Make Banner Great Again - A Display Ads Case Study
Turning a hobby into a business is one of the best things that can happen in life. That’s exactly what happened to our publisher we’re shining a spotlight on. A Vietnamese publisher wanted to set up a website dedicated to anime and manga. Little did they know that this hobby of theirs would go on to become a massive money maker.
The trick? Just relying on an ad format a lot of people don’t take seriously anymore. Good old display ads. And of course, the guidance and wisdom of Adcash’s team.
Old Reliable
Display ads can sometimes have a bad reputation. People think: Too old. Too basic. Too “2012.”
Meanwhile, our anime/manga publisher quietly generated $5,286.71 in a single week using 300×250 mobile banners.
Just look at what happened in the 4th week of January 2026:
This display ads case study breaks down how a mobile-first anime site made banner ads work again.
We’ll cover:
- Why banner ads fit perfectly into manga-style layouts
- How Southeast Asian traffic scales revenue
- Verticals where mobile reigns supreme
- What other publishers can copy immediately
Why Was Banner Flying High?
Manga is visual. Connected panels, coming together to tell a story. As we read, our eyes scan the page from top to bottom. Right to left.
Panel. Scroll. Panel. Scroll.
Readers move fast, but they stay on a single page for a long time. A single chapter can mean dozens of panels to look over. A full session? Hundreds. Now look at a mobile banner. It’s a clean visual block. A rectangle. Just like a manga panel. Banners are also being read. Sometimes accidentally, sometimes because they draw the eye.
Placed inside the content stream, it becomes part of the scroll rhythm. A natural pause between scenes. When the format matches the layout:
▪️ Viewability increases
▪️ Engagement stays strong
▪️ Users don’t bounce
Getting Mobile
The publisher was a fan, just like their audience. As a fellow fan, they shared the same interests and behaviours. When you understand your audience, you’re going to know what works for them. In this case, their audience was watching anime and reading manga on the go.
This publisher’s audience is heavy mobile users. Targeting mobile ads was the golden ticket to success.
Mobile means faster scrolling. Scrolling means more chapters read. More chapters mean more exposure. More exposure means a higher chance of clicking on those ads.
Mobile activity tends to be in short bursts, but more regular. Our publishers should be returning to the site multiple times a day, creating a steady stream of traffic.
In January 2026, the results looked like this:
▪️ 6,233,121 average unique users per week
▪️ $17,653.34 in banner revenue
▪️ $0.71 average RPM
And this wasn’t a one-week spike. Weekly revenue climbed and stabilized:
Consistent performance at scale.
The Geography Factor
Whilst the bulk of the traffic came from Tier 1 countries, especially the US, South East Asia brought significant volume. Once again, proof that this is a rapidly growing, lucrative market for the right verticals.
Here’s how that played out:
SEA delivered the scale. Tier 1 delivered the boost. The result? A blended $0.78 RPM across millions of users.
When traffic is high and sessions are deep, display ads just need consistency.
What We Can Learn
This isn’t about stuffing your site with ads. It’s about using the right format in the right place. Here’s the blueprint from this display ads case study:
▪️ Start with one strong format
The 300×250 mobile banner is stable and proven.
▪️ Place it inside the content flow
Attention lives in the scroll, or the footer.
▪️ Focus on viewability, not quantity
More units don’t automatically mean more revenue.
▪️ Leverage geo mix
Even a small share of Tier 1 traffic can significantly raise average RPM.
▪️ Let scale do the work
High-volume verticals don’t need aggressive monetization. They need smart placement.
Conclusion
Display ads aren’t outdated. They’re just often used badly. In anime and manga, where the entire experience is built around vertical visual blocks, banner feels natural.
It blends in. It gets seen. It performs. Next step? Scaling. New websites, same technique. If it works, it works.
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FAQ
What is an advertising network?
An ad network is like a matchmaker for digital advertising. It connects advertisers (that’s you) with websites (aka publishers) that want to sell ad space. Instead of negotiating with individual sites, you use an ad platform like Adcash to place your ads where they’ll hit the right audience – based on their demographics, interests, or online behavior. More reach, less hassle.
What types of ad formats are there?
There are five main types of ad formats.
Pop-up ads – These appear in a new window or overlay to grab attention and increase engagement.
Pop-under ads – Similar to pop-ups, but they load discreetly in the background, ensuring a non-intrusive user experience.
Interstitial ads – Full-screen ads that appear during content transitions (like between webpage loads or app screens) for maximum visibility.
In-page push ads – These look like traditional push notifications but appear directly on the webpage without requiring user opt-in.
Banner ads – Classic display ads embedded within the webpage, featuring images, text, or animations to drive clicks.
How Can Publishers Balance Revenue and User Experience?
Maximizing earnings shouldn’t mean annoying your visitors. The key? Smart ad placement and quality formats.
Use pop-under ads instead of intrusive pop-ups to keep the user journey smooth.
Limit interstitial ads to natural breakpoints in content flow.
Optimize push ads so they feel native rather than disruptive.
Work with a trusted ad network for publishers (like Adcash) that provides real-time optimization and non-intrusive ad delivery.
With the right balance, you can monetize your website without driving users away.
How do I advertise online?
Pick a solid advertising platform that connects you with top publishers (hint: Adcash). Whether you want pop-up ads, display banners, native ads, or video ads, we make it simple. Set your budget, target the right audience, and launch. Our adserver and programmatic advertising platform handle the heavy lifting – real-time analytics, smart ad optimization, and laser-focused targeting to maximize your ROI.