Ad blocking: Let’s treat the cause, not the symptoms

Advertisers must address the root-cause of ad blocking if the threat is to be overcome, writes the AOP’s Richard Reeves.

For publishers, the impact of potential mass ad blocking adoption raises significant concerns over the reduction of advertising revenue that funds content creation.

Many feel the solution is better education – informing consumers of the risk ad blocking poses to the seemingly free content they enjoy. But the industry cannot hope to get consumers on side until it shifts its focus from treating the symptoms of ad blocking, to addressing the root cause.

How serious is the ad blocking threat?

Ad blocking is a mainstream issue and for the first time in the history of the AOP Content and Trends Census, publishers have cited it as a significant threat.

In response, the industry is launching a counter-attack and companies such as Sourcepoint are offering software that enables ads to bypass blockers. Yet this approach will need to focus more on the consumer perspective and the creative treatment of advertising formats.

The number one reason given for installing ad blockers is that ads are interruptive. Furthermore, users are realising the impact that ads can have on data usage, where mobile ads are reported to sap 50% of consumers’ data allowance – potentially impacting mobile phone bills.

Faced with an irritating and expensive advertising experience, it is easy to understand why ad blocking is increasing and why the public’s perceived discontent with digital advertising is increasingly causing concerns. The solution is therefore not a war on blocking service providers, but the creation of high-quality content that provides consumers with real value.

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Addressing the problem with advertising

Great advertising can enhance, rather than devalue, the user experience. In fact, relevant, tailored, and unobtrusive formats generate a significantly more positive response than traditional ads.

Consumers, for example, find native ads 59% more interesting than standard ads and – crucially – are over 30% more likely to trust them. Earning trust is essential to create more meaningful and lasting relationships, and reconnect with consumers disillusioned by poor-quality advertising.

With the ad blocking issue showing no signs of abating, publishers, advertisers, creative agencies, and technology providers must take decisive action to heal the rift with consumers by working together to craft compelling advertising content that revitalises the user experience.

Abandoning disruptive ad formats

Too many advertisements rely on dull and disengaging formats to reach consumers. Pop-up ads that take over the screen, refuse to be closed, and block content are intrusive and can ruin the online experience. Indeed, pop-ups are considered one of the most-hated ad formats on the web.

The industry needs to embrace formats that take a ‘consumer-first’ approach. Ads that fit contextually and visually with website content provide consumers with the option to take action if their interest is piqued and continue undisturbed if not.

Taking this approach will help to foster an online environment that encourages voluntary engagement, giving consumers a greater sense of control and improving perceptions of both the publisher and brand.

Better data usage to maximise relevance

In the digital age, advertisers have access to an unlimited supply of consumer data to tailor their campaigns for better results. Yet not all data is useful – the International Data Corporation estimates that only 22% of data provides real value once analysed.

Campaigns that use minimal or poor data to serve badly-targeted content will only increase consumer animosity towards ads that are not relevant or content specific.

It is essential for advertisers and publishers to use data efficiently, conducting detailed analysis to uncover insights and facilitate stronger creative execution.

By examining data to gain a deeper understanding of their audience, advertisers can serve the right ad to the right individual, at the ideal time. A tailored advertising experience not only increases the chances of conversion, but also dissuades consumers from using an ad blocker.

Steering clear of ad repetition

Constant bombardment with the same impersonal ads is leaving consumers feeling distinctly turned-off while frequency capping is too often set too high, or simply ignored. A survey by Marketo found 63% of consumers are annoyed by brands repeatedly serving generic advertising messages. As a result, the digital audience is now more susceptible to brand wear-out than ever before.

For publishers, advertisers, and brands alike, avoiding broad and repetitive ads is vital to reduce the risk of permanently losing audience attention. Advertisers need to focus on controlled, context-specific delivery of dynamically served ads that leave consumers engaged and invigorated, rather than exasperated.

Ad blocking is a significant and expensive issue for digital advertising, with a PageFair & Adobe report estimating it will cost the industry $21 billion this year and if left unchecked, could cause further losses of $41.4 billion in 2016.

Yet consumers can hardly be blamed for revolting against irrelevant, intrusive, and impersonal ads. While the need for education is undeniable, the industry must address the root cause of ad blocking – an inferior advertising experience.

Richard Reeves is interim managing director at the Association of Online Publishers.