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How To Combat the Rise of Ad Blocking

Published: October 28 2016

Raise your hand if you don’t use the PVR to fast-forward past the commercials during your favourite TV show. No one? That’s what we thought.

Ad blocking has become increasingly popular over the last decade, and its popularity both on television and online is making it more and more difficult for advertisers to see real results from their marketing dollars.

Report from Google Trends

When it comes to online advertising it is all too easy for viewers to either completely disregard your flashing banner ad, or better yet, use software to make that banner ad disappear. You wouldn’t spend the money on a fancy dress if no one was ever going to see it, so why would you on a display ad?

Now, this rise in ad blocking software isn’t a major concern in Canada yet, as IAB reports that only 17% of Canadians use ad blocking software, but our U.S. counterparts are another story. While Canadians will tolerate display advertising in exchange for quality content, our American friends don’t seem to share that sentiment, as almost 70 million Americans use ad blocking software.

Maybe this is a blessing in disguise. Display advertising may have been a viable marketing route in the past, but perhaps it’s time to look to the future and delve into the new age of advertising.

How to Advertise Around Ad Blocking

Promoting a product or service that you care about is fun. Don’t take the easy route - get creative! In a time when consumers are blocking us out, we need to find a way to show them that we’re fun and cool, and frankly, they need us. Native advertising can be used to combat the reality that is ad blocking.

Native Advertising

Major publishers are recognizing the need for a fresh, new take on advertising and are answering with native advertising. Native advertising is advertising that is seamlessly integrated into high-quality content. To the reader, native advertising is merely another interesting and engaging piece of content on their favourite platforms, that subtly promotes the advertiser. The key to native advertising is that it does not harm the user-experience; the advertisement must blend into the cool content that the publisher is already creating, and not intrude.

The most important piece of native advertising is to create content that is worthwhile and valuable to the consumer. Similar to how some of your favourite brands place product in highly-rated television shows or movies, product placement in online content can show your product to readers that may have blocked your flashing display ad.

It’s time to get creative. Brands just cannot advertise the way that they used to. To learn how native advertising can promote your product or service email [email protected].