Maximizing Ad Revenue: A Comprehensive Guide to AdMob Mediation Best Practices

As a developer, have you ever struggled with low ad fill rates or fluctuating eCPM? This article systematically covers optimization techniques for AdMob Mediation based on Google’s official best practices guide, helping you maximize advertising revenue. All recommendations are derived from Google’s official documentation without any subjective additions.

1. Bidding Strategy: Activate Revenue Growth Engine

1.1 Full-Scale Bidding Network Activation

Implementation Guide:

  • Enable all bidding-supported ad sources in AdMob’s mediation groups
  • Prioritize SDK-free bidding sources (e.g., AdColony, Fyber)
  • Conduct weekly checks for new bidding sources

Performance Reference: A casual game achieved 27% fill rate increase and 18% eCPM improvement through full-bidding strategy

1.2 Dynamic Strategy Adjustment

| Adjustment Dimension | Recommended Action              | Monitoring Metrics          |
|---------------------|---------------------------------|-----------------------------|
| Network Conditions   | Prioritize bidding in high-latency regions | Regional fill rate comparison |
| Bidder Performance  | Remove sources with <5% win rate over 14 days | Daily win rate trends |
| Regional Variations  | Set tiered bids for emerging markets (e.g., Southeast Asia) | ARPDAU comparison by region |

Advanced Tip: Reassess bidding source combinations quarterly using AdMob’s Bidding FAQ guidelines

2. Ad Format Revolution: Breaking Traditional Display Patterns

2.1 High-Engagement Ad Activation

| Ad Type          | Recommended Placement          | Expected Improvement       |
|------------------|---------------------------------|----------------------------|
| Rewarded Video   | Level completion/Sign-in pages | 40%+ CTR increase          |
| Interstitial     | Screen transitions/Achievement unlocks | 25% impression boost       |
| Collapsible Banner | Top of utility apps         | 35% viewability increase   |

Implementation Essentials:

  • Provide clear reward prompts for rewarded videos (“Watch ad for double coins”)
  • Time interstitial loading 500ms before scene transition animations

2.2 Innovative Format Experimentation

  • Collapsible Banners: Implement at article tops in reading apps, auto-collapse during scrolling
  • App Open Ads: Display during cold starts with 2-second countdown close button
  • Native Ads: Use GADNativeAdView templates, position at positions 3/7/11 in content feeds

3. Ad Unit精细化运营 (Ad Unit精细化运营)

3.1 Firebase Remote Configuration

// Sample code: AB testing different ad positions
let config = RemoteConfig.remoteConfig()
config.fetchAndActivate { status, error in
    if status == .successFetchedFromRemote {
        let adPosition = config["ad_position"].stringValue ?? "default"
        setupAdView(position: adPosition)
    }
}

Testing Dimension Recommendations:

  • Screen position (top/bottom/middle)
  • Display timing (page entry/exit)
  • Device type (phone/tablet)

3.2 Ad Unit Naming Convention

Adopt three-tier naming: Platform_Position_Type_Version
Example: iOS_home_banner_v3
Management Advantage: Precise performance tracking in AdMob reports

3.3 Real-Time Testing Verification

Use Ad Inspector tool:

  1. Shake device to open debug panel
  2. Add test devices under “Test Devices”
  3. Force refresh ads to check fill status

4. Mediation A/B Testing Scientific Methodology

4.1 Testing Framework Design

| Test Element   | Recommended Parameters       |注意事项 (Notes)              |
|----------------|------------------------------|------------------------------|
| Traffic Allocation | 10% users for initial test  | Avoid impacting main revenue |
| Core Metrics   | Dual eCPM+fill rate tracking | Set 95% confidence interval  |
| Cycle Control  | Minimum 7-day natural flow   | Avoid version update periods |

4.2 Performance Analysis Tools

  • Use AdMob’s Compare performance feature
  • Focus on three-dimensional comparisons:

    1. Revenue Lift
    2. eCPM Comparison
    3. Match Rate

Case Study: A utility app discovered 32% revenue increase through tiered eCPM floors ($0.5/$1.0/$1.5) vs fixed floors

5. Data-Driven Deep Metric Analysis

5.1 Essential Reports

| Report Type       | Key Metrics                  | Optimization Direction     |
|-------------------|------------------------------|----------------------------|
| Ad Activity       | CTR per unit                 | Adjust ad positions        |
| User Behavior     | Session duration/Screen views| Optimize ad frequency      |
| eCPM Trends       | 7/30/90-day fluctuation curve| Identify seasonal patterns |

5.2 Custom Report Techniques

Create composite queries in AdMob console:

  • Filters: Country+Ad format+Time range
  • Sorting: eCPM descending
  • Export frequency: Weekly auto-generation recommended

6. Firebase Advanced Targeting Strategies

6.1 Emerging Market Testing

// Firebase code for predicting non-paying users
const userSegments = await getUserSegments();
if (userSegments.includes('non_payer')) {
    loadHighFrequencyAds();
}

6.2 Ad Display Optimization

Optimization Direction Specific Measures Expected Outcome
Preloading Strategy Pre-fetch 3 seconds ahead 40% lower display failure
Expired Ad Handling 1-hour forced refresh (interstitial) 18% valid impression boost
Content-to-Ad Ratio Maintain 5:1 ratio Avoid policy violations

7. Ad Experience Enhancement Guide

7.1 Frequency Control Scheme

| User Type       | Recommended Frequency        | Implementation Method      |
|-----------------|-------------------------------|----------------------------|
| New Users       | 3 times on first day          | Firebase Remote Config     |
| Active Users    | Once per 30 minutes           | Local timer control        |
| Paying Users    | Disable rewarded ads          | User attribute recognition |

7.2 Display Rate Improvement Tips

  • Preloading Cache: Simultaneously request 2-3 ad slots
  • Expiration Handling: Refresh ads exceeding:

    • 4 hours for app open ads
    • 1 hour for other formats

8. System Maintenance & Compliance

8.1 SDK Update Roadmap

| Platform    | Current Version (2025) | Update Cycle       |
|-------------|------------------------|--------------------|
| Android     | 22.6.0                 | Quarterly check    |
| iOS         | 10.14.0                | Quarterly check    |
| Unity       | 7.2.0                  | Follow engine version |

8.2 Common Violation Checklist

| Violation Type       | Trigger Conditions          | Solution                  |
|----------------------|-------------------------------|---------------------------|
| Accidental Clicks    | Buttons <10px from ads       | Increase spacing          |
| Excessive Display    | 3 consecutive pages with ads | Show every 3 screens      |
| Content Violations   | Adult/violent ads             | Enable content filtering  |

9. Waterfall Optimization (Optional)

9.1 Tiered Strategy

| Tier       | eCPM Floor | Application Scenario      |
|------------|------------|---------------------------|
| High       | $2.0+      | High-value users          |
| Medium     | $1.0-2.0   | Regular users             |
| Base       | $0.5-1.0   | Fill rate assurance       |

9.2 ANO Auto-Optimization

Enable Ad Network Optimization in AdMob console
Note: Requires 30+ days of data accumulation

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: How to quickly verify mediation configuration effectiveness?
A: Use Ad Inspector tool, select “Test Request” to check if returned ad sources match configurations

Q: Is showing rewarded videos and interstitials simultaneously allowed?
A: Policy permits this, but recommend 30+ second intervals to avoid disrupting user experience

Q: How to handle regions with <50% fill rates?
A: Check if bidding sources are enabled for that region; consider adding local major ad networks (e.g., CpmStar for Southeast Asia)

Conclusion

This article systematically outlines nine optimization directions for AdMob Mediation based on Google’s official best practices. From bidding strategies to waterfall optimization, each recommendation includes specific implementation methods. Developers are advised to conduct quarterly systematic reviews using this guide to continuously improve ad revenue.