Advertising guidelines
Advertising is a key monetization option for app developers, and with the unprecedented reach of Windows 8, it is a compelling opportunity for advertisers. To learn more about advertising in general, download the Ads 101.
Designing a good advertising user experience
Follow these guidelines when designing your app for ads.
- Integrate ads into your design Create a coherent experience by integrating advertising into the original design and content layout throughout your app. Keep in mind how much space to allocate at the top level versus leaf levels.
- Pick complementary ad formats Choose ad formats that make sense for your app. There are many ad formats available, and not all of them may engage your users or offer a seamless experience.
- Pick complementary ad size and placement Select ad sizes and placement that complement the design of your app, adhere to industry standards, and are in high demand by potential advertisers. For example, if you are using the grid layout, consider using the 250x250 ad size to keep the ads within the grid. If the ads don’t fit, consider create a separate cluster. For more examples of ad sizes, see the Microsoft Advertising SDK for Windows 8.
- Design for all view states Consider how the ad real estate changes based on your view state (landscape, portrait, and snap view).
- Be thoughtful about local ads Decide whether you want to offer location-targeted (local) ads.
- Include keywords Include keywords that help categorize your app for potential advertisers interested in a specific audience.
- Use well-established metrics Consider the two key metrics for monetization, CPM (cost per thousand impressions) and fill rate (how many impressions yield an ad) when you enable advertising. Many consider CPM * fill rate to be the optimal monetization solution.
Here are a couple of examples of advertising placement that was designed for the specific app layout and view state.
| Full screen grid layout |  |
| Snap view |  |
Inappropriate use of advertising
There are specific requirements around the inappropriate use of advertising described in the Windows 8 app certification requirements. Adhering to these requirements helps you serve ads in your app without damaging the user experience.
- Your app must not display only ads. If your app includes or displays ads, it must provide additional functionality beyond the ads.
- Ads in your apps must comply with our content policies. Our content policies are described in section 5 of the Windows 8 app certification requirements. Windows Store apps are appropriate for a global audience.
- Your app must not use its tiles, notifications, app bar, or the swipe-from-edge interaction to display ads.
- Your app must let users complete primary tasks within the app without redirecting the user to a website or other app. Apps must do more than open a website or mimic the behavior of a website.
- Ads must not execute program code that doesn't come from the ad provider.
Choosing an ad provider
Ask these basic questions to help find the best ad provider for your app:
- Does the ad provider adhere to the Windows 8 app certification requirements?
- Does the ad provider offer ad quality that is commensurate with the quality of your app?
- Does the ad provider support Windows 8-compliant behaviors?
Related topics
Build date: 6/20/2013
