Everything you need to know about Google AdMob

Google AdMob is a pivotal element in the Google Ad ecosystem. Whereas AdSense is for website monetization, AdMob is explicitly intended for mobile apps. The platform is one of the most loved ad platforms by mobile app and game developers. To understand why it is so favored in the in-app advertising world, keep reading and learn all about it.

1. What is Google AdMob?

Google AdMob is a monetization platform for mobile games and apps, acquired by Google in 2010. It gives Publishers and mobile game developers a way of earning by connecting them with their own network and delivering ads that match the viewers’ profiles. It all starts with a few simple clicks to add the apps and install AdMob’s SDK into the app.

The special thing about it is that its demands come straight from Google Ads, Display and Videos 360, and Google Ads’ third-party ad buyers. AdMob is also an ad mediator that allows Publishers to send ad requests to other ad networks aside from itself.

2. How does it work?

The way Google AdMob operates is pretty straightforward for Publishers. Publishers start by registering an AdMob account⇒ adding apps ⇒ creating ad units ⇒ installing AdMob’s SDK. The rest is handled automatically by the platform.

1. Ad requests are sent to AdMob along with targeting information, such as platform and ad format.
2. AdMob matches the ad request to the targeting settings and the highest-bidding/priority mediation groups.
3. AdMob initiates a Waterfall bidding auction in the selected mediation group.
4.  The ad inventory goes to the highest bidder that has an ad to show.

3. What are Google AdMob’s payment terms?

As long as Publishers have completed the basic steps to getting paid by AdMob and their earnings meet Google’s threshold, Google will fund their earnings after the 21st of the next month, after sending the earning report at the beginning of the month. If the earnings don’t meet the threshold, they will be rolled over to accumulate with the next month’s revenue. The process of payments is monthly and automatic.

4. AdMob Waterfall Mediation

AdMob Mediation helps Publishers to manage the demand sources they use to serve ads to their inventory within one platform.  Publishers can send ad requests to multiple ad networks while AdMob helps them choose the best available demand to fill the ad unit. The ad sources bid on each impression in real-time, in contrast to traditional mediation, which prioritizes networks based on user-provided eCPM or historical data and calls them one at a time. This allows them to participate equally in a single, unified auction.

AdMob allows Publishers to connect with up to its 30 networks and add up to 70 ad networks through custom events. A notable fact is that the majority of the world’s top ad networks are included in AdMob’s network already.

This mediation platform is reviewed as working wonders for both small/medium and large Publishers due to its huge file of demands and it gives them ease of integration. Another plus point is its various ad formats and good fill rate with better-targeted ads. Even though, the downside of using such a huge platform would be poor customer service and not many highly-customized ads.

5. AdMob vs. AdSense and Google AdX

AdMob and AdSense are both monetization platforms and ad networks. As mentioned above, AdMob is used explicitly for mobile apps and games, while AdSense is for mobile/desktop website monetization. AdSense’s auction process is similar to Header bidding while AdMob follows the Waterfall model. Other than that, Publishers can use the same account for both AdMob and AdSense.

Unlike AdMob or AdSense, Google AdX is an ad exchange that supports both websites and mobile apps. It offers real-time bidding to Advertisers, ad networks, and exchanges. Consequently, the Publisher’s inventory can reach a larger pool of Advertisers. A higher price comes with a higher stake, to be eligible to use Google AdX, a Publisher has to be invited by a Google’s authorized partner like PremiumAds or Google Account Managers, or must meet the following criteria:

• Have a Google Ad Manager (GAM) account
• No history of policy violations, unsafe content, or invalid traffic
• An updated ads.txt file with details of all buyers
• At least 5 million page views per month

6. AdMob vs. Google Ad Manager

Google Ad Manager is an advertising management platform that supports many ad exchanges and ad networks (even AdMob, AdSense, AdX, and outside ad networks). It is directly used for Publishers with a large portion of revenue coming from direct transactions.

AdSense, AdMob, and Ad Manager Publishers all have access to the same unique Authorized Buyers. Publishers can serve high-quality ads from all 3 platforms.

7. AdMob and Unity Ads

This is such a common question seen online coming from mobile game developers. Here’s how they are different from each other:

• AdMob is for both mobile games and apps, whereas Unity Ads is only for mobile game monetization.
• Unity Ads is easier to install and does not have many restrictions or policies like AdMob.
• Revenue when using AdMob is reported to be higher than Unity Ads since AdMob has a larger pool of demand.

In conclusion, Publishers usually prefer Google AdMob rather than Unity Ads for its high competition in earnings, but Unity Ads can be a great start for small and medium mobile game developers to get a hang of the monetization game.

8. Alternative Mediation Platforms Supported by PremiumAds

Other than Google AdMob, PremiumAds – a premium monetization platform for mobile apps/games and websites commits to working with the best ad mediations, including:

1. AppLovin MAX

AppLovin MAX is one of the toughest competitors of AdMob. The mediation used to be MoPub then was acquired by AppLovin. Being one of the biggest names in the advertising space, many Advertisers come to AppLovin to gain access to a large file of exclusive Publishers for their campaigns.

The mediator pleases their customer with its cutting-edge predictive algorithms and machine learning to uplift Publishers’ revenue over time.

2. Unity LevelPlay by ironSource

Unity and ironSource have joined forces to bring developers a variety of options and tools for monetizing and mediating networks in mobile games. Not only connects Publishers with up to 26 networks, but Unity LevelPlay mediation also runs dozens of monetization A/B tests. Unity LevelPlay is praised for its high-quality customer service, premium supply for tier-1 countries, and a variety of high-paid ad formats.

9. 10 Tips to increase your Google AdMob revenue

Let’s save the best for last. AdMob and its algorithms and calculations may confuse Publishers, not to mention some strict policies and account-suddenly-banned. Hence, as a long-term monetization platform that supports AdMob, we are sharing these tips with you:

1. Have no more than one app-open ads, more than one is risky, and has a high chance of app removal due to disruptive ads.
2. AdMob would try to maximize revenue by filling ad requests with higher eCPM ads first and going down in value until it can fill the request. If your app has less than 5000 impressions a day, go for the no-floor price.
3. Set medium to higher floor price for AdMob since this is a way to show them you only want to show an ad unit in general if the eCPM is at a certain price or higher. Leave the lower floor price for other ad networks that perform higher fill rates.
4. When scaling your apps, you would want to increase retention and revenue, then show fewer and higher-paying ads.
5. If your apps/games have a large number of daily requests, go for the AdMob Waterfall Mediation as well to ensure the highest fill rate.
6. Enable all ad types. More Advertisers can bid on your app’s inventory and help increase your average revenue per thousand impressions (RPM).
7. Show ads where/when they can grab users’ attention. For instance, after when they lose a level; when they need a specific booster or feature.
8. Publish your app in Tier-1 countries, Advertisers pay the most for those GEOs.
9. Utilize AdMob’s preloading of interstitial ads right when a user logs in to make no latency.
10. AdMob’s house ad campaigns are totally free, take full advantage of them.

Lastly,

PremiumAds team hopes this blog post brings you success with AdMob by figuring out notable explanations, comparisons, and tips. At PremiumAds, our demand sources consist not only of Google Demand but also of our high-profile worldwide DSP partners. If you do have any questions regarding AdMob in specific and the Google Ad Ecosystem in general, feel free to reach out, PremiumAds is happy to help!

In the next blog posts, let’s cover the topic of:

• The Google Ads ecosystem correlation
• Google Ad Manager – everything about it
• Google AdX