3 Simple Solutions to Avoid Ad-blocking Technology

Ad-blocking technology has caused heart palpations in many marketing circles, and it’s certainly not helped by the news of the new Google Chrome Ad Blocker. But it doesn’t mean that digital marketing agencies go to the nearest street corner and hold up a sign proclaiming the end is near.

It does mean, however, that marketers are going to have to get smarter and more focused on figuring out new ways to help their clients get the attention that they’re looking for.

Content still rules

Remember the saying “Content is king?” It just goes to show that providing valuable, informative, and targeted content is a great way to build your brand, generate leads, and increase customer engagement. People want to be informed. So, when you are creating and sharing interesting blog posts, videos and the like, it’s all about content. And that means ad blockers aren’t going to block your information: The kind of information that gets published as another indexed web page for people to find in search engines. Soon enough you’ll be advertising to your audience without them even knowing it.
In fact, according to Adobe’s 2017 Consumer Email Survey, 60% of people liked to be contacted by brands through email but wanted those emails to be less about promotions and more about providing information. (Still, two-fifths of the respondents thought marketing emails provided them with an added incentive to purchase).

Focus on User Experience

There is a clear cause and effect element as to why people block ads in the first place. And it has to do with the how the ad is received by the viewer.

Consumers block ads because they don’t want what they consider meaningless interruptions. They are drawn to useful, disruption-free content experiences. In fact, 64% of young millennials who are using ad blocking software do it to avoid video advertising. So, experimenting with optimized content is a good way to see how your organic engagements can drive new leads.

Use Native Advertising

Remember that one kid in your neighborhood who always had to make sure you knew that they were there? Butting into conversations, showing up where you don’t want them to and generally being somewhat of a pest? Unfortunately, traditional ads have some of these same characteristics. Because they try so hard to get noticed, the attention they attract is unwanted. And that’s their downfall. And because they are so noticeable, they are easy to block and filer. That’s where native advertising comes in.

Native advertising is a type of paid advertising that matches the form and function of the platform upon which it is placed. They match the visual context of their surroundings and are designed not to interrupt the user experience. To help users recognize that this is a paid content, there is the word “Sponsored” or “Promoted” nearby. It’s still interesting content that can be easily shared and contains some unobtrusive call to action or other action or is designed to simply be a way to build brand awareness.

Ad-blocking technology isn’t going away. But neither is better and more effective ways to get your message out. By playing it smart, you’ll get the responsiveness you seek and the revenue you deserve.