Clickable intrinsic in-game ads allow players to interact directly with advertising inside mobile games.
Instead of passively seeing a brand message, players can tap a placement and immediately take action, such as:
- downloading an app
- visiting a website
- accessing a promotion
- finding a nearby store
This interaction transforms gaming environments into a measurable performance marketing channel where advertisers can track clicks, installs and conversions.
With more than 3 billion gamers worldwide, gaming offers one of the largest digital audiences available to marketers.
What are clickable intrinsic in-game ads?
Clickable intrinsic in-game ads are advertising placements integrated into gameplay that allow players to open external destinations. Importantly, the player never leaves the game.
After tapping the placement, the player can be redirected to:
- an app store page
- a product website
- a promotional landing page
- a store locator
These placements usually appear on elements such as billboards, stadium signage or virtual screens within the game environment. They are a clickable variant of the intrinsic format described in what is in-game advertising.
Because the interaction is optional, the experience remains fluid for players.
How clickable intrinsic in-game ads work
Clickable formats rely on a lightweight SDK integrated by game developers.
The interaction follows a simple flow:
- the player sees the placement during gameplay
- the player taps the ad
- the game pauses in the background
- the browser or app store page appears over the game for full interaction
- the player returns to the game
This process enables interaction without disrupting gameplay continuity. Preserving the game state across that round trip is one of the harder engineering problems behind the format, covered in how in-game advertising works at the rendering level.
Performance measurement
Clickable formats support the same measurement standards used in modern performance marketing.
Advertisers can track:
- clicks and engagement
- installs and conversions
- attribution via platforms such as AppsFlyer, Adjust or Branch
- interactions with store locators or landing pages
These insights allow marketers to evaluate campaign impact and optimize performance.
Marketing use cases
Clickable in-game advertising supports several objectives:
- app install campaigns
- e-commerce conversions
- lead generation
- store traffic
- promotional activations
Campaigns can operate under CPC, CPA or CPM models, depending on the advertiser's strategy.
Launching a campaign with Gadsme
Gadsme enables advertisers to activate campaigns across thousands of mobile games and reach highly engaged players worldwide.
To launch a campaign, advertisers typically need:
- creative assets adapted to in-game placements
- a mobile-optimized landing page
- tracking and attribution integration
Campaigns can then be targeted by geography, game genre or audience profile. For the wider planning picture, see the strategy and execution guide for brands, or get in touch to discuss a campaign.
