AdSense Ad Units Explained: Display, In-Feed, In-Article and Multiplex
AdSense offers several ad unit types, and each one suits a different spot on your page. Here is what each type does, where to place it and how to create it.
- AdSense has five main ad unit types: display, in-feed, in-article, multiplex and search.
- Display ads work almost anywhere. In-article ads go between paragraphs. In-feed ads sit inside lists of posts or products. Multiplex ads are a grid, usually at the end of an article.
- Create them in AdSense under Ads > By ad unit, then paste the code where you want the ad.
- Start with two or three well-placed units, not ten. Readers and earnings both suffer when a page is crowded.
Your site is approved for AdSense, and now you open the Ads page and see many options. Display, in-feed, in-article, multiplex. Which one should you use, and where should it go?
This guide explains each AdSense ad unit type in simple words, shows where it fits best on a blog or tool website, and walks you through creating one step by step.
What is an ad unit in AdSense?
An ad unit is a piece of code you place on your page by hand. Wherever you paste it, AdSense reserves a space and fills it with an ad. You choose the type, the size and the exact spot.
This is different from Auto ads, where Google decides where ads go after you add one code to your site. If you are still deciding between the two approaches, read our comparison of AdSense Auto ads vs manual ads first. This post is about the manual side.
AdSense ad unit types at a glance
| Ad unit | What it looks like | Best place |
|---|---|---|
| Display | Text, image or rich media ads that resize to fit the space | Header area, sidebar, between sections, below content |
| In-feed | Native ads styled like items in your list | Blog home page, category pages, product lists |
| In-article | Full-width native ads between paragraphs | Inside long blog posts |
| Multiplex | A grid of ads that looks like content recommendations | End of articles, sidebar |
| Search | A Google-powered search box for your site | Sites with many pages where people search |
These descriptions follow Google's own "About ad units" help page. Let's look at each one in more detail.
Display ads: the all-rounder
Display ads are the most flexible type. Google describes them as ads that can show text, images or rich media. They work almost anywhere on a page.
When you create one, you pick a size:
- Responsive (recommended): the ad resizes to fit your layout and the reader's screen.
- Fixed: you enter an exact width and height. Google notes that fixed sizes may have a smaller pool of ads, which can lower earnings.
Good spots for display ads:
- Below the post title, after the first one or two paragraphs.
- In the sidebar on desktop.
- Below the article, before comments.
- On tool pages (like an image resizer), below the result area, not on top of the buttons.
In-article ads: best for long blog posts
In-article ads are native ads that sit between the paragraphs of your article. Google says they are full width, which makes them work well on mobile, and you can style them to match your site.
Because they follow the reader's flow, they feel less pushy than a big banner. They suit posts of 1,000 words or more, where readers scroll through several sections.
Where to place in-article ads
- After the introduction and the first heading, not in the first two lines.
- Roughly in the middle of the article, between two sections.
- Not inside a numbered list of steps, where it breaks the instructions.
Google's help page also notes that in-article units may show selected display ads too, and that in-article ads may have a lower CPM in the short term for some publishers. So test, and judge them by your own reports over a few weeks.
In-feed ads: for lists of posts or products
In-feed ads appear inside feeds, such as a list of latest posts, news headlines or products. They copy the look of the items around them, so they blend in while people scroll.
When you create an in-feed unit, Google gives two style options:
- Automatic: Google suggests a style for you based on your page.
- Manual: you design the style yourself.
In-feed ads fit best on your blog home page, category pages and search result pages. On a news website, they can sit between headlines on the latest news page. They are not useful on a single article page, because that page has no feed.
Multiplex ads: the grid at the end
Multiplex ads show several ads in a grid inside one unit. They look like a "recommended for you" block. Google says publishers often place them at the end of articles or in sidebars, to earn from readers who have finished reading.
This is a smart spot. At the end of a post, a reader either leaves or looks for something else. A multiplex block gives them something to click without interrupting the article itself.
Multiplex is also available as an Auto ads format. In your site's Auto ads settings, under in-page formats, you can choose whether Multiplex ads are turned on.
Search ads: a site search box
The search engine option adds a Google-powered search box to your site. When a visitor searches, they see results from your site along with relevant ads.
This is most useful for sites with a lot of pages, such as a big Shayari collection or a news site, where people look for specific items. For a new blog with 20 posts, it adds little value. Skip it for now.
How to create an AdSense ad unit (step by step)
The steps below follow Google's help page for creating a display ad unit. Other unit types work the same way, with their own style options.
- Sign in to your AdSense account.
- Go to Ads, then click By ad unit.
- Choose the type you want, for example Display ads.
- Give the unit a clear name, such as
post-after-introorsidebar-top. Good names make your reports easy to read later. - Choose Responsive size unless you have a strong reason for fixed.
- Click Save and get code.
- Copy the code and paste it inside the body of your page, at the spot where you want the ad.
- Click Done.
Google says ads usually appear within a few minutes, but sometimes it can take up to an hour. If you still see a blank space after that, work through our checklist for AdSense ads not showing.
Where to paste the code on different platforms
- WordPress: use a Custom HTML block inside a post, or a Custom HTML widget for the sidebar.
- Blogger: use the Layout section and add an HTML/JavaScript gadget.
- PHP script website: many scripts have ad slots in the admin panel, such as "header ad", "in-post ad" or "footer ad". Paste the code there instead of editing theme files.
A simple ad layout for a new blog
You do not need every unit type. Here is a calm starting setup that respects your readers:
| Page type | Units to start with |
|---|---|
| Blog post | 1 display after intro, 1 in-article mid-post, 1 multiplex at the end |
| Home and category pages | 1 in-feed unit between posts, 1 display in sidebar (desktop) |
| Tool page (resizer, converter) | 1 display below the result, away from buttons |
| Contact, privacy, about pages | No ads needed |
Run this for a few weeks. Then open Reports and filter by ad unit to see which spots earn and which do not. Our post on AdSense RPM explained shows how to read those numbers.
Common ad unit mistakes and how to fix them
- Too many units on one screen. On a phone, scroll your page. If ads take more space than content in any screen, remove one.
- Ads above the content. A big ad before the title pushes your content down and annoys readers. Place the first ad after the intro.
- Unclear names. Names like "ad1" and "ad2" make reports useless. Rename units by their position.
- Same code pasted twice by mistake. Check your theme and widgets so one unit is not loading in two places you did not plan.
- Fixed size on a mobile layout. A wide fixed ad can break a phone layout. Switch to responsive.
- Ads on thin pages. Pages with little content, like a "thank you" page, should not carry ads.
Final word
Each ad unit type has a job. Display ads are flexible, in-article ads suit long posts, in-feed ads fit lists, and multiplex ads catch readers at the end. Start small, name your units clearly, and let your own reports guide the next change.
Next step: create one responsive display unit and one in-article unit today, and place them on your best post. If you are building a new site, the AdSense-ready website scripts in our marketplace come with ad slots already in the layout, and our courses cover AdSense setup in more depth.
Frequently asked questions
Which AdSense ad unit is best for a new blog?
Most new blogs start with one responsive display unit and one in-article unit inside posts. Add a multiplex unit at the end of articles once you have enough posts. Watch your reports for a few weeks before adding more.
Can I use ad units and Auto ads together?
Yes. Google allows you to use manual ad units and Auto ads on the same site. Auto ads will work around your existing units, so check your pages on a phone to make sure the total number of ads still feels comfortable.
How long does a new ad unit take to show ads?
Google's help page says ads usually appear within a few minutes but can sometimes take up to an hour. If nothing shows after that, check that your site status is Ready on the Sites page.
Are fixed-size ad units bad?
Not bad, but Google recommends responsive units. Its help page notes that fixed sizes may have a smaller pool of ads, which can lower earnings. Use fixed sizes only when your layout truly needs them.