How often do poorly-targeted ads pop up on your screen? Most likely you are thinking, “too often.” There’s no denying that those ads can be a pain, which is why ad blockers have become so popular among internet users. The most popular tool (AdBlocker Plus) has been downloaded well over 500 million times.
The problem is that advertising is vital to the survival of online merchants. Ad blockers are estimated to cost online businesses over $30 billion within the next four years.
In an attempt to protect their livelihoods, many online publishers have been fighting back. Some of the tactics they’ve employed include:
- Ask site visitors to turn their ad-blocking off: Sometimes, the most obvious answer is the best one. Be honest with your visitors but, also consider your approach. If you are zero-tolerance in terms of ad-blockers, your message will be much different than if you are taking a more lenient stance.
- Newsletter subscription: Some publishers are turning a negative into a positive and asking their site visitors to sign up for a free newsletter subscription. This is a smart way to drum up conversions and drive revenue in a way that doesn’t depend entirely on advertising. Consider offering them access to ad-free content as an incentive.
- Pay to access: Some sites are using online paywalls to provide their users with access to ad-free content. This is an excellent option for those sites with a devoted customer base, especially if the pricing structure is reasonable.
- Native advertising: For those who don’t want to block access to their sites, native advertising is a great way to go. These types of ads tend to be both unobtrusive and are integrated with the content on the site, which makes them more relevant to users.
- Fight back: There are technologies, like server-side ad insertion, that make it possible to fight back against ad blocking tools. This particular option gives publishers the ability to stitch together ads and video content on the content management system level. And, since ad-blockers operate on a browser level, this makes it harder for them to identify the advertising.
Ad blocking may make your customers’ browsing experiences more enjoyable and doesn’t have to threaten your business. These tips can help you fight back against ad blockers.
