When it comes to programmatic advertising, one size does not fit all. The effectiveness of an ad format greatly depends on the type of content you’re publishing, your audience behavior, and the user experience you aim to deliver. Choosing the right ad formats for your niche can significantly boost your eCPM, viewability, and overall revenue.
In this blog, we’ll break down popular content niches and recommend the best-suited ad formats for each one.
Contents
News & Editorial Sites
News and editorial websites are some of the most established and high-traffic platforms on the internet. With a steady stream of new content and a loyal readership, these sites have unique monetization potential — but they also come with the challenge of user fatigue and ad blindness due to heavy daily content consumption.
News readers typically scroll quickly, skim headlines, and consume articles in short bursts. Because of this, ads need to be both non-intrusive and attention-grabbing to be effective. Additionally, these sites often receive a high percentage of mobile traffic, which makes ad placement and responsiveness crucial.
Best Ad Formats: The niche nature makes the Sticky 4K become the most suitable format as the ads stay fixed at the top or bottom of the screen as users scroll through an article. News readers tend to scroll slowly and read deeply, which makes sticky placements extremely effective for maintaining visibility throughout the session. Since advertisers often pay a premium for high viewability, this boosts CPMs and revenue.
Other Effective Format:Â
- Sticky Bottom Banner – Persistent and non-intrusive.
- Outstream Video – Great for monetizing non-video content.
- Interstitial (with limits) – Effective between articles or content refreshes.
Tech Blogs & Product Reviews
Tech blogs are built around research, technical breakdowns, and in-depth comparisons. The audience expects functionality over flash, so ads need to be informative and placed where attention naturally flows, such as in between feature analysis or specs.
Best Ad Formats: Medium Rectangle (300×250) – This format fits perfectly within comparison sections, allowing advertisers to reach users when they’re in a decision-making mindset. It supports performance campaigns while fitting into article design. Moreover, they are perfect for both mobile and desktop, ensuring visibility and high CPM fromÂ
Other Effective Formats:
- Native Recommendation Widgets – Drives additional pageviews and monetization.
- Video Ads – Excellent for product demos or reviews.
- Display Ads – Use sparingly to highlight product offers.
Food & Recipe Sites
Food sites are inherently visual, structured, and instructional. Their content encourages long dwell times as users follow steps or view cooking visuals. This makes them ideal for ads that stay visible without disrupting the layout.
Best Ad Formats: Side Bar Ads – Stay in constant view while users scroll through long, image-heavy instructions. Perfect for desktop, they generate consistent impressions and revenue without disturbing the core content.
Other Effective Formats:
- Side Rails AdsÂ
- In-Image Ads – Leverage high-quality photos.
- Recipe Card Units – Native-style placements within structured content.
- Interstitial Ads (between steps) – Use carefully to avoid user frustration.
Gaming Sites
Gaming content tends to have high engagement but low tolerance for disruption. Whether it’s game tutorials, esports news, or browser-based games, users want immersive experiences. Because of this, ads with clear value exchange and quick load times perform best.
Interactive users also tend to favor visual content, making video and in-game experiences ideal.
Most Effective Format: Rewarded Ads – Users opt-in to view these ads in exchange for in-game perks or content, leading to higher engagement rates and longer viewing times. This value exchange makes them a top performer in gaming environments.
Other Effective Formats
- Interstitial Ads – High-impact between sessions or pages.
- Sticky Bottom Ads – Constant visibility without disrupting gameplay.
- Native Banners – Blend with leaderboard stats or ranking content.
Online Tools & Utility Sites
Online tools sites—like calculators, file converters, speed testers, or utility apps—are designed for quick, functional use. Users typically land with a clear intent, complete a task in seconds, and often don’t scroll or browse much. That makes traditional in-article or display ads less effective.
Best Ad Format: Anchor Ads (Sticky Top or Bottom): Anchor ads, on the other hand, remain fixed to the top or bottom of the screen, ensuring that users always see the ad, even during short sessions. Since these tools are heavily accessed via mobile devices, sticky anchor formats provide maximum ad viewability without interfering with the core utility or distracting the user.
This format is especially valuable for high-traffic, task-based pages where time-on-site is low but volume is high. It’s a smart way to capture value from users who otherwise wouldn’t interact with traditional ad placements.
Other effective formats:
- Interstitial Ads
- In-Content Display Ads
- Rewarded Ads
- Sticky Side Rail Ads (Desktop only)
Final Thoughts
Every niche behaves differently, so choosing the right ad formats is critical to balancing monetization and user experience. By aligning your ad strategy with your audience’s behavior and content style, you can improve engagement, boost fill rates, and increase your overall revenue.
