How to increase ad revenue by preventing ad blocking

What is an ad blocker?

Ad blockers are programs that come in the form of browser plugins or extensions. As the name implies, they are designed to block ads, but they can also prevent tracking scripts. These scripts are fragments of code that allow us to see a visitor’s behaviors.

It may come as a surprise, but the history of ad blockers is actually pretty long, as the first ad-blocking software was developed in 1996 and was used in the Netscape Navigator browser. Since then, they’ve come a long way, and today they are quite advanced, with a variety of functionalities. Users can’t only install ad blockers on desktop browsers but also download them on phones and use them on mobile browsers and even in some apps. Some mobile browsers like Firefox and Opera offer built-in ad-blocking solutions.

Now that we know some fundamentals, it’s time to ask another basic question – how do ad blockers actually work?

How does ad blocking work

Ad blocking is usually a conscious process, for a user has to implement an ad blocker to do so. Once it’s installed in the web browser, ads are blocked or hidden (it can be either all advertisements or particular ones, depending on the kind of ad-blocking software).

One type of ad blocker’s software blocks ads even before they’re loaded on the page, preventing them from being displayed to users completely. It does so by checking the page’s scripts and links and blocking those that are identified as advertisements. Whereas the second one hides ads that are already loaded.

What’s interesting is that most ad blockers, by default, allow ads that they find acceptable (meaning not intrusive to users), especially those that adhere to Acceptable Ads Standard. Nonetheless, some users still may choose to disable all kinds of advertisements except for those they add to a whitelist (or allowlist – a special list of websites or particular web pages users accept ads from).

But what is making users so negative about advertisements? Actually, there are a variety of reasons why users might choose to use ad blockers. Let’s take a look at the four major ones!

Why are people blocking ads?

• Probably the biggest reason why people might be so distrustful of advertisements and any kind of data collecting, in general, is to protect their privacy. Some internet users are afraid of to what extent their personal information might be used later on;
• Others are simply annoyed by intrusive ads. Sad to say, instead of starting their story with any new website or mobile app in a “clean slate” manner, and using ad blocker only when the ads in a given online space start getting aggressive, they often choose to block all ads they might encounter on the internet;
• Unfortunately, some users might also have very unpleasant experiences with ads. There are publishers who have a pernicious belief that more means better. This is why they decide to construct their ad layouts in a way where users are bombarded with ads making it difficult to access the actual content. What’s even worse, if publishers don’t pay attention to the quality of displayed advertisements, some of them may even lead to pages with inappropriate or harmful content, or even ones containing malicious software and viruses;
• Another poor behavior that we might sometimes still notice in the world of ad monetization is user deceiving. To maximize profits, some publishers have resorted to generating missclicks to “force” users to click ads. If a user, who was trying to peacefully browse a website, happened to open one to which the ad led, but he had no intention to do so – no wonder he might get annoyed. There are features, like Google’s Confirmed Click, that combat this; however, whoever finds themselves in such a situation might be left with quite a bitter aftertaste, and an aversion to ads.

Using ad blockers negatively impacts the monetization effects of many dedicated publishers who consistently produce high-quality content for their audience. Unfortunately, many internet users are distrustful of advertising and may be reluctant to disable their ad blockers. How can publishers address this issue?

Combat the negative effects of ad blocking

Of course, as a publisher, you should make every effort to make your content attractive and your relationship with users strong. This way, they’d be more eager to help you generate income from creating outstanding content that they just enjoy receiving. You can also do your part to address the issue of ad blockers and underline (for instance, in an article posted on your blog) the meaning and importance of ad monetization in the digital publishing industry – which is allowing online content creators to get income from their websites and apps and fully concentrate on that (instead of having to treat it as a hobby they take care of in their free time after working a 9-5 to make a living). Of course, all of that doesn’t alter the chances that some users will still continue to use ad blockers. What can you do?

Knowing the situation, it’s crucial to maximize the performance, effectiveness, user-friendly arrangement, and policy compliance of your ad inventory. Sounds like a lot? Worry not! As a Premier Google Certified Publishing Partner, we can help you achieve that goal. Together we can look for ways to make your ad inventory capable of generating satisfactory ad revenue for you while dispelling the myth of “wicked ads” thanks to using innovative ad formats and ad creations in line with your users’ needs!