Growing WordAds Viewable Ad Impressions

In August 2020, WordAds completed a major update to how we measure, target and optimize against ad impressions that are viewable. Our intention is to provide more value to our advertisers by restricting ads to only placements that have an opportunity to be seen.

According to IAB, the minimum requirement for an ad to be viewable is that at least half of any ad (regardless of size) is in full view in the browser. We’re striving for at least 70% of our impressions to meet this standard. To do so, we are “lazy loading” our ad placements, loading only ad slots within the current viewport or less than 1 scroll up or down depending on scrolling direction. We’re also allowing advertisers to target against their own elevated viewability thresholds, which may exceed our average.

What does this mean for WordAd users? Depending on the placement of your ads, you may see a decrease in ad impressions, particularly if you include a lot of ads lower down on your pages and below content. However, what you may also see is an increase in CPMs, as advertisers begin to see more overall value in the impressions they buy from you due to higher viewability. 

Overall, we anticipate these changes to be net positive, benefitting both our users and advertisers by increasing inventory quality and earnings.