Background (Skin) Ads Explained: High-Impact Ads for Publishers
Background ads, often called skin or wallpaper ads, are one of the most visible formats a publisher can sell. Instead of sitting in a small slot, the creative frames the whole page. In this post we explain how background ads work, why advertisers like them, and how publishers can run them in Google Ad Manager.
What is a background (skin) ad?
A background ad fills the space around a website's content, typically the area above it and the empty sides to the left and right on wide screens. The site's content stays in the middle, while the advertiser's creative wraps around it. Because it uses space that is otherwise empty, it delivers a big brand presence without covering the content users came for.
Why advertisers and publishers use them
- High impact: the creative takes over the visual frame of the page, which makes it ideal for launches and brand campaigns.
- Uses unused space: on desktop, the sides of a centred layout are often blank. A skin turns that space into inventory.
- Premium pricing: takeover formats are often sold as sponsorships, which can be worth more to a publisher than standard banners.
Best practices for skin ads
Design for the visible areas: keep logos and messages in the top and side zones, not behind the content column. Choose a background colour that blends with the creative so the page doesn't look broken on very wide or narrow screens. Consider whether the skin should stay fixed while users scroll, and give users a way to close it if that suits your site.
Running background ads in Google Ad Manager
Google Ad Manager (GAM, formerly DoubleClick for Publishers) doesn't include a ready-made skin format, so publishers usually use a custom creative template. Our Wallpaper template (also known as the Skin) wraps a web page with a creative. It supports asynchronous and synchronous GPT tags and can use a single image file, or separate files for the top, left and right parts. It also offers:
- A customizable and responsive top part
- An optional "Sticky" effect, so the skin stays fixed while users scroll
- An optional "Parallax" effect, so the skin moves more slowly than the page
- A custom background colour for better integration
- An optional close button that lets users hide the skin
If you want a background-style effect inside the content instead, the Parallaxer template keeps a banner fixed in the background while users scroll past it.
Get started
Background ads are a strong option for publishers with desktop traffic and advertisers who want maximum visibility. See the Wallpaper template or browse all our Google Ad Manager templates.