Advertisers Vs. Ad-Blockers

Advertisements, online or on traditional media, can be seen as an annoyance to some people. This has proven to be a challenge for marketers that depend on online and traditional media channels to expose brands as software developers have responded to Internet users’ needs by offering ad-blockers for a small fee or even free. These programs have made advertising online more challenging as more people use them to increase their computer or smartphone’s performance.

These programs are so popular that they are the most downloaded apps for the Apple iPhone.

Here are ways that advertisers can get their message out and around ad-blockers:

Don’t provoke the ad-blocker. Ad-blockers are designed to respond to certain qualities of an ad that prompt the program to block it. These qualities include: Java Script that opens pop-ups, specific sized graphics, specifically-named URLs and files that are linked to specific ad servers. To avoid triggering the ad-blocker, design ads with less complex graphics and smaller file sizes.

Mindful styling. With the ad-blocker triggers in mind, design and place your ads accordingly. Instead of using pop-up ads, place them in the middle of a web page so that they do not interrupt reading flow. Be sure to clearly mark your ads as advertisements and offer readers the option to close them with the click of a button. Be sure to add a clear call-to-action in all of your ads so readers will be more likely to respond.

Smooth landing page. Once your readers have clicked on your ad, they should be greeted by a relevant landing page based on the call-to-action in the ad. This landing page should indicate the action you would like your customer to take. Throughout this content, your brand should be reflected in color, design and text used.

A quality marketing strategy is key to your success in 2016 and beyond. Not only will you avoid your message being blocked by ad-blockers but you will appeal to potential clients.