After setting up your Admob account, it’s crucial to understand the different types of ads you can integrate into your Android application. Admob offers several ad formats, including Banner Ads, Interstitial Ads, and Rewarded Video Ads. Each type has distinct features regarding Cost Per Click (CPC), display models, and implementation methods within your application project. This guide will specifically focus on implementing Admob Banner Ads using Android Studio.
Banner ads are rectangular Admob ad units that come in various sizes to fit different parts of your app’s layout. These ads can display as text, images, and, since a 2017 update by Admob, even multimedia video. Banner ads are commonly placed at the bottom of the application screen, although some developers choose to position them at the top. However, research indicates that banner ads placed at the top of Android applications often see lower user engagement compared to those at the bottom.
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Admob banner ads are designed to be interactive yet non-intrusive. They remain visible while users interact with your app’s content, typically at the top or bottom of the screen. These ads can refresh automatically or at set time intervals in seconds. It’s important to configure the refresh duration thoughtfully, as each refresh may display a different ad.
Admob recommends developers optimize banner ad performance by selecting the “optimized by Google” setting. This approach has proven to significantly increase banner ad revenue by encouraging longer user engagement before they switch away from the ad.
The revenue generated from Admob depends heavily on the popularity of your application and user interaction.
Step-by-Step Guide to Implementing Admob Banner Ads in Your Application
When you create a new Admob banner ad unit, AdMob typically offers to send implementation guidelines via email. While this can be helpful for first-timers, experienced developers might find the instructions repetitive. Having reviewed these guidelines, we’ve compiled a streamlined, effective approach to ensure your ads display optimally within your application. Here are the steps to implement banner ads in your app:
1. Connect to Google’s Maven Repository
To monetize your application with Admob ads, you need to integrate the Google Mobile Ads SDK. This is done by linking your application’s Gradle build files to Google’s Maven repository. Add the following script to your build.gradle (Project: app) file:
allprojects {
repositories {
jcenter()
maven {
url "https://maven.google.com"
}
}
}This script instructs Android Studio to synchronize with the Google Maven repository during the Gradle build process. Ensure you have a stable internet connection during this step, as Android Studio will download necessary files to your project. This synchronization might take a few minutes, so patience is required.
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2. Import the Google Mobile Ads SDK
After successfully connecting to the Google Maven repository, the next step is to import the latest Google Mobile Ads SDK into your build.gradle (Module: app) file. Using the latest SDK version is highly recommended by AdMob. Admob has recently mandated that all developers must update to the latest SDK to ensure ad display. Implement the SDK by adding the following line to your dependencies section:
dependencies {
compile 'com.android.support:support-v4:25.1.0'
**compile 'com.google.android.gms:play-services-ads:11.6.2'**
compile 'com.android.support:multidex:1.0.1'
compile 'com.android.support:appcompat-v7:26.1.0'
compile files('libs/Shutterbug-1.0.0.jar')
compile files('libs/httpclient-4.3.6.jar')
compile files('libs/httpcore-4.3.3.jar')
compile files('libs/httpmime-4.3.6.jar')
}The script highlighted above, com.google.android.gms:play-services-ads:11.6.2, represents the SDK version at the time of writing this article. Ensure you use the latest version available. Importing the Google Mobile Ads SDK is essential for Admob ads to appear in your application.
3. Initialize MobileAds
Before ads can load, you need to initialize the Google Mobile Ads SDK with your AdMob Application ID. This is done using MobileAds.initialize(ID Aplikasi). You should place this initialization code within your MainActivity.class or your application’s main activity. Here’s how to implement it:
package your_package_name;
import ...
**import com.google.android.gms.ads.MobileAds; // (a)**
public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity {
...
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);
// Sample AdMob app ID: ca-app-pub-3940256099942544~3347511713
**MobileAds.initialize(this, "YOUR_ADMOB_APP_ID"); // (b)**
}
...
}When you type script (b) MobileAds.initialize(this, “YOUR_ADMOB_APP_ID”);, Android Studio will automatically prompt you to import the necessary file (a) import com.google.android.gms.ads.MobileAds;. Remember to replace "YOUR_ADMOB_APP_ID" with your actual AdMob App ID. Perform this initialization in every Activity where you plan to display ads.
4. Add AdView to Your Layout XML
To display the banner ad, you must add an AdView to your application’s layout. This can be placed at the top or bottom of your application screen, depending on your design preference. Here is the standard XML script to include in your layout file (e.g., activity_main.xml):
<com.google.android.gms.ads.AdView
xmlns:ads="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
android:id="@+id/adView"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
android:layout_alignParentBottom="true"
ads:adSize="BANNER"
ads:adUnitId="YOUR_AD_UNIT_ID">
</com.google.android.gms.ads.AdView>Remember to replace "YOUR_AD_UNIT_ID" with your actual AdMob Banner Ad Unit ID. The key attributes here are ads:adSize and ads:adUnitId, which define the size of the banner and the specific ad unit from your Admob account.
5. Load AdView in Your Java Class
Once you have added the AdView to your layout, the final step is to load ads into it within your Java class. Typically, this is done in your Activity’s Java file (e.g., MainActivity.class). To load an ad, you’ll use the loadAd() method and provide an AdRequest object, which carries important information for the ad request. Here’s how to implement AdView loading in your Activity:
package your_package_name;
import ...
import com.google.android.gms.ads.AdRequest;
import com.google.android.gms.ads.AdView;
public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity {
private AdView mAdView;
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
**setContentView(R.layout.activity_main); // (A)**
MobileAds.initialize(this, "YOUR_ADMOB_APP_ID");
**mAdView = findViewById(R.id.adView); // (B)**
AdRequest adRequest = new AdRequest.Builder().build();
mAdView.loadAd(adRequest);
}
}To link your Java class (MainActivity.class) with your Layout (activity_main.xml), pay attention to these marked code snippets:
⇒ (A) setContentView(R.layout.activity_main); This line connects your Java class to the activity_main.xml layout file.
⇒ (B) mAdView = findViewById(R.id.adView); This line associates the AdView object in your Java code with the AdView element defined in your XML layout using its ID (android:id=”@+id/adView”).
After completing these steps, build your APK, and your application is ready to display Admob banner ads.
During the testing phase of your application, it’s highly recommended to use Admob test ad units to prevent accidental ad clicks. Here are example test ad unit IDs:
Banner ad unit ID: ca-app-pub-3940256099942544/6300978111
Admob Interstitial ad unit ID: ca-app-pub-3940256099942544/1033173712
If you’re looking to get started with a sample project for banner ad implementation, you can find an example file project here.
This article provides a comprehensive guide on implementing Admob Banner Ads in Android Studio applications. We hope this tutorial is beneficial for you.
