Short answerA popunder is an ad that opens the advertiser's page in a new browser tab after a visitor clicks on your site. It does not cover your content, it earns a relatively high CPM because the advertiser gets a whole page, and its impact on visitors depends mostly on frequency: one popunder per session is very different from one per click.
Popunders have a mixed reputation, mostly because of sites that open them on every click. Used carefully, they are one of the few formats that add revenue without taking space on the page. This article explains how they work and how to use them responsibly.
What is a popunder?
A popunder is an ad format that opens a new tab or window with the advertiser's page when the visitor clicks somewhere on your site. The visitor's original page stays as it was. In the Wizads implementation the advertiser's page opens in a new tab and becomes the active window right after the click; how often that happens is controlled by frequency settings.
Because the ad is a full page rather than a small unit, advertisers use popunders for direct-response campaigns — apps, services, offers — and pay for each display on the CPM model.
Why do popunders pay well?
A full-page impression. The advertiser's landing page is the ad, so there is no small banner to ignore.
No space taken on your page. A popunder does not compete with your content or other ad units.
High demand from performance advertisers. Many campaigns are built specifically for popunder traffic. If you are curious about the buying side, see popunder traffic.
What are the downsides?
Annoyance at high frequency. A new tab on every click frustrates visitors and increases bounce.
Ad quality. Because the ad is a whole page, the quality of advertisers matters more. Choose a partner that moderates landing pages.
Policies of other partners. Some ad networks restrict combining their ads with pop formats. Read the rules of every partner you work with.
Ad blockers. Some visitors block pop formats, so not every session produces an impression.
Does a popunder hurt SEO?
A popunder opens in a separate tab after a user action, so it does not cover your content when a page loads. Google's guidance on intrusive interstitials is about pop-ups and overlays that hide the main content, especially on mobile. Still, anything that makes visitors leave faster can affect your site indirectly, so keep frequency moderate and watch engagement.
How to set up popunders responsibly
Start with a low frequency, for example once per session or once per several hours per visitor, and increase only if engagement stays stable.
Test on mobile and desktop to see how the new tab behaves in different browsers.
Compare revenue per thousand sessions and bounce rate before and after.
Combine with other formats carefully. A popunder plus a fullscreen interstitial on the same page view is usually too much.
Popunder vs other formats
Popunder
Fullscreen interstitial
Banner
Takes space on the page
No
The whole screen, briefly
Yes
Triggered by
A click
Page open
Page load
Typical use
Performance campaigns
Mobile attention
Brand and performance
Main risk
Frequency fatigue
Interrupting the visitor
Low visibility
Popunders with Wizads
Wizads popunders open in a new tab after a click, do not interfere with your content, deliver a high CPM and come with flexible frequency settings, so you decide how often they appear. Publishers add the Wizads script to the site, and the support team helps with installation and settings. Earnings are paid per impression on the CPM model. See the publisher page to join.
Frequently asked questions
Is a popunder the same as a pop-up?
No. A pop-up opens on top of the current page; a popunder opens the ad in a separate tab or window, leaving your page untouched.
How often should a popunder appear?
There is no universal rule. Start conservatively, then increase frequency step by step while watching bounce rate and pages per session.
Can I use popunders and video ads together?
Often yes, because they do not compete for space. Measure total revenue and engagement, as described in our website monetization guide.
Wizads is an advertising network with its own DSP, SSP and ad server. Our team writes about programmatic advertising, website monetization and buying traffic.
