Ad Platform Specs
Display Ad Sizes
Most display inventory concentrates in a handful of sizes. If you only produce five creatives, produce these five. The rest of the IAB catalogue is worth building only when a specific publisher deal requires it.
| Size in pixels | Common name | Primary placement |
|---|---|---|
| 300 x 250 | Medium rectangle | In article and sidebar, desktop and mobile |
| 728 x 90 | Leaderboard | Above the fold, desktop |
| 320 x 50 | Mobile leaderboard | Anchored mobile banner |
| 160 x 600 | Wide skyscraper | Desktop sidebar |
| 300 x 600 | Half page | Desktop sidebar, high viewability |
| 320 x 100 | Large mobile banner | Mobile web |
| 336 x 280 | Large rectangle | In article, desktop |
| 970 x 250 | Billboard | Premium desktop above the fold |
| Item | Typical constraint |
|---|---|
| Static file types | JPG, PNG, GIF |
| Google Display Network file size cap | 150KB |
| HTML5 asset | Uploaded as a ZIP bundle |
| Animation length guidance | 30 seconds or less |
| Animation loops | Commonly capped at 3 loops |
| Asset | Ratio | Recommended pixels |
|---|---|---|
| Landscape image | 1.91:1 | 1200 x 628 |
| Square image | 1:1 | 1200 x 1200 |
| Landscape logo | 4:1 | 1200 x 300 |
| Square logo | 1:1 | 1200 x 1200 |
Notes
Responsive display ads cover far more inventory than a fixed size set, at the cost of layout control. My default is to run responsive for reach and add fixed size HTML5 creative only where brand control genuinely matters, such as a premium publisher takeover.
The 150KB cap on the Google Display Network is the binding constraint for most teams, and it is where HTML5 builds fail. Compress raster assets aggressively, prefer vector or CSS shapes over images, and subset fonts rather than loading full families.
Design for the small end first. A creative that reads at 320 x 50 will scale up fine, while a billboard concept rarely survives being squeezed into a mobile banner. One clear message, one visual, one call to action.
IAB standards and the Google Display Network's accepted sizes and file limits both get updated. Check the IAB standard ad unit portfolio and Google Ads Help before committing to a production list.
Frequently asked questions
Which display sizes should I build first?
300 x 250, 728 x 90, 320 x 50, 160 x 600 and 300 x 600. Those five cover the large majority of available inventory across most networks.
Static or HTML5?
Static for speed and reliability, HTML5 when animation or dynamic data genuinely improves the message. HTML5 costs more to produce and more to QA across placements.
Official sources
Platforms change specifications without notice. Check the primary documentation before a launch that depends on an exact value.
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