Skip to main content

Adding Slots to Layouts

Configure which ad slots load in each layout. A layout only loads the slots you add to it.

How to add slots​

Slots are managed on a layout's Ad Slots tab — the first tab of the layout form.

When creating a layout​

  1. Go to Inventory → Layouts and click Add Layout.
  2. On the Ad Slots tab, use the list manager to search your existing ad slots by name.
  3. Add each slot that should load in this layout.
  4. Finish the other tabs (Scope, Targeting) and Save.

See Creating a layout for the full form.

When editing a layout​

  1. Go to Inventory → Layouts.
  2. Open the layout.
  3. On the Ad Slots tab, add or remove slots with the list manager.
  4. Save, then ship a release to apply the change.

Selecting slots​

The Ad Slots tab's list manager searches your existing ad slots by name. Only slots that already exist for the selected domain appear — create the slot first if it isn't there.

Removing slots from a layout​

On the Ad Slots tab, remove a slot from the layout's slot list and Save. The slot itself still exists — it just stops loading on pages this layout matches. Ship a release for the change to take effect.

Common slot configurations​

Article layout​

Layout: Article Pages

  • article_header
  • article_sidebar_top
  • article_sidebar_bottom
  • article_incontent_1
  • article_incontent_2
  • article_incontent_3

Homepage layout​

Layout: Homepage

  • homepage_billboard
  • homepage_sidebar_top
  • homepage_sidebar_bottom
  • homepage_below_fold

Category layout​

Layout: Category Pages

  • category_header
  • category_sidebar
  • category_list_inline

Minimal/fallback layout​

Layout: Default

  • default_header

One slot, multiple layouts​

A single slot can be in multiple layouts:

Slot: sidebar_top — used by:

  • Article Pages
  • Category Pages
  • Author Pages

The slot loads wherever its layouts match.

Slots not in any layout​

Slots not assigned to layouts won't load anywhere. This is intentional for:

  • Deprecated slots
  • Slots under development
  • Temporarily disabled slots

To check which slots a layout loads, open the layout (Inventory → Layouts) and look at its Ad Slots tab. The ad-slot list itself doesn't show layout membership, so confirm coverage from the layout side — make sure each slot you expect to serve appears on at least one layout's Ad Slots tab.

Where slot settings live​

Slot-level settings — sizes, floor price, refresh, and lazy loading — are configured on the ad slot itself (its Media and Auction tabs), not per-layout. A layout controls only which slots load and where (Scope) and any layout-level GAM targeting (Targeting tab). The same slot behaves the same way in every layout it belongs to.

Best practices​

Do​

  • Include all needed slots — Pages only show assigned slots
  • Keep consistent — Similar page types should have similar slots
  • Check coverage — Ensure all slots are in at least one layout

Don't​

  • Forget slots — Unassigned slots don't load
  • Over-add slots — More slots = more complexity
  • Duplicate unnecessarily — One slot can be in many layouts

Troubleshooting​

Slot not loading​

CheckSolution
Slot in layout?Add slot to the matching layout
Layout matching?Verify URL targeting
Slot active?Activate the slot
Deployed?Create a release

Wrong slots loading​

SymptomSolution
Extra slotsRemove from layout
Missing slotsAdd to layout
Wrong layoutCheck targeting/priorities

Common questions​

Can a slot be in multiple layouts?

Yes. Common for slots like headers that appear across page types.

What if I add a slot that doesn't exist?

The list manager only shows existing slots. Create the slot first, then add it to layouts.

Do I need to deploy after adding slots?

Yes. Layout changes require a release to take effect on your live site.

Next steps​