If Google is your main monetization partner, you’ve likely experienced empty ad slots. A placement loads, but no ad appears. This occurs when Google returns a no-fill response. Even a small percentage of no-fill across high-traffic pages can noticeably reduce overall revenue. Oftentimes, this issue goes unnoticed, which can lead to significant monetization implications for publishers.
MGID Backfill Shield helps you monetize those impressions without replacing your monetization strategy. When Google doesn’t serve an ad, MGID automatically fills the placement with selected demand. When Google serves an ad, nothing changes.
In this article, we’ll walk you through how Backfill Shield works and what it can add to your monetization strategy.
How MGID Backfill Shield Works
The logic is simple: you keep your current Google placements and formats exactly as they are.
When a Google placement does not return an ad, MGID Backfill Shield activates and serves demand above the blank placement. If Google fills the slot, Backfill Shield stays inactive.
The process runs automatically in the background. Your primary setup remains unchanged, and Google continues to be your main demand source.
What This Means for Your Revenue
Backfill Shield allows you to monetize impressions that would generate zero revenue otherwise.
Instead of an empty placement, you:
- serve MGID demand;
- capture additional revenue;
- increase overall yield per page.
This means you receive incremental income from traffic you already have.
In addition, MGID offers Internal Exchange through backfill placements, which can help increase session depth, generate more pageviews and create additional monetizable actions across multi-page visits.
For publishers focused on audience growth, this option adds another layer of long-term monetization potential. Publishers can also enable Passage Ads to generate revenue between article views.
Supported Google Formats
Backfill Shield works with common Google placement types, including:
- In-article display banners
- Sticky bottom (anchor) ads
- Sticky top placements
- Interstitial and vignette formats
MGID designed Backfill Shield to align with a variety of Google’s placement type. That way,the user experience remains consistent with your layout.
Flexible Activation Options
You can enable backfill in a way that fits your setup.
1. Automatic Activation Across Eligible Placements
This option allows MGID to monitor and backfill supported placements across your website automatically.
It works well if:
- you want fast activation;
- your website has multiple placements;
- you prefer scaling backfill sitewide.
Once enabled, eligible no-fill impressions are monetized automatically.
2. Activation for Selected Placements
If you prefer more control, you can enable backfill for individual placements.
This option is useful if:
- you want to test performance first;
- certain pages or traffic segments have higher no-fill rates;
- you run experiments and prefer gradual rollout.
Who Should Consider Backfill Shield
This feature is especially relevant if:
- your primary monetization source is Google;
- you see measurable no-fill rates;
- you want additional revenue without replacing Google;
- you want to improve yield using existing traffic.
Overall, if you experience occasional no-fill responses, Backfill Shield helps turn those missed impressions into revenue.
Simple Activation with Minimal Setup
Backfill Shield does not require changes to your existing Google configuration. If MGID is already implemented on your website, activation is straightforward and happens on the MGID side. You simply confirm which placements should be connected to Backfill Shield.
Our team handles everything else: the setup and activation. Once enabled, the system works automatically and does not require ongoing manual adjustments.
Final Thoughts
No-fill impressions are a normal part of any Google-based monetization setup. The key question is whether you want those impressions to stay empty or generate revenue.
MGID Backfill Shield helps you capture additional value from your existing traffic while keeping Google as your primary demand partner.
If you’d like to activate Backfill Shield, reach out to your MGID manager to get started.
