Microads

Microads are a term used to describe very small digital advertising units designed to fit into compact spaces within mobile apps, websites, or social media feeds. These units are typically lightweight in file size and visual complexity, enabling fast loading and high-frequency exposure without significantly disrupting user experience.

Common formats include small banner ads (for example, 320x50 or smaller), in-feed native chips that blend with content, and text or image microads that appear within scrolling content. In mobile environments, microads are often delivered through programmatic channels—ad exchanges, demand-side platforms, or in-app networks—using targeting signals such as demographics, location, and device.

Advantages of microads include lower production costs, broader scale, and the ability to reach users in-context where attention is segmented. They can be effective for brand recall and lower-funnel actions when integrated with precise targeting and measurement. They also support high ad density without substantially increasing page load or friction.

Challenges include limited creative space, which can constrain message clarity; variable viewability; ad fatigue; and exposure to ad blockers or fraud. Effectiveness depends on integration with user experience, informative creative, and complementary measurement tools.

Microads sit within the broader field of mobile and programmatic advertising, and are often considered alongside banner ads, native advertising, and video formats as part of a multi-format strategy. The term's usage varies across platforms, and some providers may use different terminology to describe similarly small ad units.