5 Reasons Why Publishers Should Use Lazy Loading

What is Lazy Loading in Advertising?

Lazy loading is a well-established technique in web development that optimizes the loading process of content on a webpage by deferring the loading of certain elements until they are needed. In the context of online advertising, lazy loading refers to the practice of delaying the loading of ads until a page loads. This method helps improve the overall performance of the webpage, reduces the initial page load time, and enhances the user experience.

Lazy loading for ads is particularly important because it allows publishers to reduce unnecessary network requests for ads that may not be viewed by users. For example, if an ad is placed at the bottom of a long article, there's a good chance that a user might never scroll down far enough to see it. Loading the ad on page load can negatively impact both page performance and the ad's viewability.

The technical side of lazy loading typically involves JavaScript and HTML code that dynamically loads the ads when they are more likely to be seen by the user. By only loading ads when they are about to be viewed, publishers can optimize page performance, prevent unnecessary resource consumption, and increase ad viewability, which is crucial for maximizing revenue and ensuring a good user experience.

This technique is beneficial not only for improving page load times but also for providing a better user experience, especially on mobile devices or slow internet connections. With the increasing focus on user experience and SEO, lazy loading has become a best practice for most web publishers.

The Importance of Lazy Loading in Advertising

Over the years, as digital advertising has evolved, so too has the capabilities of lazy loading. With online advertisers paying for impressions based on the visibility of their ads, ensuring that ads are only loaded when a user is likely to see them has become a crucial part of the monetization strategy. Furthermore, as web pages grow increasingly complex with high amounts of media, scripts, and ads, optimizing the load time of the page can significantly impact both user experience and revenue generation. It can also reduce main thread blocking time, allowing for faster and smoother page rendering.

Lazy loading, while simple in concept, is a strategic necessity for publishers. It helps keep the website responsive, retain visitors longer, and prevents slow-loading ads from disrupting the user experience, all while keeping page memory usage low. In the competitive digital landscape, any advantage that can improve page load speed, reduce bounce rates, and boost engagement is essential.

5 Reasons Why Publishers Should Use Lazy Loading

Lazy loading isn’t just a technical trend; it offers practical benefits that directly impact a publisher’s bottom line. Let’s look at the top reasons why lazy loading is important for publishers:

1) Improved Page Load Speed

One of the most significant advantages of lazy loading is its ability to reduce the initial page load time. When a webpage is first accessed, it usually contains various elements like images, scripts, videos, and ads that need to be loaded. With lazy loading, not all of these elements are loaded upfront. Instead, only the elements visible on the screen are loaded, while other elements, such as ads below the fold, are deferred until they are close to entering the user’s viewport. This results in fewer HTTP requests and javascript running at the start of the page load process, leading to a faster initial page load.

Improved load speed has multiple benefits:

• SEO: Search engines, especially Google, prioritize fast-loading websites. Websites that load quickly and improve INP are more likely to rank higher in search results.
• User Retention: Faster load times translate into better user retention, as visitors are less likely to leave a site that loads quickly.
• Mobile Experience: Since mobile users are often on slower networks, reducing page load time is especially important for mobile traffic dominated websites.

By adopting lazy loading, publishers can ensure their website loads faster, which directly contributes to better user experience and higher SEO rankings.

2) Enhanced User Experience

User experience (UX) is critical in retaining visitors and encouraging them to spend more time on your site. Slow-loading ads can disrupt the browsing experience and frustrate users, leading to higher bounce rates and decreased engagement.

Lazy loading improves UX by ensuring that content loads in the background while the user is interacting with the page. This ensures that the page remains responsive, and the user can begin reading or interacting with the site without waiting for ads or other content to load. As a result, the page feels faster and more fluid, which improves the overall browsing experience.

3) Reduced Bounce Rates

One of the major reasons users leave a site is due to slow-loading pages. If an ad or image is delaying the page's load, users may get frustrated and navigate away before they even see the content. By implementing lazy loading, publishers ensure that ads and other elements are only loaded when necessary, which prevents slow-loading content from causing page delays.

This faster load time improves user satisfaction and leads to lower bounce rates. Users are more likely to stay on a website when they don’t have to wait for long periods for content to load, increasing the likelihood of engagement and interaction with the ads.

4) Increased Viewability and Revenue

Ad viewability is a crucial metric in the advertising world, and lazy loading plays a significant role in ensuring that ads are viewable when they appear on the screen. By Google's definition, a viewable ad is defined as 50% of the ad being in the user's viewport for a minimum of 1 full second. By using lazy loading, publishers can ensure that ads are only loaded when they are about to be seen, making them more likely to be counted as viewable.

This has direct implications for revenue. Advertisers typically pay more for ads that have higher viewability so publishers can optimize their earnings by ensuring that ads only load when they are actually likely to be seen by the user.

5) Reduced Resource Consumption

Lazy loading helps conserve page memory and reduce main thread blocking. By loading ads and content only when needed, publishers avoid wasting resources on ads that may never be seen. This is particularly important for mobile users, who may have limited data plans or slower internet connections.

Additionally, websites that implement lazy loading are less likely to cause network congestion, which can lead to poor performance in other places of the website. Reducing unnecessary data loading can help improve how quickly content loads.

How to Implement Lazy Loading

Lazy loading for ads is a relatively straightforward process, though it requires attention to detail to ensure the technique is used effectively. While setting up basic lazy loading is easy, perfecting it to maximize revenue is a lengthy process that requires A/B testing.

Below are the steps involved in implementing lazy loading:

1) Determine Which Ads to Lazy Load

Start by identifying which ads would benefit from lazy loading. Typically, these are ads that are placed below the fold or on long-scroll pages, such as blogs or news articles. Ads that are visible immediately on page load (above the fold) generally don’t need to be lazy-loaded and are encouraged to load faster.

For ads placed below the fold, lazy loading can help optimize performance and revenue, since they won’t be loaded until the user scrolls down far enough to see them.

2) Use an IntersectionObserver

The core of lazy loading is the script that detects when an ad element approaches the user's viewport. Many publishers use a common IntersectionObserver, which is built into modern browsers. This watches for when an element (in this case, an ad) enters a certain threshold within the user's viewport on the page and triggers its loading process.

Here’s an example of how lazy loading can be implemented using IntersectionObserver:

3) Test and Optimize

After implementing lazy loading, it’s important to test the implementation across different devices and browsers. Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or Lighthouse to monitor page performance and ensure lazy loading improves load times and overall user experience. Additionally, it's crucial to test its impact on revenue generation, compare the effects, and check for compatibility with all ad types and media formats used on the site.

Integrating Lazy Loading with Ad Refresh Strategies

Many publishers use ad refresh strategies to show multiple ads in the same space on a page. This is typically done to increase revenue by serving more ads to users. When combined with lazy loading, ad refresh strategies must be handled carefully to ensure they do not disrupt the user experience.

Here’s how lazy loading integrates with ad refresh:

• Set Refresh Timeouts: Determine how often an ad should refresh, ensuring it only does so when visible in the viewport.
• Ensure Smooth Transitions: When an ad refreshes, ensure it does so without interrupting the user experience or layout. The transition should be seamless.
• Use Viewability Metrics: Trigger ad refreshes only when the ad is visible, avoiding wasted impressions and improving overall ad performance.

By combining lazy loading with strategic ad refreshes, publishers can maximize revenue while ensuring a smooth user experience.

Aditude’s Best Practices for Lazy Loading

At Aditude, we prioritize performance optimization to ensure the best results for our publishers. Here are some best practices for implementing lazy loading ads effectively:

• Ensure Proper Code Integration: Use well-tested lazy loading scripts and ensure they are properly integrated with your existing ad management platform.
• Monitor Ad Viewability: Track ad viewability to optimize placements and maximize revenue. Ensure lazy-loaded ads are being seen.
• Test Across Devices: Lazy loading can behave differently on mobile and desktop. Ensure that the implementation works consistently across all device types.
• Optimize for Mobile: Mobile-first design is essential for modern publishers. Lazy loading improves load times on mobile devices, enhancing the mobile user experience.
• Consider the Time it Takes an Ad to Load: Preload ads just before they enter the viewport, ensuring that by the time the ad code executes, the ad is ready to be displayed. 

Conclusion

Lazy loading is an essential technique for improving website performance and optimizing ad revenue. It offers multiple benefits for publishers, including faster page load times, enhanced user experience, reduced bounce rates, and increased ad viewability. By implementing lazy loading ads, publishers can create a faster, more efficient website that engages users and maximizes revenue potential.

As the digital advertising landscape becomes more competitive, it’s crucial for publishers to implement strategies that balance performance and monetization. Lazy loading, combined with ad refresh techniques and optimization strategies, offers a powerful way to improve both the user experience and advertising revenue. By following best practices and ensuring smooth implementation, lazy loading can be a game-changer for publishers seeking to stay ahead in the digital advertising space.

If you're interested in optimizing revenue using lazy loading, contact Aditude to learn more.