The average smartphone user pays 6.6 seconds of attention to mobile ads that cover 80% of the screen, according to a report by Yahoo and OMD Worldwide.
This is more than double the attention received by ads with 50% screen coverage and roughly eight times that of ads with less than 10% screen coverage.
According to an analysis by Insider Intelligence/eMarketer, older audiences are more likely to pay attention.
The average attention span for mobile ads among smartphone users aged 18 to 24 is 2.1 seconds, compared to just 1.3 seconds for those aged 55 and over. To engage younger consumers on these screens, advertisers should emphasize immersive and interactive content.
Ariel Ben Solomon is the Growth and Strategy manager at Ecomhunt. He is the host of the Ecomhunt Podcast. Can be followed on Twitter at @ArielBenSolomon