In February 2018, Google will put into effect the Better Ads Experience Program, which was established in the middle of last year. As a result, there will be a number of changes in the way we’re advertised to. However, the most immediate and possibly the most profound effect will be that as of next month, Google Chrome users will be given a native ad blocker. This is meant to improve the online experience of the billions of people that use the web, and specifically those that use the Chrome browser.
Why Block Ads
This means that with the introduction of an ad blocker into Chrome, nearly two thirds of those that use the web will be able to block advertisements and unwanted content easily and efficiently. In respect of the Chrome ad blocker, there are two findings that are worth noting.
- Ad-frustration is the primary driver behind current ad blocking uptake in the U.S. Ad-block users are most likely to state that ads are intrusive, they are irrelevant, or that there are simply too many of them.
- There is evidence indicating an underlying demand for mobile ad-blocking tools, and as such there is likely to be a substantial addressable market should awareness of these tools increase. The research found that one in three smartphone owners say that they see too many ads when browsing the mobile internet and a large section of this group are currently unaware of mobile ad-blocking.
It also showed that only half of internet device owners in the U.S. are even aware that they can block ads on their mobile device (Those who have not blocked ads on a mobile, more than six in 10, state that they did not know that it was possible).
What Google Is Saying
Google through Chrome aims to tackle that this year. In a post about the new ad blocker it said,” “In dialog with the Coalition and other industry groups, we plan to have Chrome stop showing ads (including those owned or served by Google) on websites that are not compliant with the Better Ads Standards starting in early 2018.”
In the middle of December, CBA announced the details of its Better Ads Experience Program and the new Framework, which will certify web publishers that agree not to use the most disruptive ads identified in the Standards and will accredit browsers and advertising technology companies that will assess publishers’ compliance with the Standards. Google will introduce its new ad blocker and other measures on February 15, 2018. Google adds, “Starting on February 15, in line with the Coalition’s guidelines, Chrome will remove all ads from sites that have a “failing” status in the Ad Experience Report for more than 30 days.” If compliance issues arise, certified companies will be notified and have an opportunity to address violations or to pursue review by an independent dispute resolution mechanism available through the program.
What The Industry Is Saying
According to Aaron Page, owner and CEO of Page Agency, the new blocker for Chrome will drastically affect digital advertisers who run ads online, notably large-scale advertisers with multimillion-dollar budgets. Citing Google’s goal of filtering out ads that are “annoying and irrelevant”, he says the ad blocker could result in a massive loss of advertising revenues.
Page says, diligent advertisers from across the globe have already been preparing for this change, so in a perfect world, nobody’s multi-million ad campaign should be affected.
Ultimately, one of the most important goals for any advertiser is relevance. When you send the right message to the right person at the right time, they’ll listen. But when you don’t, you run the risk of being filtered out, especially by Chrome’s new ad filter. “Advertisers will need to ensure they’re 100% compliant with these updated specifications or face very costly consequences,” he added.