When exploring digital advertising formats, it’s important to understand how they have evolved over time. Advertising has shifted from traditional media and print to more dynamic and interactive digital platforms. The landscape changed significantly with the rise of online advertising networks, which brought more reliable targeting and better results for both publishers and advertisers.
However, many digital advertising formats remain unfamiliar to both advertisers and publishers. In this blog, we will help you explore these formats and how they can be helpful for your business. This article covers all the digital ad formats available in 2025.
What is Digital Advertising?
Digital advertising is an essential marketing strategy that uses online platforms to reach and engage audiences effectively. The goal is to utilize multiple online channels like social media, websites, blogs, emails, etc, to market and promote products, services, or brands to specific audiences, encouraging them to purchase or create brand awareness.
Digital advertising encompasses a range of digital advertising formats, including display ads, social media advertisements, email ads, native ads, video ads, and more, all designed to reach potential customers online.
Each ad type offers unique ways to reach your target audience effectively. Understanding the various digital advertising formats enables you to choose an effective approach for promoting your products or services online.
Stay Ahead in 2025: The Digital Advertising Formats You Need to Know
There are many digital advertising formats available for both publishers and advertisers. Some of them, like display ads, video ads, and social media ads, are the leading ones.
Let’s review all the digital advertising formats.
1. Display Ads
Display ads are digital ad formats that include graphics, such as images or GIFs, and are mainly shown in the center, top, or bottom of the website content, apps, or social media pages. Display ads are engaging to users as they don’t hesitate to click on them.
Know More: Use Display Advertising To Increase Your Conversion
Some of the display ad formats include,
Banner Ads
One of the most used digital advertising formats, banner ads, is the perfect choice among many advertisers and publishers. Banner ads are advertisements that are in a rectangular shape, displayed primarily at the top of the website content.
Popunder Ads
Popunder ads are famous digital advertising formats because of their non-intrusive nature. Popunder ads are a type of display advertisement that opens in a user’s new browser window or tab behind the user’s currently active window.
Rich Media Ads
Rich media ads are digital advertising formats that go beyond standard text and image ads by incorporating interactive elements like video, audio, or other elements. These ads are engaging, and the chances of clicking on such ads are also high.
Sidebar Ads
With the name itself, you have guessed right. Sidebar ads are advertisements that appear on the side of the website. They are attractive due to their placement, as people are easily engaged with the sidebar ads whenever they open the website.
Interstitial Ads
Interstitial ads are full-screen ads that appear during natural transitions in an app, such as between activities or game levels. These ads are non-intrusive because users see them when they are free and waiting to open the other website.
Pop-up Ads
Pop-up ads are advertisements that many users think are pop-under ads, but they are very different. Pop-up ads suddenly appear over the webpage the user is currently viewing. This digital advertising format is eye-catching and grabs instant user attention.
2. Video Ads
Video ads are display ads that include video content to promote services and products to the target audience. Video ads appear before, during, or after other video content. These ads are eye-catching, which engages the user more appropriately.
Some of the examples of video advertising include:
2.1 In-Stream Ads
In-stream ads work within other videos on platforms like YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. They appear before, during, or after the main video content. By integrating into the video content flow, these ads become more engaging. Based on the interactivity, in-stream video ads can be classified as Bumper, Skippable, and Non-skippable in-stream ads.
Bumper In-Stream Ads
Bumper ads are a type of video ad. Specifically, they are short, non-skippable video ads, typically six seconds or less in length, that are used on platforms like YouTube to increase brand awareness. These ads can’t be ignored by the user because of their non-skippable feature.
Skippable In-Stream Ads
Skippable video ads are ads that users can easily skip after watching for five seconds. These ads provide users with a limited opportunity to skip them. The purpose of these ads is to create a quick image of the brand in the mind of the viewer.
Non-Skippable In-Stream Ads
With the name, you guessed it right, non-skippable video ads are those advertisements that can’t be skipped. They are longer, upto fifteen-second ads that users have to watch. This ad format is a little disruptive, and the chances of conversion are also very low.
2.2 Outstream Ads
Outstream ads, or you can say in-article ads, are video advertisements that play within the content of a webpage, typically between paragraphs of content, or within a scrolling feed, rather than within a dedicated video player.
3. Social Media Ads
Social media ads are digital ads displayed with the aim of promoting services and products on social media advertising platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat, Pinterest, and Reddit..
Let’s look for some social media ad formats below,
Image Ads
Image ads in social media advertising are visually-driven digital advertising formats that utilize compelling graphics or images to communicate a brand’s message. They are a popular ad format across various platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook.
Video Ads
Video ads on social media are short promotional videos displayed on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and others, designed to grab users’ attention with engaging visuals. These ads can be effective for increasing brand awareness, driving traffic, and even boosting sales.
Carousel Ads
Carousel ads are advertisements that allow businesses to showcase multiple images or videos within one ad unit, allowing users to swipe or scroll through them. This interactive digital advertising format enables brands to tell a more detailed story, display a range of products, or highlight different features.
Story Ads
Story ads are a popular digital advertising format on platforms like Instagram and Snapchat that appear as full-screen, vertical videos or images within the user’s stories feed. These ads are designed to be engaging, often featuring calls to action that encourage users to swipe up and learn more.
Reels/Shorts Ads
Reel/short ads on social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook are brief, engaging videos aimed at capturing attention and achieving marketing goals. Displayed in full-screen vertical format, they appear in the Reels feed, explore page, and user feeds, allowing for audience interaction through likes, comments, and shares.
Messenger/Inbox Ads
Messenger/Inbox ads on social media platforms allow businesses to reach users directly within their messaging inboxes. These ads appear between conversations or in stories and can serve as a powerful method to drive engagement, generate leads, and offer personalized customer service.
AR Ads
Social media platforms like Instagram heavily utilize AR ads to connect with people and encourage easy engagement. Users can explore AR experiences offered by brands, trying out products in a virtual environment.
4. Email Ads
Email Ads is a form of digital ad format that uses email to showcase a business’s products and services. The goal is to engage people and encourage them to purchase the product by providing insight into the brand’s perspective and its benefits. These ads include:
Newsletter Sponsorships
A newsletter subscription is when someone voluntarily provides their email address to receive regular updates, information, or promotional content from a business or organization through email. These subscribers are essentially opting into a mailing list, allowing the sender to communicate with them directly in their inbox.
Dedicated Email Blasts
Dedicated email blasts in email advertising involve a publisher sending a single, advertiser-created email to their entire subscriber list on behalf of the advertiser. This differs from buying an email list or sending sponsored emails, as the advertiser doesn’t handle subscriber data, and the entire email is dedicated to their message.
Display Ads within Newsletters
Display ads in newsletters are used by advertisers aiming to boost engagement. They place ads within the newsletters, which are usually banner ads integrated into the content. When users read the newsletter, they notice these ads. Conversions tend to be high for these ads because people are already engaged with the content and searching for the services and products.
5. Native Ads
Native ads are digital advertising formats that match the look of the website’s content design, making it difficult for people to recognize that the ads are from other advertisers. Native advertisements blend seamlessly with the content, making them more engaging, as the chances of clicking on them are higher.
Know More About Top Native Ad Platforms in 2025
In-Feed Ads
In-feed ads are a form of native advertising that appear directly within content feeds such as social media or website listings. They seamlessly blend with the surrounding organic content to provide a less intrusive and more engaging user experience.
Sponsored Content
It is among the famous digital advertising formats where a publisher creates or features content that is paid for by an advertiser. Overall, sponsored content aims to blend seamlessly into the publisher’s existing content while still being clearly labeled as sponsored.
Content Recommendation Ads
Content Recommendation Ads are a type of native advertising designed to blend in with a website’s editorial content seamlessly. You’ll often find them at the bottom or alongside articles, labeled with familiar phrases like “You may also like,” “Recommended for you,” or “Trending now.” These ads mimic the look and feel of the surrounding content, making them feel less intrusive and more like helpful suggestions, driving user engagement by sparking curiosity and encouraging further exploration.
6. Mobile Ads
Mobile ads refer to digital ads that are actively visible on smartphones or tablets. Mobile ads engage users because billions of people open websites and watch ads daily. Types of mobile ads include:
In-App Ads
In-app advertising involves displaying promotional content within mobile applications. Examples include banner ads, interstitial ads, video ads (including rewarded video ads), and native ads.
Rewarded Ads
Rewarded ads are a type of mobile advertising where users opt-in to view an ad (usually a video, playable ad, or survey) in exchange for a reward within the app. This “pull strategy” differs from traditional “push strategy” ads, where users are shown ads regardless of their preference. Rewarded ads create a win-win situation, benefiting users and advertisers.
Playable Ads
Playable ads are interactive advertisements that allow users to directly engage with a mini-version of a mobile app or game before downloading it. Playable ads are engaging, and people love to participate in them.
The Importance of Digital Advertising Formats
Whether enhancing user experience, maximizing campaign effectiveness, or providing variety and flexibility, digital advertising formats are helpful in everything.
Let’s dive into these points thoroughly
Enhanced User Experience
For any advertiser or publisher, the main goal is to engage their audience and enhance their user experience, as this makes it easier for them to generate revenue.
Digital Ad formats like banner, native, video, or email ads with striking visuals, clear CTAs, and content tailored to user behavior and interests help advertisers and publishers to engage audiences and boost brand awareness.
Combining these digital advertising formats increases credibility, visibility, and user interactions.
Maximizing Campaign Effectiveness
Using digital advertising formats to promote your products not only enhances your campaign’s effectiveness but also easily increases your revenue.
Digital ad formats maximize campaign effectiveness by matching the best formats, like video, banners, search, and responsive ads, to specific goals and audiences. It utilizes data-driven optimization for relevance and engagement, ensuring consistent experiences across devices.
Additionally, A/B testing and performance tracking help optimize ads continuously, ensuring better ROI.
Variety and Flexibility of Ad Formats
A variety of digital ad formats enables both publishers and advertisers to achieve their goals. With numerous options available, publishers can explore new ways to engage their audiences and boost their earnings.
Advertisers can choose from a variety of impactful formats, including banner ads, native ads, sponsored content, video ads, and many others. This diverse range and flexibility of options empower you to tailor your advertising strategy precisely to your campaign goals, ensuring you achieve the desired results effectively.
Choosing the right ad network is essential for flexibility and a variety of digital advertising formats. 7SearchPPC is an excellent option for both publishers and advertisers. It provides nseven top digital ad formats, including the following,
- Text Ads
- Native Ads
- Banner Ads
- Popunder Ads
- In-Page Push Ads
- Interstitial Ads
- Direct Link
Know more: Effective Ad Formats for Increasing Website Revenue
Conclusion
Whether you’re advertising your business or monetizing your website, you should understand online advertising and the types of ad formats it encompasses. Having knowledge about the types of display advertising formats is helpful for both parties to improve their business performance.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why is choosing the right digital advertising formats crucial?
Ans: Choosing the right digital advertising formats is important because the right one will help both the advertiser and the publisher yield the best results. The right digital advertising formats will engage a larger audience, increasing the chances of conversion and clicks.
What is the difference between in-stream and out-stream video ads?
Ans: The difference is that in-stream video ads appear within videos, such as before, during, or after YouTube or social media videos. Outstream ads play within written content on websites, like between paragraphs or in feeds. In-stream ads are part of the video experience, while outstream ads blend with webpage text.
Why is programmatic advertising gaining popularity in digital marketing?
Ans: Programmatic advertising uses AI and machine learning to automate the purchase and selling of ad space, delivering ads to the most relevant audiences in real-time. This method enhances targeting precision, optimizes ad delivery, and increases efficiency for both advertisers and publishers.
Why are display ads the most preferred choice among advertisers?
Ans: Display ads are the most preferred choice among advertisers because of their ability to attract people. Display advertising offers several benefits, including engaging users with visually appealing ads like banners, rich media, or interactive pop-under ads. These digital advertising formats are strategically placed to grab attention, either at the top, side, or center of web pages.
Is email marketing an effective way for advertisers?
Ans: Yes, email marketing remains highly effective for advertisers to reach the perfect audience and achieve their marketing goals. It offers a strong return on investment, allows for personalized communication, and is a cost-effective method for driving sales.
