It appears that just talking about ad blocking is only helping to fuel its growth with new figures revealing that 18% of British adults online are currently using ad blocking software – a rise from 15% in early June.
Press articles about ad blocking have sky rocketed in recent months as the media industry scrambles to deal with the problem.
“The small rise in people blocking ads is not unexpected considering the publicity it’s been receiving,” said IAB UK’s CEO, Guy Phillipson, following the publication of the bureau’s latest ad blocking figures.
The YouGov backed study shows that ad blocking is more prevalent among men (23%) than women (13%) and the propensity to block ads decreases with age – from 35% of 18-24 year olds to 13% of people 55+.
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However, 57% people who have ever downloaded the software said their main motivation was to block all ads; 20% said the main reason was to block certain types of ads or ads from certain websites.
“A less invasive, lighter ad experience is absolutely vital to address the main cause of ad blocking,” said Phillipson. “That’s why we’re developing the L.E.A.N advertising principles for the online advertising supply chain.”
The most common reason people would be less likely to block ads is if they did not interfere with what they were doing (cited by 48%) followed by having fewer ads on a page (36%). One in seven (14%) would be less likely to block ads if they were more relevant.
When told that ad blocking means some websites will have to stop providing free content or charge people to use them, 61% of British adults online said they would prefer to access content for free and see ads than pay to access content.
“The other key tactic to reduce ad blocking is making consumers more aware of the consequences – what we call the ‘value exchange’,” said Phillipson.
“If more people realise content is only free because ads pay for it, then fewer people will be inclined to block ads. Only 4% are willing to face the other option – paying for content with no ads.”
Among those currently using ad blocking software, 71% are doing so on laptops, 47% on desktop PCs. Less than one in five (19%) are blocking ads on tablets and just under a quarter (23%) on mobiles.
