Interstitial
An interstitial is an ad format that takes over the whole screen at a natural transition point — between page loads, app screens, or funnel steps. Full-screen coverage gives it more visibility and a higher CTR than a banner tucked in a corner.
What sets an interstitial apart
Unlike a popup or popunder, an interstitial sits inside a natural transition rather than opening a separate window, and it usually requires an explicit action — closing it or waiting out a timer — before moving on. That same high visibility means a higher risk of accidental clicks, which matters when judging traffic quality from this format.
Interstitials in PWA arbitrage
The format works two ways: as a purchased traffic source with a high CTR that needs stricter click filtering, or as a technique inside your own funnel — a full-screen transition screen before the push opt-in prompt in a PWA, making that prompt harder to miss. The second use is worth validating with APEX split-tests rather than adding by default — an intrusive interstitial can raise visibility and opt-out rate at the same time.
FAQ
- Is an interstitial the same as a popup?
- No — a popup opens a separate window over the page, while an interstitial sits inside a natural transition between screens and takes over the full screen with no separate window. Both are intrusive, but they're built differently.
- Why does an interstitial get a high CTR without always meaning high-quality traffic?
- A full-screen format is hard to miss, so it often gets clicked by accident while someone's just trying to close it or move past it. That click still counts, but it doesn't always reflect real interest in the offer.
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