An interstitial ad is a full-screen advertisement that covers the interface of a website or app and appears at a transition point, for example between two pages or two levels of a game. The user must close it or interact with it to continue. In digital advertising, Google offers web interstitials for websites through Google Ad Manager and AdSense, and app interstitials through AdMob.
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How interstitial ads work
“Interstitial” means “in the space between”. The ad loads in the background and is shown when the user moves from one screen to another. Because it fills the screen, it gets far more attention than a banner, and it is priced accordingly.
Types of interstitial
- App interstitials. Shown between screens or game levels in mobile apps. They can be static, video or playable.
- Web interstitials. Shown when a visitor navigates from one page of a site to another. Google’s web interstitial format appears between page views, has a clear close button and is frequency-capped per user.
- Rewarded interstitials. The user receives something, such as in-game credit, for watching.
- Non-advertising interstitials. Newsletter pop-ups, app install prompts and promotions that a site shows about itself.
Google web interstitials
In Google’s advertising products, a web interstitial is a full-page ad format for mobile and desktop websites. It is triggered by a navigation between pages on the same site, not on first arrival, and the publisher does not place it in the page layout. Because it appears between page loads instead of over content the user is reading, it is designed to stay within Google’s own guidance on intrusive interstitials.
Interstitials and SEO
Since January 2017, Google has treated intrusive interstitials on mobile as a negative page experience signal. Pages where content is not easily accessible when a user arrives from search may rank lower.
| Likely to cause problems | Generally acceptable |
|---|---|
| A pop-up covering the main content immediately after arriving from search | Cookie consent and other legally required notices |
| A standalone interstitial the user must dismiss before reaching the content | Age verification |
| A layout where the top of the page looks like an interstitial and the content sits below it | Login dialogs for content behind a paywall or account |
| Full-screen app install prompts | Small banners that are easy to dismiss and use a reasonable amount of screen space |
Best practices
- Show interstitials at natural breaks, never while someone is reading or mid-task.
- Do not show one on the first page a visitor lands on from search.
- Make the close button obvious and immediately usable.
- Cap how often each user sees one.
- Preload the ad so it does not delay navigation or hurt Core Web Vitals.
- Follow the Better Ads Standards, which Chrome uses to filter ads on sites with intrusive formats.
Interstitial vs pop-up vs banner
A banner sits within the page layout. A pop-up opens over part of the page, often in the middle of a visit. An interstitial takes the whole screen at a transition point. Interstitials earn more per impression than banners but carry more risk to user experience if they are badly timed.
Frequently asked questions
What is an interstitial ad?
It is a full-screen ad that covers a website or app at a transition point, such as between two pages, and must be closed or clicked before the user continues.
What is a Google web interstitial?
It is a full-page ad format for websites, available through Google Ad Manager and AdSense, that appears when a visitor navigates between pages and is frequency-capped per user.
Do interstitials hurt SEO?
Intrusive interstitials that block content for visitors arriving from search can lower rankings on mobile. Legally required notices and small dismissible banners do not.
What is the difference between an interstitial and a pop-up?
An interstitial fills the whole screen at a break between content. A pop-up opens over part of a page, often while the user is in the middle of it.
What is the Google web interstitial definition in digital advertising?
For anyone searching “Google web interstitial definition digital advertising”: it is a full-page ad format from Google Ad Manager and AdSense that appears between page views on a website and is frequency-capped per user.
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