The gaming industry has especially progressed in the last few years. Modern games interest not only children, but also attract a huge number of adults. This is no longer just a hobby and entertainment, but a whole layer of culture. At the same time, the number of users of mobile games leads over console games and even games for pc. In this regard, advertising in this niche is also gaining popularity.
In this article, we will explain the reasons for the appearance and popularity of ads in video games, ads gaming meaning, and also help you identify steps to improve the effectiveness of advertising in games.
What is it and how to use it
What does ads stand for? As the ads gaming term implies, advertising in games is a strategy and method of advertising published inside games and applications. Ads gaming combines traditional advertising formats, as well as opens its own new ones.
We should not forget about the benefits of such advertising for the owners of games and applications. Many of the projects use the sale of advertising space as a significant, and sometimes the only source of income. Thus, you can answer the question, what are ads in games? Ads gaming meaning benefits for both sides of the business: games help promote advertising, and advertising helps games stay afloat.
Working principle
Game advertising is similar in principle to other types of advertising. It can also be published in video and banner formats, as well as in an interactive format, within which the user can “play” advertising.
It is important that ads gaming does not interfere with the gameplay: it should not close the display area or interrupt the game session. It should correspond to the approximate characteristics of the site’s audience, and ideally – the theme of the game.
Mobile games
As in any advertising, there are three parties involved in game advertising: the advertiser, the owner of the platform and the user. And in the case of mobile games, all three benefit.
The advertiser gets a place where he can effectively talk about his services and products. The publisher earns money by selling advertising inventory, and receives commissions from user actions. Of course, everyone knows this. But with mobile advertising, namely rewarded videos, the ad viewer can also benefit. But we’ll talk about it later.
Diversity of kinds
We have figured out what is ads in gaming, now let’s talk about what types it has. We have already mentioned some standard and non-standard types of ads gaming. Below we will talk about all the varieties.
- Intermediate advertising. Such ads in video games are shown between the intervals of the game — for example, between levels or after entering the menu.
- Banner advertising. A banner can be either a static image or an animated GIF file. Such ads are usually shown at the bottom or top of the screen.
- Native advertising. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that it adapts to the platform — by design and content.
- Rewarded advertising. The most pleasant type of advertising for players and, therefore, the most popular, so users watch these videos on their own. The meaning is clear from this ads gaming term, that is, for viewing it, users receive various game bonuses or internal currency.
- Ads video game. Ads video game is an interactive format that allows the player limited functionality — usually a teaser of another game with the opportunity to try it.
With this information, you can choose the format that suits you best and that will bring more profit and benefit to the brand.
Pros and Cons
Along with the positive aspects, ads gaming has drawbacks that can hinder the promotion of your product. They should be taken into account before launching an advertising campaign.
Undoubtedly, advertising within games serves as a means to convey advertising messages and reach the intended audience. However, the effectiveness of in-game advertising in comparison to other advertising mediums remains a question. Presently, in-game advertising does not possess enough advantages to be regarded at the same level as television or internet advertising. As a result, advertising within games is currently considered a niche product.
A look into the future
It can be expected that ads gaming will develop at the same pace as the game industry itself. The possibilities of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) will not only bring a new experience for players and raise entertainment to a new level, but also open up a new horizon for advertising. For example, it can integrate into the content of the game or become more unobtrusive and inconspicuous, without losing efficiency.
How to run ads in video games
If you decide to launch your advertising in video games, HilltopAds will be a convenient service for you. This service offers services for advertisers and webmasters, allows you to customize ads in different formats and provides tools for advanced targeting: you can choose the desired region, language, platform and device of users.
In a nutshell
Now you know what does ads mean in gaming – it helps projects get funding, and players get internal bonuses. Thanks to this, advertising develops inseparably from the games themselves, and every year it reaches a new level and brings more and more revenue. The flexibility and variety of such advertising also benefit her. Therefore, game advertising is indispensable for all market participants.
