A few years ago, Google changed the list of available settings for advertising campaigns in the display network to smartphones and tablets. Previously, to block impressions in programs designed for mobile devices, it was enough to check the appropriate box. Turning off the display of ads is now not so easy.
In this article, we will tell you how not to show ads in mobile applications and bypass the introduced restriction.
What changes have been implemented in the advertising account?
Innovations have affected two blocks of the AdWords account:
Placements section
In this block, you can no longer select “adsenseformobileapps.com” and “Banners in GMob mobile apps” as restrictions that exclude ads from displaying, which previously caused the display of media network modules in applications on a smartphone. Currently, the system directs the flow of users from such sources to any campaign without any restriction.
Devices section in AC settings
Previously, an advertiser had the option to block ads in:
software products installed on smartphones;
software products installed on tablets;
software products installed on smartphones with interstitial ads;
Software installed on tablets with interstitials.
Currently, the service does not allow you to use this setting. This means that advertisers cannot opt out of this traffic source.
Many of those whose business was not related to the promotion of their own mobile software products usually tried to disable impressions in the mobile applications listed above. They justified their decision with the following arguments:
Random transitions. The lion’s share of traffic from the AdSense network is just involuntary touches on the ad block that users make while playing or managing the program.
Non-target visitors. If you have just completed a virtual battle, then you are unlikely to seriously consider or make a purchase by clicking on the ad.
Apps at the peak of popularity. For example, newly released games generate traffic spikes due to their huge popularity in the early days.
Important! The advertiser needs to quickly block such placements in order to avoid wasting money allocated for online marketing.
Insufficient control over the list of sites and lack of interest among the audience are the main reasons for the low performance of ads that are shown on smartphones and tablets. That is why the innovation of the Google service has become an urgent problem for both large and small advertisers.
How to not show ads in Google Ads mobile apps?
It is no longer possible to directly disable ads in Google Ads mobile apps. But no one forbids targeting by blocking certain categories of software products. There are several ways to implement this: through a personal account or Google Ads Editor.
Turn off impressions in applications through your personal account
Tick those AC where you plan to block ad impressions on smartphones. Use the “Exclusions” link, which can be found by clicking on “Placements” in the left column. Click on the pencil image in the blue circle:
Then check an existing list or create a new list and include all categories of software products. At the moment, their number is approaching 150, so get ready to click for a long time, checking the boxes:
Thus, you will significantly reduce the reach of mobile applications.
Disabling mobile apps using Google Ads Editor
If you already have an editor installed, it may be more convenient for you to disable mobile applications on the Display Network through it. First, don’t forget to update the data for each CA you change by clicking on the appropriate link:
Tick those campaigns and click on the “Mobile App Categories, Exclude Criteria” line of the “Keywords and Targeting” list found in the “Management” section.
The next step is “Add exclude mobile category applications”. You need the line “Exclude mobile category applications on campaigns.” Information about the blocking of the corresponding category will be displayed as a notification on the screen. To make sure that the new settings work correctly, check the changes.
After performing these actions, your ads will be blocked in the vast majority of applications for mobile devices.
How to disable impressions on game-themed sites in Display Network?
In addition to certain categories of mobile programs, you have the opportunity to add as an exception all game-related content, including regular websites.
To block the display of ads on such resources, specify a campaign on the display network using the editor. Further, the actions are similar to those that we performed to disable applications: in the drop-down list in the menu, select “Themes, Excluded Criteria”, and then specify an exception in the appropriate tab.
Check “Games” in the list of categories and fix the updated settings. Check all the adjustments made and apply them.
Such simple actions allow you to quickly disable mobile applications in the Display Network, minimize the flow of users from gaming and other mobile programs to your site, and significantly save your advertising budget.
