and delicate, making them a very powerful ad format.

 

Popunders are much more friendly than pop-ups cause they don’t overlap the web page content

Pros of popunder ads for advertisers and publishers

Dynamic banner ads could irritate users

Talking of great user experience, popunder advertisements are excellent for digital marketing practices without shoving your brand, services, or practices down the throat of your audience, as they open in a new tab or window.

They generate massive views and traffic

Popunders seem to go unnoticed but they have proven to generate as much traffic and conversion as popups, especially on tablets and desktop devices. Thanks to their productivity, the demand for popunder ads will be fast on the rise in 2022.

Popunders are immune to adblockers

If you want an ad type with a high adblock immunity, pop-unders are your best shot. They neither trigger ad-blocking tools nor appear on the user’s current page.

No page format restrictions

A common obstacle with other ad formats is that they are limited in design. In essence, the advertiser needs to overlook the offer with a short heading and a picture. On the other side, publishers need to find ad space for placing banners. With popunders, neither the first ones nor the latter ones don’t face these troubles.

Advertisers have the entire page to make ads as inviting and convincing as possible. Publishers don’t have to redesign web pages, removing important content and smashing UX.

Popunders are excellent for retargeting

This format works exceptionally well for retargeting. You could use the ad type to provide all the necessary details, mouth-watering offers, etc. You cannot show most of this info to users the first time they encounter your ad.

So popunders increase your chances of winning customers who have not converted or reminding your existing viewers of new updates that might cause them to patronize you even further.

Main cons of popunder ads for advertisers and publishers

Not the best format for mobile devices

A major setback with this advertising style is that most mobile users find them annoying. But despite that and the fact that they usually cost more, many reports show that considering adequate targeting to relevant pages, it is still a reasonable investment.

Ads can be disabled

Although they are immune to most adblock tools, browsers have a setting for users to automatically close new windows. This drastically limits the reach of pop-unders.

Poor user attitude if not designed well

Mobile users are always on the lookout for quick information while browsing, so they might lack the patience to flip through opened tabs. When they meet yet another popunder they are more likely to close the tab …unless the ad captures, excites, thrills them offering real value. Not all advertisers are ready to produce a full-page advertising that will be that compelling.

Why advertisers and publishers will prefer popunder ads in 2022

Despite the few challenges, popunders are the preferred options for both advertisers and publishers in 2022. There are several points in favor of them you should consider.

  • Pop ads still attract top verticals and offers: Sweepstakes, E-commerce, Dating, iGaming, Software, Games.  
  • Affiliate campaigns are still on top with pop ads ramping up ROI up to 315% with Finance offers of ROI 286% with iGaming campaigns.
  • Popunders stream unrivaled massive traffic. E.g., over 1B impressions monthly come solely from India. 
  • The only ad format that allows you to use compelling design and copy; it’s just as powerful as a landing page.
  • The industry workhorse, popunders will continue driving huge traffic and stable revenues.
  • All browsers find popunders edible, however, Chrome is more loyal to them.
  • Chrome seems to be loyal to popunders. Latest updates tend to limit web push ads while pops remain as they were.

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How to advertise with popunder ads in 2022: tips for advertisers

  1. With pops, it’s all about traffic volumes. You obtain loads of impressions from any GEO. But to check the performance it is better to create a separate campaign for each GEO.
  2. We don’t recommend setting too many traffic filters (over-optimization) at the start. Traffic tests should target widely. After the best
  3. Advertising with popunders has become far more sophisticated. Brands put efforts into designing credible and well-structured ads
  4. When stepping into a new GEO, it is better to choose a simple conversion flow: trials, installs, opt-ins. If the endpoint is a deposit, beginners risk wasting all test budgets waiting for conversions.
  5. The pricing model is glued to the vertical and offer type. For iGaming products promotion and Financial services advertising, the CPM pricing fits better as it allows for long-term traffic tests. On the other side, the CPA pricing hits when it comes to fast conversions: VPN trials, app installs, etc.
  6. Massive traffic demands strong management. Dividing traffic sources into bidding groups can help a lot. Not only blacklisting helps reduce costs and amp efficiency. Whitelists are perfect for selecting traffic that makes the majority of conversions. Greylists mark sources with middling performance.

Monetization with popunder ads: tips for publishers

  1. If your audience is not content-sensitive or your niche is not specific (e.g., religion), allow all traffic types (mainstream and non-mainstream). On Adsterra, you can pick all traffic types but limit specific ads like those with sound.
  2. You start getting profit almost immediately. The CPM rate might be lower at the start, but you should wait a couple of days until advertisers can estimate your traffic and set a new CPM rate.
  3. Pay attention to the instructions on where to put your popunder code. When placed incorrectly, the code will not work. Make sure your Popunder ad network is trustworthy. Look through a couple of reviews made by monetization gurus.
  4. Pops are very friendly to other ads as they don’t intrude user navigation on the website. Consider adding native banners or Social Bar on the same page to increase revenue.
  5. Don’t rush over setting higher frequency for popunders (the number of times a user can see ads). In the beginning, this strategy may work, but after users get annoyed with multiple new tabs, they will finally churn from your website. See how frequency capping may turn down CPM rates.

How to advertise with banner ads: tips for advertisers

  1. When it comes to banners, it is better to reach out to your account manager. The oldest industry format has many hidden hazards. Your manager is aware of all dos and don’ts about banners for your industry, and particularly, your offer.
  2. Come up with several banner designs; you will need to switch them during your campaign as users tend to get bored of the same ads..
  3. Use contrast colors for background and headings. 
  4. Choose various banner sizes for A/B tests and adapt your design to each size carefully.
  5. Use clear CTAs that state value. Avoid dull phrases like “Learn more” or “See all items.”
  6. Create a sense of urgency. Use the FOMO effect along with scarcity and exclusivity accents.

Monetization with banner ads: tips for publishers

  1. Combine a couple of banner sizes on one web page to increase your profit.
  2. Don’t oversaturate your website with banners. When putting too many, banners become annoying, and users ignore them all along with your website.
  3. Build stable quality traffic as advertisers value conversions, not only impressions and clicks.
  4. Maximize the ad earning for a particular session by interlinking your blog pages to make users drill down as much web content as possible.

How much does a banner ad cost?

Many variables affect the cost of banner advertising. The most critical factors are your ad quality score and maximum bid rate. Other factors that affect your quality score include click-through rate (CTR%), average time on site, landing page, and user experience (UX).

Placement is also vital for banner ads, which means that the charge is dependent on the position of your banner ads appearing on the publisher’s site

Let’s now look at calculating your banner ad campaign’s costs. First, determine your conversion goal. The cost per click (CPC) of a display ad campaign helps you analyze the amount of money you will spend on advertising. 

For instance, suppose you have $5,000, and the cost-per-click (CPC) is $0.58. You’ll get 8,621 clicks if you divide your $5,000 ad budget by the average CPC of $0.58. You can use this method when estimating the cost of banner advertising.

However, ad costs vary by advertiser and campaign. These fees range according to the ad platform used, placement and size, targeting, quality, and settings. It’s essential to consider these factors when deciding on an ad platform and ad type.

Various standard banner ad sizes

Understanding the various banner ad sizes and functions is critical to getting the best results. We’ll show you how to get the most out of the top performing banner ad types as a publisher on Adsterra Network, among the top ad display networks, in the sections below.

Pop-up, Popunder, and Banner ads FAQ

What is the difference between a pop-up and a popunder ad?

Popunders (or popunders) and pop-ups are both types of ads triggered by a specific action performed by website visitors. These ads may be triggered when the visitor lands on the page, clicks through to another page, or conducts other pre-set activities.

The difference between popunder and pop-up ads is that a popunder ad opens in a new webpage under the user’s current website, while a pop-up appears on top of the content they are viewing. 

Pop-up ads and popunders can provide valuable opportunities to gain acquisitions, capture a lead or advertise a product. However, if they are too intrusive, they will not only be ineffective for the purpose you intended but will also put visitors off considering your services.

While popunder advertising is subtler than using pop-ups, intrusive popunders can annoy your potential customers and put them off finding out more or taking a particular desired action. 

Always go with a Popunder ad network that is careful about the placement of their ads, which targets sites that fall in line with your offerings, and so, you will get your content and promotions in front of people interested in it and willing to check it out. Adsterra, for instance, sets optimal frequency cappings avoiding ad oversaturation.

What kind of traffic sources can pop offers generate?

If you’re thinking about using pop-up ads to promote your services and drive traffic to your website, you should think about what kind of traffic you’ll get. Most pop ad networks charge their advertisers per click on the ad in question, so make sure these clicks are valuable to you rather than simply bringing a lot of traffic to your site that will not lead to conversions.

If you’re thinking about working with a pop-up network or a popunder traffic source, do your homework to find out where your ads will appear.

Are pop ads still effective?

Simply put, pop ads are effective for the same reasons as landing pages: they remove distractions, provide a last-chance offer, and reduce the choice to a simple yes-or-no response.

Why do people dislike pop-up ads?

Because they are more aggressive than popunders or interstitials. You’re browsing a website or looking for something specific when all of a sudden, a massive pop-up ad appears, forcing users to look at it, pay attention to it, and deal with it.
One of the most difficult aspects of online advertising is getting people to notice your ads. Banner blindness exists, and unless your ad disrupts the user experience, it will likely go unnoticed.

Pop-up ads, on the other hand, like YouTube ads and TV commercials, force people to pay attention to them. With a pop-up ad, you don’t have to worry about people seeing your ad; they’ll see it regardless, even if their only interaction with it is trying to get rid of it.

How much can you earn from Popunders and Pop-Ups?

The earning potential is higher than with traditional banner formats, and also, they are more visible, which means that more people will click on them. Because advertisers want to get people’s attention, and traditional display ads lose their appeal, popunder and pop-up formats have resurfaced.

Do pop-up ads still work?

Using pop advertising has proven to be a highly effective way to grow your business. Performance marketers may be skeptical of pop ads (both pop-ups and popunders), which is why this form has become a niche in online advertising. An average internet user sees over 5,000 ads per day in this 21st century. However, with every top ad network publishing an article on the benefits of pop-up and popunder ads, can you afford not to use them?

How effective is a popunder ad?

If your concern is about the effectiveness of popunder ads, there’s excellent news for you. Popunders are non-invasive. Unlike pop-ups, they don’t interrupt users’ browsing track by forcing a tab to close and blocking access to the site. For example, if you want to get the audience to sign up with their phone number or email address, the best time to show your ad is after they’re done performing their task and can focus on other things.

Final thoughts

Banner ads or popunders? Which option would you choose? Popunders are versatile and will quickly increase traffic, sales, email lists, or any other advertising goal. By joining Adsterra, you gain access to over 2.2B weekly popunder impressions. This format is unquestionably the best.

Keep an eye on the capping

The capping prevents visitors from seeing a popunder or pop-up ad more than 1-3 times per day on websites with many page views per user. It helps avoid overtaxing your visitors’ patience and keeps advertisers from wasting money on visitors who don’t want to interact with the ad.

That’s not all. Popunder ads are a great way to quickly A/B test landing pages. Usually, users reach your landing page by clicking on a primary ad in an email, social media, or elsewhere. Using popunders saves time and money by skipping the first step. 
However, banners are another option for brand awareness and cost-effective wide-reach campaigns. They’re also effective as a supporting ad format. If you’re looking to earn money from popunder or banner traffic, you’re welcome to join Adsterra. We offer the highest CPMs on the market as well as 24/7 support. Are you a business owner looking for a reliable source of traffic? Our publishers are waiting to help you!

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