Ad blocker usage is rising globally, and publishers are feeling the pain of lost ad revenue. But by implementing an intelligent ad block detection and recovery solution, you can recoup that lost income.
This comprehensive guide will examine the full landscape and equip you with strategies to combat ad blocking.
The Ad Blocking Epidemic Threatening Publishers
As a publisher, ads likely represent a major portion of your revenue. But over 40% of visitors now run ad blockers to remove all ads from view. This results in dramatic losses for content creators.
According to Juniper Research, publishers are losing over $42 billion in ad revenue annually because of ad blocking. Without action, these losses will continue growing exponentially.
Ad blocking is rampant across all types of sites. And "big brands who rely on digital advertising are experiencing year-on-year declines in ad revenues," explains Jed Hartman, Chief Revenue Officer at The Washington Post.
Just look at these shocking numbers:
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Global ad blocking growth | 30% per year |
| Countries w/ 50%+ blocking rates | Greece, Poland, Austria |
| Publisher revenue at risk by 2025 | $68 billion |
| Average RPM loss per blocked visitor | $10 – $20+ |
This data demonstrates the gravity of the situation for publishers like yourself.
To understand how to resolve it, let‘s first examine the technical workings behind ad blockers.
How Ad Blockers Function to Hide All Ads
Ad blockers utilize a few key methods to prevent ads from loading in web browsers:
1. Filter Lists
These contain filters that match URLs, scripts, images, and other ad-related calls. Requests get automatically blocked.
2. Element Hiding
This technique hides specific ad containers in the HTML from rendering on the page.
3. JavaScript Disabling
Blockers stop scripts powering ads from running to break the loading process.
As a result, users browsing sites don‘t see ads displayed at all. Without impressions, publishers lose out on earnings.
Now let‘s explore promising solutions available to circumvent blocking.
Evaluating Ad Block Detection Approaches
If you want to recover your lost ad dollars, the first step involves detecting when a visitor has an ad blocker installed. There are a few common approaches:
Free Plugins
- Lightweight, easy to setup
- Limited detection accuracy
- Lack advanced analytics
Example: Ads Blocker Alert
Premium Plugins
- Very accurate blocking detection
- Customizable messages
- Some analytics functions
- Pricing: $39 – $99
Example: AdBlock Notify
Cloud-Based Solutions
- Cutting-edge evasion technology
- Real-time analytics dashboard
- Developer integration
- Monthly fee plus revenue share
Example: Blockthrough
Th best approach depends on your needs and capabilities. But recovering lost revenue also requires engaging blocker users.
Strategies to Re-Engage Ad Blocker Visitors
Beyond detecting ad blocking activity, publishers must respond appropriately to re-engage those lost visitors:
- Limit ad density – Avoid bombarding visitors with excessive numbers of ads
- Prioritize experience – Ensure ads don‘t disrupt normal content flow
- Allow whitelisting – Let visitors unblock ads just on your site
- Test creative tactics – Experiment with different messages/incentives
According to a PageFair study, over 50% of visitors will whitelist sites that are transparent about funding operations via ads and provide a good experience.
With the above strategies, you can minimize frustration for all readers – including those using ad blockers.
Now let‘s dive into analyzing performance of anti-ad blocking efforts.
Measuring Block Rates and Gauging Revenue Recovery
When assessing solutions, first examine your current ad blocking rates using analytics.
Data to analyze regularly:
- Blocking rates – By browser, OS, location
- Blocked impressions – Daily and monthly
- Estimated revenue loss – Based on RPM
- Trends – Increase or decrease over past 3, 6, and 12 months
Armed with this baseline data, enable your new anti-ad blocking technology and continue monitoring metrics.
Look for:
- Decrease in blocked impressions
- Increase in ad requests from previously blocked segments
- Revenue growth attributed to recovered impressions and visitors
For example, a site recover 50,000 previously blocked visitors now generating $5 RPM equals $250,000 extra income per year.
Success Stories from Publishers Battling Adblocking
Implementing ad blocking detection and response solutions has already helped many leading publishers:
Wired Italy
- 23% visitors blocking ads
- 10% increase in ad viewability
- Serving premium ads to blockers
Le Monde
- 28% users enable ad blockers
- 50% agreed to whitelist
- 2.5 million more impressions monthly
Forbes
- Used friendly whitelist requests
- 50% opted to whitelist Forbes
- Grew revenue despite high blocking
"Ad blockers pose a major threat…But the steps we’ve taken have already begun paying dividends” explains Forbes CRO Mark Howard.
These examples demonstrate that ad blocking can be successfully countered – leading to recovered revenue.
Summarizing Key Takeaways
The main lessons around ad blocking for publishers:
- Ad block usage is rapidly rising globally
- Major losses projected if left unchecked
- Solutions exist to detect and respond appropriately
- Test messages and whitelist incentives convert users
- Continuously monitor performance data
- Revenue recovery is achievable following best practices
Conclusion and Next Steps
Ad blocking unchecked drains revenue, but publishers can fight back with the right solutions and strategies.
The data shows that intelligently detecting and re-engaging blocker visitors does recapture lost ad dollars.
Now you have the in-depth knowledge to make informed decisions towards recovering your maximum revenue. The next step involves selecting and implementing the ideal ad block recovery approach for your specific business needs and audience.
I wish you great success fighting disruptive ad blockers to sustain profitability!
