Increasing use of pesky ad-blocking software means advertisers need to rethink their approach
Increased use of consumers using ad-blocking software is posing a serious threat to brands and publishers and creative agencies.
Self-playing videos and pop-up ads have given the medium a bad name among consumers, and one in five (20 per cent) of us uses the software – up about five percentage points from earlier in the year. This figure increases to 40 per cent among 18-24 year olds.
YouGov research shows that people want to shut out adverts for two broad reasons. First, they find online ads “annoying” (80 per cent). Second, because they often make using the device harder and that ad-blocking reduces visual clutter and speeds up browsing.
However, consumers recognise the role advertising plays in allowing sites to exist and flourish. More than three-quarters (77 per cent) of consumers understand that publishers need advertising revenue to exist and six in 10 don’t mind online ads as they mean that websites can continue to be free.
YouGov’s findings show that while people are prepared to receive advertising in order to get content for free, the advertising has to be relevant, interesting and done in an unobtrusive way. Yet, currently, only 12 per cent say they find online advertising useful and informative.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. Consumers respond well to good advertising that is relevant to them. When advertising is done right and is interesting, informative and relevant, it is still the best way for brands to communicate with consumers.
Ultimately, it is in the interests of all parties – publishers, brands, agencies and the public – to make ads hit home. Doing so will mean advertisers can better engage with audiences, allowing consumers to consume content for free and publishers to continue publishing.
