An interstitial ad is a type of advertisement that covers the full screen of an app. Moreover, the timing of this app appears between app screens and page transitions on a website. Interstitial ads usually occupy 100 percent of the interface and require user interaction (like closing out the ad) to proceed.
Do Interstitial Ads Affect SEO?
Yes, Google views intrusive interstitials as a negative ranking factor for mobile searches, which can hinder user experience. Pages that use too many or too big interstitials may get less ranking since 2017. A legally required interstitial is one example where Google will not take action against your site if it complies with regulations (e.g., cookie consent, an age verification pop-up) and allows Googlebot to access the content of your page.
Best Practices for Interstitial Ads.
- Don’t use large ads that take over the page and cover the content or block access to it.
- Make sure that user experience is a priority by showing ads at natural transition points, after game levels, and before serving content.
- Make the ads easy to skip. This way, the users can exit the ad with ease.
- Make ads load faster otherwise, your page will load slower.
- Limit Display Duration of the ads – Configure a brief timer (e.g., 3-5 seconds) before auto-closing the ad.
If you follow these rules, interstitial ads can be used without affecting SEO and UX negatively.
