Get Started

Integrating the Google Mobile Ads SDK into an app is the first step toward displaying ads and earning revenue. Once you've integrated the SDK, you can choose an ad format (such as native or rewarded video) and follow the steps to implement it.

Prerequisites

• Use Android Studio 3.2 or later
• minSdkVersion 14 or later
• compileSdkVersion 28 or later

Import the Mobile Ads SDK

Note: You should begin with a new project in Android Studio and check the box to Use AndroidX Artifacts or refer to Migrating to AndroidX to migrate your project.

Apps can import the Google Mobile Ads SDK with a Gradle dependency that points to Google's Maven repository. In order to use that repository, you need to reference it in the app's project-level build.gradle file. Open yours and look for an allprojects section:

Example project-level build.gradle (excerpt)

allprojects {
    repositories {
        google()
        jcenter()
    }
}

Add the google() directive above if it's not already present.

Next, open the app-level build.gradle file for your app, and look for a "dependencies" section.

Example app-level build.gradle (excerpt)

dependencies {
    implementation fileTree(dir: 'libs', include: ['*.jar'])
    implementation 'androidx.appcompat:appcompat:1.0.2'
    implementation 'com.google.android.gms:play-services-ads:18.1.1'
}

Add the lines in bold above, which instruct Gradle to pull in the latest version of the Mobile Ads SDK and additional related dependencies. Once that's done, save the file and perform a Gradle sync.

Update your AndroidManifest.xml

Declare that your app is an Ad Manager app by adding the following <meta-data> tag in your AndroidManifest.xml.

<manifest>
    <application>
        <meta-data
            android:name="com.google.android.gms.ads.AD_MANAGER_APP"
            android:value="true"/>
    </application>
</manifest>

Important: This step is required as of Google Mobile Ads SDK version 17.0.0. Failure to add this <meta-data> tag results in a crash with the message: "The Google Mobile Ads SDK was initialized incorrectly."

Select an ad format

The Mobile Ads SDK is now imported and you're ready to implement an ad. Ad Manager offers a number of different ad formats, so you can choose the one that best fits your app's user experience.

Banner

Banner ads are rectangular image or text ads that occupy a spot within an app's layout. They stay on screen while users are interacting with the app, and can refresh automatically after a certain period of time. If you're new to mobile advertising, they're a great place to start.

Implement a banner

Interstitial

Interstitials are full-screen ads that cover the interface of an app until closed by the user. They're best used at natural pauses in the flow of an app's execution, such as between levels of a game or just after a task is completed.

Implement an interstitial

Native

Native is a component-based ad format that gives you the freedom to customize the way assets such as headlines and calls to action are presented in your apps. By choosing fonts, colors, and other details for yourself, you can create natural, unobtrusive ad presentations that can add to a rich user experience.

Google Ad Manager offers two ways to implement native ads: Native Styles and Custom Rendering.

Native Styles has been designed to make the implementation of native ads as easy as possible, and it's a great choice if you are new to the format. Custom Rendering has been designed to maximize the freedom you have in creating your presentations.

Implement Native Styles

Implement Custom Rendering

Rewarded

Rewarded video ads are full-screen video ads that users have the option of watching in their entirety in exchange for in-app rewards.

Implement Rewarded Ads

Implement Rewarded Ads (New APIs)