More than six out of ten online users, in the age group 18-34, are using software to block ads when surfing online. Overall, four out of ten users use adblocks. In such a scenario, what does an advertiser do to get the reader’s attention?

In the United States alone, there are 52 million desktops and mobile with some kind of ad-blocking software installed. This is a huge chunk out of the total demographic that marketers cannot be in contact with through regular online marketing methods.

Advertising is a big reason for the existence of content online. When ads are blocked, content suffers and this does not bode well for the health of digital marketing. Ad blockers interfere with tools that digital marketers rely on for gathering data on visitor behavior on their websites.

However, all is not lost. Advertising is all about adapting and improvising, and with some thought, you can find your way around ad blocks legally and in a totally above board manner. It is important that in order to succeed you create content that won’t be blocked. The first step is to understand the reader’s desires and needs so that you may get down to helping the reader meet his objectives and expectations.

The adblock age is upon us

We are living in the age of ad blocks via browsers, plugins, apps, and software that simply removes ads from pages. People block ads because sometimes ads can become intrusive and interfere with the reading experience. Ad blocks are easily installed on desktops and mobiles running different operating systems, such as Android, iOS, and Windows.

Ad blockers block text ads, image ads, banners, sponsored copy, and video ads. A reader may have to install more than one type of ad blocker to successfully remove all types of ads from a page. Ad blockers also prevent tracking codes from gathering data. Some readers block such codes because of a perceived risk to privacy and data security.

While marketers are at the receiving end of ad blocking, web viewers benefit from an improved user experience because the page loading times improve and mobile battery life extended. This said, ad blocking can also interfere with a smooth user experience, because of breaks in content and missing links.

Adblock Plus is the most popular browser extension out there. Each week, 2.3 million new downloads of this app are recorded. Each month, around 60 million people use this browser extension for blocking ads. This tells us that that ad blocking software is a part of the digital landscape, you cannot wish it away. According to Moz, ad-blocking software is most popular with millennials. Nearly three out of ten millennials consider mobile and in-app advertising to be very irrelevant. At the same time, this demographic places very high trust in online ads. The essence of this information is that if marketers can reach out to this demographic without using in-your-face ads, then their messaging is likely to bear fruit.

Strategies to beat adblock

Ad blockers have forced online marketers to reassess ad spends. Marketers track the effectiveness of existing budget breakdowns and try to come up with ideas for improving the returns on investment. They can evaluate the effectiveness of their current ads to see if the message is getting across. The Association of National Advertisers conducted a study, which revealed that 11% of online display ads and 23% of video ads are never seen by people; instead, robots and bots chalk up impressions that can mislead marketers.

The onus is on marketers to ensure that their ads are seen by the intended audience. One way to reach out to the intended audience is by advertising with networks like Google, LinkedIn and Facebook. While Facebook and LinkedIn are good sources of referrals, they are also external sources. An alternative approach is to create excellent content for your own website and drive organic traffic to it.

Another idea is to get whitelisted with companies like Adblock Plus that develop ad blocking software. Adblock Plus has a whitelist with more than 300 entities serving ads that are transparent, relevant, and trustworthy. Adblock Plus accepts ad sponsors if these companies meet certain criteria specified by Adblock. Google and Amazon, though, have paid deals with this company

Most companies are; however, realizing that established advertising channels may not serve their purpose and that alternatives must be established. The reasoning behind this approach is that there are higher chances of success with millennials with authentic and trustworthy content than with ads or an approach that comes across as salesy. Almost one out of two millennials give precedence to trust and authenticity over content. That is a sign that marketers need to first get into the good books of their target audience before taking the engagement to the next level and making a pitch.

Ad blindness and ad blocking are two obstacles that online marketers have to overcome before they can hope for their messaging to take effect. Traditional advertising needs to be buttressed with creative ideas to reach an audience. Free content appeals to readers. Content that ranks high on the search engines is trusted. Free trials draw eyeballs. Marketers should use these ideas, and refrain from tracking visitor behavior too minutely.

Disruptive ad placements should be avoided. Undertake innovations in content production and refurbishment after assessing and understanding how content production and marketing is being done currently. Use content to reach out to an audience and you will be able to work your way around the conundrum posed by ad blockers.