What Are HTML5 Ads and How to Serve Them Code-Free

So if you are a brand that wants to increase your user engagement, a website owner who wants to expand your inventory potential, or an ad business that simply wants to earn more, read on. We’ll explore what functionality applies to HTML5 ads and learn how to serve them code-free.

Is coding required to build a website? Since we have builders and templates, NO. The same goes for HTML5 animated banners: you don’t have to be a Douglas Crockford to create and serve these ads on your or your partner’s platform or mobile app.

Remember flash-based ads? In the early days, brands frequently used Flash technology to include animations and interactive elements in their web ad campaigns. But these times are long gone, and now HTML5 rules the display advertising world.

What Are HTML5 Ads?

HTML5 (HyperText Markup Language 5) is the latest version of the markup standard that structures modern web pages.

From the potential customer's standpoint, HTML5 ads are banners that move. An HTML5 banner can slide, expand, or invite interaction, while a static ad just sits there.

Brands use these expandable ads to boost engagement, especially in mobile apps where an eye‑catching mobile banner can outperform a flat JPEG.

Whether you’re running a broad advertising campaign through one ad network or many, HTML5 lets you serve the same content across devices while tailoring motion or a call to action to each target audience.

How Do HTML5 Banner Ads Work on The Tech Side?

Unlike static image formats, an HTML5 banner is a mini‑webpage packed into a lightweight ZIP file with HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and assets. That toolkit allows designers to add animation and other advanced features without heavy plug‑ins. Here is a 4-step snapshot of how HTML5 ads appear on the page.

Step 1: Package the banner into a Zip format

• Designers bundle HTML, CSS, JavaScript, local images, and optional animations into a single ZIP file.
• This archive is the full ad unit; there’s no standalone image. Note: Google and most ad‑server specs cap file size to keep load times tight.

Step 2: Host & generate tag

• Brands or publishers upload the ZIP file to their ad server, link it to a campaign, and generate an ad tag (HTML snippet) for the target ad placement.
• The tag is simply a call that says “serve this ad when a person visits the page.”

Step 3: Ad request and banner selection

• When users open the page, the browser fires the ad tag.
• The ad server receives the request, picks the right creative based on targeting rules, and sends back the ZIP.

Step 4: Render in‑browser and display

• The browser unpacks the ZIP, runs the JavaScript, and combines the HTML & CSS to display a fully responsive banner ad.
• Any device that supports standard web tech (99.9% of modern desktop & mobile browsers) can render it.
• The site visitor sees a visually appealing ad that attracts their attention and typically produces high engagement rates.

Result: one lightweight archive delivers rich, interactive ads across the entire web with near‑universal compatibility.

Interactive Ads vs. Static Banners Comparison

You didn't start reading the article from this point, did you? Classic banners are still a good option if you don’t want to overload the page with animations.

Publishers might hesitate to serve more than two animated banner ads per page for user-friendliness. Static in-feed banners can be served in much larger quantities, especially if they pass as native-looking content.

Despite the common myth, most brands still choose regular banners over interactive ads. Not every campaign is aimed at clicks and conversions: some brands crave awareness first and only afterward retarget users with more tailored ads.

Benefits of HTML5 Ads for Advertising Campaigns

HTML5 ads are a new standard for businesses and ad networks who expect results. Here's a breakdown of how both supply and demand sides benefit from switching to HTML5 formats:

Benefits of HTML5 Creatives for Brand Products

HTML5 display profits brands primarily in terms of performance. Let’s see how else it may help to take your ad serving to the next level.

Higher CTR and Conversions

Animated banners naturally attract more attention than static images. 86% of banner ads go unnoticed and not even seen by the user. Conversely, rich media ads, aka HTML5, are 66% viewable.

Freedom for creativity

HTML5 ads can be anything, so you can create an interactive experience for your audience by adding video, pics, and sounds.

Dynamic content optimization

HTML5 allows you to use data and respond to the ever-changing needs of your audience.

The example of dynamic content optimization is e-commerce ads, where you see different products based on your search history. Marketplaces collect contextual targeting data and create hyper-relevant ads to users using the same dynamic HTML5 template.

Advanced Interaction Tracking

Monitor real-time actions beyond clicks: scrolls, hovers, audio playbacks, multiple exits, and more, feeding better data into your funnel.

Benefits of HTML5 Ads for Publishers

As for publishers, the main advantage lies on the surface. But let’s see which not-that-obvious benefits site owners can squeeze from HTML5 display.

More revenue from monetization

Yes, still the most obvious one. High-performing creatives triple or even quadruple the amount of cash you receive from the placement compared to simple banners.

Inventory expansion

Like non-standard video or rich media ads, HTML5 can be served “outside the box.” Open your site to high-value expandable ads, inline rectangles, or large mobile banners while maintaining UX.

All devices and browsers covered

HTML5 ads are compatible with every device, operating system, or browser. They are responsive banners by default and adapt to the user’s screen dimensions.

No coding skills are required

Creating interactive ads can be simple. If you use HTML5 templates, you just put the creative file into your ad tag and paste the code with the script into the designated place.

High-Performing Examples of HTML5 Ad Formats

According to Epom's internal data, here is a graph to give you a better idea of which HTML5 sizes perform well in the last year.

Types of HTML5 ads can vary from common pushdowns to unconventional units. It all boils down to the advertiser’s creativity and the publisher’s restrictions on what’s acceptable to serve.

Let’s review some examples of HTML5 ad formats frequently used by our clients.

HTML5 pushdown

This ad appears on top of the page as a thin leaderboard that can be expanded while clicked. In the case of regular pushdown, the ad would be just expanded. In the case of HTML5, the banner can also change its behavior and elements after extension.

Benefits of pushdown vs. regular leaderboard are that it’s non-intrusive in the folded state but draws more attention after being “pushed.”

HTML5 catfish

HTML5 catfish is the animated version of a regular catfish, which appears at the bottom of the page and occupies the entire width of the screen. It’s similar to pushdown, but is non-expandable.

Multi-HTML5 skin

Skin emerges in the background of the main content and takes the entire space behind it. Skins sometimes are called wallpapers similar to those background images we place on our phones.

This ad template requires multiple images of different sizes to be served; that’s why we have “multi” in its name. HTML5 skins favor movie streaming services and are less frequently used by news portals.

All these formats are supported by Epom ad server. We offer the whole set of our professionally designed templates, starting from the basic plan.

In addition to high-impact formats like HTML5 pushdowns, catfish, and skins, you can take advantage of other effective HTML5 ad sizes that remain popular in both mobile and desktop campaigns:

• Inline Rectangle (300×250): A flexible unit widely used across apps and pages; works well with dynamic content and call-to-action elements.
• Wide Skyscraper (160×600): A vertical banner ideal for side placements on desktop layouts, supporting advanced HTML5 animations without intruding on main content.
• Large Rectangle (336×280): Similar to the inline rectangle but offering more visual space, suitable for high-resolution assets and video inserts.
• Vertical Rectangle (240×400): Less common but highly visible on content-heavy sites, effective for brand storytelling through expandable ads.

How to Create and Serve HTML5 Ads with Epom

Epom Ad Server simplifies the HTML5 ad workflow by eliminating the need for coding. Here’s how it works in practice:

1. Upload ZIP creative: Package your ad assets into a ZIP file. Drop it directly into Epom’s platform. Note: use concise texts using neutral typefaces (for example, Google web fonts).
2. Use prebuilt templates: Skip development. Epom provides 30+ ready-made HTML5 templates that handle animations, CTA logic, multiple exits, and responsive behavior out of the box.
3. Customize visuals and pacing: Modify your ad appearance and animation parameters directly in the UI. Set rotation, frequency, and targeting rules without touching code.
4. Serve across any inventory: Epom auto-generates compliant ad tags. HTML5 creatives are fully compatible with all major formats: inline rectangle, large mobile banner, and more.
5. Track in-depth engagement: With our ad server, you can log custom events like scrolls, taps, plays within the analytics dashboard.

In short, HTML5 ads in Epom require no dev resources, scale to any environment, and come with the same speed and control as serving static banners.

FAQ: HTML5 Banner Ads Best Practices

• How do I create HTML5 banner ads without coding skills?

  You can use platforms like Google Web Designer or Epom ready-made templates. These tools let you create HTML5 banner ads visually without writing code, handling animations, responsiveness, and CTA logic for you.

• What fonts should I use in HTML5 ads?

  Try using only Google Web Fonts to ensure compatibility across devices and platforms. Google Web Fonts are optimized for performance and supported in Google Ads and most ad networks.

• What is the difference between Google Web Designer & Epom Ad Server for HTML5 ads?

  Google Web Designer is a free tool by Google that allows users to design and build HTML5 ads for use across Google Ads and other platforms. It offers a visual interface with timeline-based animation, component libraries, and integration with Google Marketing Platform.

  Epom Ad Server, by contrast, is a full-stack platform. Epom supports uploading HTML5 creatives built in any tool (including Google Web Designer), and it provides built-in HTML5 templates and the option to request custom ones.

  In short: Google Web Designer helps you build; Epom helps you deliver and optimize at scale.

• How can I optimize the performance of HTML5 ads?

  Optimize by using low-compression image files for fast loading, testing on multiple devices for compatibility, and tracking advanced user interactions. Platforms like Epom also support A/B testing for optimization.

• What is the difference between HTML5 and GIF ads?

  HTML5 ads are interactive, responsive, and script-based banners. They support animations, audio, video, dynamic content, and multiple clickable areas.
  
  GIFs are static or looping image files with no interactivity, no audio, and a fixed sequence of frames.