In-app advertising is the practice of displaying advertisements within mobile apps. These advertisements are integrated seamlessly into the app’s user interface, allowing users to encounter and interact with ads while using the app. In-app advertising is prevalent across various types of mobile apps, including games, social media apps, news apps, and productivity apps.

Types of in-app advertising

Ads within apps come in various formats, such as:

• Banner ads. Rectangular banners displayed at the top, bottom, or within the app interface.
• Interstitial ads. Full-screen ads that appear between app content, often before, during, or after specific activities.
• Native ads. Ads designed to blend seamlessly with the app’s native content, often appearing as sponsored content or product recommendations.
• Video ads. Short video clips that play automatically or with user interaction.

Pros of in-app advertising

• Cost-effective for advertisers. Compared to traditional media, in-app advertising can be more cost-effective for reaching a specific target audience through mobile devices. If you’re a company that wants to advertise your products in related apps, you can contact an ad network to explore this option better.
• Revenue growth for app improvements. Ads provide a way for developers to generate revenue from their free apps to support ongoing development and maintenance.
• Increased user engagement. Some interactive ad formats, like video ads with rewards, can incentivize user engagement and boost app usage, ultimately leading to the app’s financial sustainability.

Cons of in-app advertising

• Disruptive user experience. Intrusive ads, especially poorly timed interstitials, can disrupt the user experience and decrease user satisfaction. Poor user experience affects app developers because the fewer users use an app, the less revenue the app tends to generate.
• Privacy concerns. In-app advertising often relies on user data collection for targeting, raising privacy concerns for some users.