Ad blocking: Why should we care about the debate?

Apple decided to allow ad blocking apps on a recent iPhone IOS. In other words: You can block ads on your iPhone.

This has become a watershed moment in the ad blocking debate, which can be seen in AdWeek’s roundtable discussion with both ad blockers and advertising executives. Essentially, the struggle between publishers, consumers, and advertisers revolves around the basic question of “Why do people block ads in the first place?”

For some, it’s because there’s an overload of online ads that are done poorly – which Jared Belsky, President at 360i, mentions in the article:

“The entire industry is predicated on a value exchange where everyone has to win—consumers, brands and publishers. But the pact has been corrupted and diluted lately with too much ubiquitous, and frankly, terrible advertising.”

There also can be a lack of personality in digital ads. You don’t get a strong chance to tell a narrative or tug on someone’s emotions with a banner ad on a website.

So, why should each of us care?

First, as consumers, each of us sees hundreds of ads a week. We’ve learned to filter many of them out – but they impact our experience while surfing online. Whether it’s a page loading slower because of digital advertising with less-than-optimal code, or an intrusive ad that annoys us for a split-second before reading an article, there are small things about ads that impact our day.

Any changes to how these ads are served, or target us, or are shown will impact our experience online.

Second, as an advertising agency that does digital marketing (such as Google AdWords), we have to stay abreast on new advertising research – and how to wield it for our clients. If your target audience is primarily using iPhones, then knowing how ad blocking changes are impacting your audience’s behavior allows us to craft a smarter marketing plan.

It also reinforces the importance of effective advertising. People see many ads a day – so how will yours stand out? And do you have a plan to reinforce your brand and those ads through other marketing channels?

We understand how to leverage different channels into a targeted, applicable strategy that works together to move your business forward. Contact us today with questions!