Picture-in-Picture Banner Ads: A New Opportunity for Mobile App Monetization

Mobile app publishers are constantly looking for new ways to increase advertising revenue without compromising the user experience. Picture-in-Picture (PiP) banner ads offer a new approach by creating additional advertising opportunities without requiring publishers to redesign existing app screens.

Currently in beta for a limited group of publishers, PiP banner ads are floating square display ads that overlay existing app content. They can appear from any corner of the screen, be moved by the user, and dismissed after three seconds.

What Are Picture-in-Picture Banner Ads?

Unlike traditional banner ads that occupy a fixed position within an app's layout, PiP banners float above the existing interface.

Users can:

• Move the ad to another corner of the screen
• Dismiss it after three seconds
• Continue using the application while the ad is displayed

Publishers can also configure PiP banners to persist across screen transitions, with refreshing handled through the standard banner refresh settings. We recommend avoiding a new PiP ad request on every screen.

Why PiP Banner Ads Matter for Publishers

The primary opportunity is incremental monetization.

PiP banners can introduce new impression opportunities on screens that may not otherwise have an appropriate advertising placement. This means publishers can potentially monetize additional screen time while keeping their existing ad units and overall app flow intact.

For apps with significant traffic to static interfaces, PiP could become a useful addition to an existing mobile app monetization strategy.

Where Should PiP Ads Be Placed?

Placement is one of the most important considerations.

We recommend using PiP banners on low-interaction user interface screens where users are not repeatedly tapping the screen.

Good candidates include:

• App home screens
• Main menus
• Dashboards
• Settings
• Device-selection screens
• Streaming or connection lobbies

Publishers should avoid placing PiP banners over areas where users are expected to tap. For example, if an important action button is located in the top-right corner, a PiP ad should not appear there at that moment.

High-intensity gameplay and other frequently interactive screens are also poor candidates.

User Control and Accidental Click Protection

A key feature of PiP advertising is user control. The banner can be moved around the screen and dismissed after three seconds.

These controls are particularly important for a floating ad format, where placement could otherwise interfere with normal app interactions.

PiP Ads and Full-Screen Advertising

PiP banners should also be considered alongside a publisher's existing ad strategy.

PiP banners must not persist over full-screen ads, including interstitials and rewarded videos.

Publishers should therefore ensure that PiP behaves correctly when users move between normal application screens and full-screen advertising experiences.

How to Implement PiP Banner Ads

Publishers can implement PiP by:

1. Creating a new banner ad unit in Google AdMob or Google Ad Manager.
2. Using the Next-Gen Android SDK PiP APIs to configure the placement.
3. Deploying the format on appropriate static screens while avoiding areas with frequent user interaction.

Publishers should start with a small number of suitable screens, evaluate the user experience and monetization results, and then determine whether broader adoption makes sense.

Which Apps Are a Good Fit?

PiP banner ads are particularly relevant for apps that have substantial usage on static or low-interaction screens.

Potential candidates include:

• Utility apps
• Streaming apps
• Media applications
• Device-connection apps
• Dashboard-driven applications

Best Practices for PiP Banner Ads

To get the most from the format, publishers should:

• Prioritize user experience over maximizing placements.
• Start with static, low-interaction screens.
• Avoid areas containing important buttons or frequent taps.
• Use persistence across screens where appropriate instead of requesting a new ad on every screen.
• Prevent PiP from appearing over interstitial and rewarded ads.
• Test before scaling across an entire app portfolio.

The Future of Mobile App Monetization

Picture-in-Picture banner ads represent an interesting new direction for mobile app advertising. Rather than replacing existing ad formats, PiP creates the possibility of monetizing additional moments within the app—particularly on screens where traditional banners may not be suitable.

For publishers, the opportunity is straightforward: identify under-monetized, low-interaction screens and determine whether a small, user-controlled floating banner can generate additional value without disrupting the experience.

For mobile publishers looking to diversify their monetization strategy, PiP banner ads are a format worth watching.