Table of contents
In the digital world, staying ahead of the curve can feel like an arms race. Hackers develop better technologies, so users develop better authentication. Hardware companies develop more robust computers, so software developers invent programs that eat up more resources.
But one of the biggest digital arms races these days is happening in adtech, where advertisers try to get their message out in as many ways as possible, and users deploy ever-more-aggressive technologies to block those ads out.
Recently, Google moved to block one of the most-popular ad-blocking services on the Web through a change to their browser-extension rules. In the same ecosystem, YouTube has taken steps to ensure people stop using blockers to eliminate the pre-roll (or two, or three) ads on videos.
On the flip side, though, Apple just pushed an update that blocks pop-up and autoplay ads with something they’re calling a “distraction control” feature.
At the COOL company, we’re well aware that ads are the lifeblood of the Web, and the only way most publishers keep the lights on. Navigating the issue of ad blockers is a tricky one — but modern problems require creative solutions.
In this post, we’ll dig in on what ad blockers are, how they work, and 6 key strategies to keep you ahead. Read on:
Blog: Google MCM vs. Google GCPP: What’s The Difference? Read More.
Understanding Ad Blockers
On the Web, ads = money. So it’s understandable that publishers can be motivated to fit as many ad slots into their content as possible, and try to make sure those ads grab as much user attention as possible. But when not handled right, ads can provide a big hindrance to the user experience.
Pop-ups, expanding banners, and auto-play videos can all shift site architecture, block on-page content, and otherwise intrude on what a user is trying to do. Resource-intensive ads with heavy animations, sound, and video can also cause a lot of lag, making sites difficult to load or navigate, especially for wireless users trying to get information without a lot of signal. And pages with misleading ads may prompt users into unknowingly clicking on the wrong thing, leading to a loss of trust in the page itself.
Pages that reach this kind of tipping point often prompt users to reach for an ad blocker. Ad blockers are programs or browser extensions that stop ads from appearing on web pages by filtering out requests for ad content and scripts. This creates a quick, clean, ad-free experience where the only content on the page is the actual content. But for publishers who depend on ad revenue to keep their sites running, this is tantamount to theft.
Number of web users employing ad-blocking software, 2012-2023.
The Impact of Ad Blockers on Publishers
Users of ad blockers often use them even while visiting their favorite sites around the Web, so it’s pretty clear they don’t believe they’re really causing anyone any harm. The truth is, the damage caused by ad blockers is hard to understate.
- Revenue Loss: First and foremost, of course, ad blockers directly deprive publishers of advertising revenue, via lost impressions and click-through-rates.
- User Engagement: Use of ad blockers can affect the ad experience even for users who don’t block ads. With lower impressions and CTRs, advertisers may leave for greener pastures, leaving publishers with less-diverse, lower-quality display ads.
- Data Collection: If your most-engaged users are employing ad blockers, then your most-engaged users aren’t showing up on your data collection and analytics. Over time, your audience data and targeting will get skewed by these blind spots.
Those aren’t small issues, and even a small hit on your margins matters. So clearly, this is an issue that publishers need to tackle. But how?
Strategies for Addressing Ad Blockers
Luckily, there are actually multiple strategies you can take to keep ad blockers from wrecking your site metrics. You may want to try out a couple simultaneously to really cover your bases, while some of them are essentially “nuclear options” if all else fails
Optimize Ad Experience
First and foremost, you’re going to want to make sure your users are getting the best-possible ad experience from your site, so that they aren’t motivated to jump shit to an ad blocker extension. Improving ad quality and relevance is one key component. Focusing on making your ads less-intrusive will also improve how your site performs on Core Web Vitals scores, ensuring a better user experience, faster load times, and better positioning in search results. Trying out things like native ads or sponsored content that fits seamlessly into your site architecture may also be less-annoying for your users.
Educate and Communicate with Your Audience
Part of respecting your audience is understanding why they might turn to ad blockers to begin with, and communicating with them so that they get the full picture. Educating your user base on the harm they’re causing your site, and reminding them that ads are what allow you to run that content for free, can help persuade your audience away from blocking the ads on your site. Many sites do this via a notification pop-up. Speaking of…
Leverage Ad Blocker Detection Technology
Police officers have technology that can detect radar-jamming equipment, so drivers trying to use jammers to avoid speeding tickets will be out of luck. Similarly, there are ad-blocker detectors that allow you to see when users are trying to hop the turnstyle on your content. With this technology, you can present that notification pop-up only to users who are blocking ads, kindly asking them to turn the technology off or adding your site to their exclusion list. You can also suggest other ways to support the site. Importantly, however, you don’t want to come across like a scold or block access to the site entirely. You want to be seen understanding their concerns and make a polite ask to work together.
Explore Alternative Revenue Streams
If a lot of your users are blocking your ads, maybe you’ve got too many ads. There are other ways to monetize your website aside from and in addition to advertising, and you should consider exploring them to diversify your revenue streams. Things like:
- Affiliate Marketing: Partner with brands to promote products or services through affiliate links. These articles and bits of content blend seamlessly with your website and tend not to bother people as much.
- Native Advertising: So-called native ads blend into your site as well, so that your site doesn’t look crowded with ads at first glance.
- Sponsored Content: Collaborate with brands to create content aligned with your audience’s interests. If done right (and labeled appropriately) users tend not to mind.
- E-commerce: Sell products, merchandise, or digital goods directly through your site. If you’ve been building a brand for a while, you might be able to sell shirts, stickers, and more.
- Donations: Implement a donation system where users can contribute to support your content. It works for public radio, and several sites have seen success through this model. You may need to offer some gifts (like shirts or stickers) to reward donors.
Implement a Content Subscription Model
And here we have the “nuclear option” we mentioned earlier: putting your site behind a paywall. Doing this can scare away a lot of users, so it’s important to weigh the pros and cons. If you’re doing a tiered system with ad-supported and subscription tiers, it’s important to avoid the temptation of flooding the ad-supported tier with way too many ads in an effort to encourage people onto the subscription model. Some sites do very well with a subscription model, but it varies wildly depending on the audience, so do your research.
Final Thoughts
With a multi-pronged strategy that respects your audience, most people will opt out of an ad blocker strategy so that they can keep enjoying your content. Nurturing this sort of symbiotic relationship can help secure your revenue stream for years.
If you’re a web publisher looking to overcome the ad blocker challenge, OKO Digital is a solution worth exploring. With nearly 20 years experience in monetization, we know every trick in the book to maximize your revenue, and a few tricks that aren’t even in the book yet. Reach out to our team today to discover how we can support your monetization goals.
