Google to punish sites for using interstitial adverts

Full-page app-install adverts will lead to sites no longer being dubbed 'mobile-friendly' by Google's search algorithm

Google will begin to downgrade search results for websites that show an interstital advert for their mobile app from 1 November, as part of its ongoing effort to promote "mobile-friendly" sites on its web search.

The new policy means that websites that show mobile users a whole-page advert for an app before they can use the site itself will be penalised in their search ranking. Sites that use an app install banner across the top of the page will continue to be classed as mobile-friendly under the new rules.