We’re down to the final two. The Seattle Seahawks. The New England Patriots. I don’t know who’d win in a fight between a hawk and a guy who really loves his country in real life, but I do know this is going to be a great Super Bowl. 

But you’re not here for predictions. You’re here to learn how to turn the biggest sporting event of the year into something that would make Fort Knox jealous. The Super Bowl is having its Diamond Jubilee. Here are the brightest tips and tricks out there, for all you advertisers and publishers ready to get in on the action!

Super Bowl LX: What You Need To Know

The Super Bowl is taking place on February 8th at 6:30 (ET) – that’s 12:30 am CET. It’s actually a repeat of 2015, when the Patriots took the W against the Seahawks 28-24. The Seahawks, who have only won 1 Super Bowl in their history, will be looking for revenge against the team with the most Super Bowl appearances of all time!

This time around, though, the Seahawks seem to be the favourites going into the tie. Their defence is BIG, and a good defence is king. The Patriots’ Drake Maye is going to the ultimate test for Seattle, however. A man who can make any pass he wants is a nice trick to have up your sleeve.

Do Super Bowl Ads Really Work?

Short answer – yes. However, they’re costly, and you have to be prepared to cushion the cost. The ads you see on TV, especially the now-famous halftime ones, are there for awareness. They’re there to get the world talking. 

Super Bowl Ads 2026 need to be ready for the spillover effect. Second-screen scrolling is more powerful than ever during a game of football, and users are actively discovering brands during gameplay (and stoppages). 

In other words, you don’t need to be an advertising powerhouse to benefit from the Super Bowl. The web is just as active as the TV during the game, if not more. Televised Super Bowl ads might get the attention, and they might control the conversation, but they’re not the only success story. A Super Bowl commercial – not required. A Super Bowl moment – ideal.

Alternative Ads for Super Bowl 2026: Smarter Ways to Advertise

What are the best ways to get your Super Bowl moment? The Super Bowl is one of the most expensive advertising moments in the world, which is exactly why alternative digital strategies work so well.

Rather than committing to a single high-risk placement, performance-driven campaigns let advertisers stay flexible. You can launch quickly, scale when traffic spikes, and optimize in real time as user behaviour changes throughout the event. Instead of paying for prestige, you’re paying for actual engagement.

That makes digital alternatives especially effective during Super Bowl week, when attention builds steadily and then spikes hard on game day.

Leveraging Social Media During the Super Bowl

Other than the stars on the field during the Super Bowl, there’s another star taking over the spotlight – social media. 

Viewers are reacting to plays, sharing memes, commenting on commercials, and let’s be honest, heavily criticising the halftime show. For advertisers, that creates a constant stream of attention that’s already primed for discovery.

The strongest social campaigns are the ones that feel timely and relevant. Short-form creatives, native placements, and simple messaging tend to perform best, especially when they align with what people are already talking about. Speed matters more than polish here. If an ad feels disconnected from the moment, users scroll past it without thinking twice.

Don’t forget the build-up either. Start now, because your audience isn’t waiting. The conversation has already started, and social media campaigns are the perfect way to not only join the conversation but start it. 

Using Non-Traditional Words

With the keyword “Super Bowl 2026” being even more competitive than the on-field game, you’d be wise to look for an alternative. Just as effective, and just as likely to be searched by the NFL-obsessed user base. 

By using alternative phrases such as “The Big Game” or “Game Day Sunday,” advertisers can still tap into massive search interest without running into over-saturation and impossible competition. During Super Bowl season, users know exactly what these terms mean, and their intent is just as strong.

Advertisers

Countries to Target

Obviously, the USA. I mean, they love the sport so much that they named it after themselves. With the media hype, attention, and celebrity influence, the game is a worldwide phenomenon nowadays. We’ve seen major traffic coming from:

• Canada
• Mexico
• The UK
• Denmark
• Brazil
• Australia
• Spain
• The Netherlands
• Puerto Rico

When to Start Targeting (and What)

With less than 2 weeks to go, the answer is: now. Themed creatives are key. Whether you’re working with iGaming, Sports, or eCommerce, use franchise colors, logos, and players to really play to the hype. 

The Super Bowl is more than just the game of football. There’s music, food, and celebrities. Use it all – it will surely resonate with your audience. 

Super Bowl traffic doesn’t show up politely. It grows, it snowballs, and then it’s time for that Hail Mary. 

Interest starts climbing in the days (and weeks) leading up to the game — driven by team news, predictions, halftime show hype, and “where to watch” searches. Then on game day, everything spikes at once: live viewers, live scrolling, live clicking, and live spending.

So if you’re planning to advertise during Super Bowl season, the goal is simple: 

Channel your inner NFL fan and pull out all the stops. Super Bowl is one of the biggest sporting events of the year, and your budget needs to respect that.

Best Ad Formats for Super Bowl Season

Super Bowl traffic is fast, emotional, and unpredictable. People jump between screens, check their phones during every break, and react in real time to what’s happening on TV. These three formats consistently perform best during Super Bowl week — especially when interest peaks on game day.

Pop-Under

Pop-Under is the QB of ad formats. Use it effectively, and you’ll win.

During live games, users are already opening tabs, checking scores, reading reactions, and bouncing between content. Pop-unders take advantage of that behaviour without interrupting the viewing experience. The ad loads quietly in the background and waits until the user comes back, which often happens during breaks, halftime, or immediately after the game.

If Pop-Under is the quarterback, then In-Page Push and Interstitial are the EDGE and the Wide Receiver. Used in combination – they just work. 

Interstitial Ads

Interstitial ads shine during natural pauses, and the Super Bowl is full of them.

Fans are constantly clicking in-page links, flicking between tabs, and loading real-time stats. They expect a brief interruption. That’s where interstitials work best. When placed correctly, they feel like part of the flow rather than an annoyance.

Bonus Tip for Publishers – Design your sites with multiple pages that your users want to access. This encourages them to page-hop, making interstitial ads super effective.

During Super Bowl week, interstitials are particularly effective on mobile, where attention is short but engagement is high. A clear message, strong visual, and simple call-to-action can capture attention fast, which is exactly what you need when traffic spikes and competition heats up.

In-Page Push

In-Page Push ads blend into the browsing experience while staying visible enough to catch attention. These are ideal for users who are scrolling live blogs, checking updates, or following coverage throughout the game. 

They’re perfect for the build-up in the weeks before – great for showcasing betting odds, live team updates, and other up-to-date information.

Monetization

Even if your audience doesn’t know the difference between a quarterback and a parking meter, they’ll still get pulled into Super Bowl week because the event is basically mass social media chaos, with a sprinkling of sport and celebrity thrown in for luck. 

As a website owner, use that. Turn your product into a Super Bowl product. Everything works. Here are some content ideas that always perform well:

▪️“Super Bowl kickoff time, schedule, and predictions.”

▪️“Bad Bunny interviews + song reviews”

▪️“Best Super Bowl ads 2026 (live updates)”

▪️“Where to watch the Super Bowl online.”

▪️“Top 10 Half-Time Snack Platters.”

Quick Wins to Increase Monetization

In order to get paid, first you need the traffic. Here are some simple ways to get eyes on your content.

▪️ Update older Super Bowl articles (Google loves freshness)

▪️ Create “live” pages (commercial tracker, halftime updates, score)

▪️ Use internal linking to keep people clicking

▪️ Add “best of” roundup posts (ads, memes, moments)

▪️ Segment your ad placements by device (mobile traffic dominates)

▪️ Use NFL keywords in your URLs and content

Use Autotag – a Game Day Cheat Code

If you’re running Super Bowl Ad 2026 campaigns, the fastest way to keep things efficient is automation.

An intelligent algorithm that switches between our best-performing ad formats will always work to your advantage. On game day, set Autotag to Max Earnings for, you guessed it, max earnings.

Conclusion – “We’re in the End Zone Now…”

Super Bowl season is one of the biggest attention spikes of the year, and attention is the currency we’re all fighting over. If you plan early, target the right GEOs, and pick formats that match the moment, you’re cashing in on THE cultural event of the year. 

For more inspiration on how to drive conversions during major sports fixtures, read our article here.