Ad-block software usage may be more common than previously thought. Digital publishers see between 5% to as many as 40% of their readers using ad-block software, according to a number of publishers that spoke with BI Intelligence.
Ad-block usage varies greatly depending on the type of content. Gaming, technology, and comic publishers have the highest rates of ad-block usage, averaging between 25% and 30%, according to PageFair. Travel, finance, local, and lifestyle publishers tend to have lower ad-blocking usage rates, averaging between 5% and 10%.
In this new report, BI Intelligence looks at ad block usage rates, Apple's newest ad block software and how it could make ad blocking more common on mobile, and examines solutions for publishers. There are several solutions that publishers can use to combat the growing ad-block problem, including education, technical solutions, and micropayments. Which solution publishers should opt for can be determined by their particular ad-block usage rates.
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Here are some of the key takeaways from the report:
- Ad blocking poses a major threat to digital media companies that depend on advertising for revenue. If ad blocking on mobile reaches desktop levels, US digital media companies could lose out on as much as $9.7 billion across digital ad formats next year, according to BI Intelligence estimates based on current usage rates.
- Ad-block usage rates vary greatly depending on content type and audience demographics. Publishers whose audience skews toward young males, such as video game sites, tend to see much higher ad-block usage compared with general news sites.
- Ad blocking may become even more common with the release of Apple's widely used desktop and mobile operating systems later this year. The operating systems will feature a framework that makes it significantly easier for developers to create ad-blocking software, particularly on mobile.
- Ad blockers typically use one of two methods to prevent ads from loading. In most cases, ad blockers prevent the loading of digital ads that are served by a list of known ad servers. Blocked ads typically include display, video, social, and search ad units that appear in web browsers.
In full, the report:
- Outlines ad-block usage trends across content types, geography, and demographic
- Explore the rising threat of mobile ad blocking, including Apple's new content blocking framework
- Examines solutions that publishers can use to combat ad blocking
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