Google AdMob vs Google AdSense: What are the differences?

Key Differences Between Google AdMob and Google AdSense

Introduction:

Google AdMob and Google AdSense are both advertising platforms offered by Google. While they both have the same goal of helping publishers monetize their websites, there are key differences between the two platforms that make them suitable for different purposes.

1. Integration with Mobile Apps vs Websites: Google AdMob is primarily focused on serving ads within mobile apps, while Google AdSense is designed for serving ads on websites. AdMob has specialized features and ad formats tailored for mobile app developers, such as interstitial ads, rewarded video ads, and native ads, making it the preferred choice for app monetization.

2. Monetization Models: Google AdMob primarily monetizes through cost-per-click (CPC) and cost-per-impression (CPM) models, where advertisers pay for clicks or impressions they receive. On the other hand, Google AdSense uses the CPC model, where advertisers pay for clicks on their ads. This difference in monetization models makes AdMob more suitable for app developers who focus on maximizing impressions, while AdSense is more suitable for publishers looking to monetize their website traffic through clicks.

3. Target Audience: AdMob is geared towards app developers who want to monetize their mobile app users, while AdSense is more suitable for website publishers who want to monetize their website traffic. The target audience of each platform directly influences the ad inventory and targeting options available. AdMob offers specialized ad formats and targeting options for app users, such as in-app purchase ads and user segment targeting, whereas AdSense provides ad formats and targeting options tailored for website visitors.

4. Ad Display Network: AdMob primarily serves ads from the Google AdMob Ad Network, which consists of a variety of advertisers targeting mobile app users. AdSense, on the other hand, serves ads from the Google Display Network, which includes millions of websites and advertisers. This distinction in ad networks makes AdMob better suited for ads within apps, while AdSense is focused on providing ads within websites.

5. Ad Formats: AdMob offers a range of ad formats specific to mobile apps, such as banner ads, interstitial ads, rewarded video ads, and native ads. These ad formats are optimized for mobile app experiences and offer higher engagement opportunities. On the other hand, AdSense supports ad formats tailored for websites, including text ads, display ads, responsive ads, and link units. The difference in ad formats allows each platform to provide optimized ad experiences for their respective mediums.

6. Revenue Split: Another difference between Google AdMob and AdSense is the revenue split. AdMob follows a revenue sharing model, where app developers receive a percentage of the revenue generated from their ads. The revenue split percentage varies depending on factors such as the pricing model (CPC or CPM) and the ad network used. AdSense, on the other hand, does not explicitly mention a revenue sharing model, and website publishers typically earn revenue from clicks on their ads.

In summary, Google AdMob is designed for mobile app developers looking to monetize their apps with specialized ad formats and mobile-centric targeting options. On the other hand, Google AdSense caters to website publishers who want to monetize their website traffic through ad clicks, offering various ad formats and targeting options specific to websites.