Advertising
Ad Units
Create and manage ad units that display inside gate steps for readers who haven't subscribed.
Ad units let you monetize readers who won't pay for a subscription by showing them an ad in exchange for access to your content.
How advertising works in gates
When you add an Ad step to a gate, readers who reach that step are shown an ad. After they view or complete the ad, they receive temporary access to the gated content.
Ad units can come from:
- Direct ads — ad creatives you upload yourself
- Ad networks — served by Google AdSense or Google Ad Manager via your connected credentials
Creating an ad unit
- Go to Dashboard → Advertising
- Click New ad unit
- Choose the source:
- Direct — upload a creative (image or video) and enter a click-through URL
- Network — select a connected ad network (AdSense or GAM)
- Set the ad dimensions and placement
- Click Save
Ad unit types
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Display | Static or animated image, shown full-screen or as an overlay |
| Video | Pre-roll style video that readers must watch to completion |
Video ads have higher CPMs and are recommended as the primary ad type in gate steps.
Using an ad unit in a gate
Add an Ad step to your gate and select which ad units to include. See Gate steps for details.
Ad creative guidelines
- Image ads: minimum 600×400 px, JPG or PNG, under 500 KB
- Video ads: MP4, H.264, minimum 720p, under 50 MB, 15–60 seconds