Interstitial Ads: Examples, Strategy & Revenue

In this guide you will find an interstitial ads definition, learn what are interstitial ads, explore interstitial ads CPM benchmarks and key performance statistics. We’ve also gathered some of the best interstitial ads example creatives to inspire you to craft more compelling ad campaigns and increase interstitial ads revenue.

Introductory Overview

With several types of digital ad formats available for use, it can be difficult for brands and businesses to decide which formats best suit their goals and objectives. While it’s certainly reasonable to employ more than one ad type at a time, the key question is whether those formats are actually effective and appropriate.

One popular ad format is known as interstitial ads — a format commonly used in mobile games, web browsers, landing pages, and apps. So, what is interstitial ads and why are they so widely used? The answer is simple: high visibility, strong engagement, and consistent interstitial ads revenue.

In what follows, we’ll dive deep into the world of interstitials, covering interstitial ads meaning, how they work, and why they’re beneficial. We’ll also share real-world statistics, performance insights, and best practices for running profitable interstitial campaigns.

Finally, we’ll conclude with a practical overview of how TrafficStars can help you build and scale an effective interstitial ads strategy.

What are Interstitial Ads?

Simply put, interstitial ads are a full-screen ad format that takes up the entire user interface, whether on mobile or desktop. In other words, interstitial ads definition refers to interactive ads placed between content, designed to fully capture user attention.

If you’ve ever opened a website or app and been greeted with a full-screen ad before accessing the content, you’ve already seen an interstitial web ads placement in action.

There are generally two main types of full-page interstitial formats, each with multiple creative variations — including text, image, video, rich media, or a combination of these. When implemented correctly, both formats can drive strong interstitial ads revenue.

The two core formats are interstitial banner ads and interstitial landing page ads.

Interstitial Image Ads

Interstitial image ads are full-page creatives often triggered by a user action, such as a click or page transition. Positioned between two pieces of content, they occupy the entire screen and act as a powerful attention-grabbing tool.

Because users can close these ads instantly, they are also considered compliant with Google’s non-intrusive user experience standards.

Often compared to or referred to as interstitial banner ads, this format allows advertisers to showcase bold visuals and strong CTAs that users can’t ignore — even if they choose to close the ad.

Benefits of interstitial image ads:

• Easy to create
• Strong alternative to popunders
• No HTML expertise required
• High click-through rate
• Maximum visibility
• Strong personalization options (CTA, branding, messaging)

Interstitial Landing Page Ads

The main advantage of interstitial landing page ads is the ability to use a landing page URL directly as the creative. This makes them a powerful alternative to popunders and traditional banners.

In this case, the entire screen becomes your funnel entry point — ideal for lead generation, installs, and registrations.

Statistics Surrounding Interstitial Ads

When comparing interstitial ads vs banner formats, interstitials consistently outperform traditional display placements in engagement and CTR.

Here are some of the most notable statistics that highlight the value of mobile interstitial ads and web interstitial formats:

• Interstitial ads vs banner: interstitial ads deliver up to 18× higher CTR than standard banners
• Interstitials are the second most popular ad format, behind rewarded ads
• 57% of video game publishers use mobile interstitial ads to monetize games
• 63% of casual developers and 47% of top-tier developers rely on mobile interstitials
• 76% of ads shown in mobile games are mobile interstitial ads
• 32% of users find interactive interstitials engaging and entertaining
• The United States leads globally in interstitial ad usage

Despite the fact that some users quickly close interstitials, their advantages far outweigh the drawbacks — especially when frequency capping and timing are applied correctly.

Fun fact: In 2016, Pinterest increased downloads by 100%, while Airbnb achieved a 300% increase — both driven by interstitial ad campaigns.

Where to Start with Interstitial Ads

Now that you understand what are interstitial ads and how they work, the next step is launching your first campaign.

Verticals such as Mobile Utilities, Sweepstakes, Nutra, Adult Games, Dating, and iGaming consistently show strong results with interstitial traffic. A smart starting point is simple conversion flows — lead generation or app installs — which allow testing with smaller budgets.

Using a self-serve platform, you can launch interstitial ads quickly and scale based on performance data.

Interstitial Ad Best Practices

To succeed with interstitials, you need to capture attention within seconds.

Shocking creatives Use bold, controversial visuals or statements — but stay within acceptable boundaries.

Clickbait-style headlines Generate curiosity with headlines that make users want to click.

Limited-time offers Urgency drives action and improves CTR.

Use numbers Statistics and numeric claims increase credibility and attention.

Frequency capping Limit impressions to avoid user fatigue. A cap of 3 impressions per 24 hours is often the optimal balance.

Pre-Landing Pages & Interstitial Video Ads

When using interstitial landing page ads, pre-landers play a critical role. Popular options include:

• Quizzes
• Fortune wheels
• Demo games
• Blog-style stories
• Expert opinions
• News-style articles

For iGaming, demo games or wheels work best, while Nutra performs well with story-driven content. Adding interstitial video ads or video interstitial ads can further boost engagement and visibility across devices.

Interstitial Ads CPM

We deliver around 10 billion impressions daily across 200+ GEOs. The minimum interstitial ads CPM starts at $0.05, though effective bids depend on competition and targeting.

Top GEOs by traffic volume and average CPM:

• United States – $0.78
• India – $0.08
• Germany – $1.20
• United Kingdom – $1.00
• Japan – $0.30
• France – $1.15
• Mexico – $0.13
• Canada – $0.88
• Philippines – $0.11
• Brazil – $0.20

Wrapping Up

Full-page interstitial ads combine the strengths of popunders and display advertising. They are easy to launch, highly visible, conversion-focused, and compliant with Google standards.

If you’re already running popunders, interstitials are a natural next step for scaling. With competitive interstitial ads CPM, strong performance across verticals, and proven engagement, interstitials remain one of the most effective ad formats available today.

Follow best practices, test creatives, and leverage interstitial ads revenue potential to take your campaigns to the next level.