Flexi Slots: Best Practices for Adaptive Monetization

In today’s fragmented digital landscape, where users constantly switch between screens and expect seamless, fast-loading experiences, traditional ad placements no longer meet the moment. Static formats can’t adapt to shifting demand, screen sizes, or layout constraints. Publishers need more agile monetization tools that work across channels and respond in real time to context.

That’s why the Flexi Slot has emerged as a smarter way to serve ads — intelligently dividing a single placement to deliver multiple creatives at once. It dynamically adapts in real time to layout and demand conditions, boosting performance without disrupting the user experience or requiring manual work.      

What is flexi slot?

Flexi slot is  an adaptive ad container that supports multiple creatives within a single placement. Instead of limiting one slot to a single ad, the flexi slot intelligently splits the space to serve two or more ads side by side,  depending on layout, screen size, and available demand.

Here’s how it works:

• A user lands on your site or app.
• The flexi slot checks available demand, screen size, layout constraints, and allowed formats.
• Based on those factors, it intelligently splits the placement and delivers multiple ads in real time — boosting impression volume without expanding layout space.

This approach maximizes revenue opportunities while optimizing for user experience. Think of it as giving each ad position the intelligence to choose what’s best in every context.

Flexi vs. fixed: what’s the difference?

To understand the value of flexi slots, it helps to compare them with traditional fixed-format ad placements.

Flexi slots don’t just increase fill rate — they help expose your inventory to a wider set of demand sources, improve competition during auctions, and prevent ad fatigue by offering varied creatives.

How to make flexi slots work for you

1. Choose the right zones

Flexi slots deliver the best results when they’re placed where user attention is strongest. Ideal zones include:

• Above the fold — so ads are visible without scrolling.
• Mid-article — particularly for long-form content where users are actively engaged.
• Near video content — to complement the user’s media experience.

However, quality always trumps quantity. One strategically placed flexi slot will outperform several static placements cluttered around the page.

2. Maximize space with flexible placements

The real power of a Flexi Slot lies in how it transforms a single banner placement into multiple monetization opportunities.

Instead of showing just one ad inside a static container, a Flexi Slot dynamically splits the space to serve two or even three display creatives side by side — all within the same placement.

This means:

• More impressions from the same page space
• More bidders per auction
• Higher revenue without harming user experience

Flexi placements adapt to layout and demand conditions, unlocking more potential from every pixel.

Real-world example: transforming static banners into flexible revenue

Let’s take a real case.

A publisher came to us with two static display placements on the page — each locked to a fixed size (e.g., 728×90 on top, 300×250 below). This setup limited the fill rate and left no room for variation or bidding flexibility.

We suggested a simple but powerful shift:
Replace both fixed banners with two Flexi Slots.
Each Flexi Slot dynamically adapted to host 2 smaller creatives. As a result, the number of impressions per page doubled — almost without increasing the visible ad space.

The outcome:

• +100% impressions
• +41% revenue
• Higher competition per placement due to more inventory variety

Instead of showing two fixed banners, the page was now delivering four creative opportunities across two flexible slots — all using the same layout space.

Why SmartyAds makes flexi monetization easy

Flexi slots require smart infrastructure to work and not every SSP is built to support them. At SmartyAds, we’ve designed our SSP to help publishers take full advantage of adaptive monetization.
With SmartyAds SSP, you can:

• Serve multiple display creatives simultaneously within a single slot
• Use layout-aware rendering to ensure perfect fit across screens
• Run real-time auctions that pick the most profitable size
• Access detailed reporting to refine your monetization strategy

Flexi slots are powerful on their own. But they’re even more effective when backed by a tech stack that understands how to use them.

Ready to boost your revenue with flexi ad placements? We’ll help you launch, optimize, and grow through our feature-rich SSP!