What are Ad Blockers?

I’m sure by now you’ve heard of ad blocking. Ad blockers have been around for years, but in the past year advertisers everywhere have started freaking out about them. Before I get ahead of myself, let’s start with the basics. What are ad blockers, exactly?

Ad blockers – or content blockers – are programs that prevent ads from being shown on websites. Ad blockers are typically browser add-ons and are available for the Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Safari, and Internet Explorer web browsers.

According to the Blockthrough 2021 PageFair Adblock Report, ad blocking is growing, especially on mobile. The number of people using ad blockers has remained steady on desktops, with 257 million people using them monthly by the end of 2020. However, ad blocker usage on mobile devices has doubled over the last five years, from 282 million to 586 million by the end of 2020. 

Blockthrough also funded a survey of 5,423 Americans to gauge their opinions on online ads and found that about 40% of US adults use an ad blocker. The top reason for blocking ads was to avoid interruption and annoyance, with 81% of survey respondents selecting that as a motivation. The second-place reason was protection against malware, at 62%. Third place, at 58%, was privacy.

Online advertising is an essential marketing tool for any business or organization. While the solution to ad blocking isn’t clear yet, it’s important for advertisers to stay informed and prepare their clients for the changes ahead. One thing is for sure, we’re entering a new age of the internet. An age of privacy as a priority and an increase in ad blockers.  

Luckily, there are other tactics marketers can use to reach people through opt-in first-party data. In contrast to digital advertising, marketing automation gives your audience the opportunity to opt-in and then receive dynamic content based on their interests. Want to learn more about marketing automation? Click the button below for a free consultation.

By Kayla, Account Executive / Communications Specialist | May 18, 2021