Ad blocking software has become incredibly popular in the past decade, with both desktop and mobile browsers supporting this technology designed to keep annoying promotions from appearing when people visit sites.
In fact, more than half a billion people worldwide are now using ad blockers, which presents a major problem for businesses that are looking to generate revenue and promote their wares online.
Regardless of how you feel about ads themselves, there is no denying the fact that they are a feature that allows websites to make money while providing users with free content.
Some argue that the best alternative to ad-heavy site design is for some companies to adopt a paywalled approach to providing access to content, which works especially well for news, media and publishing organisations.
However, the reality for most organisations is that it is simply not practical to roll out a subscription-based site because it does not fit in with the type of products or services they offer. Getting in touch with a website designer in Cheltenham such as http://www.16i.co.uk/ can help firms to navigate the tricky balance required to make online advertising work.
Acceptable Advertising Practices
Studies have shown that people are not actively opposed to all online advertising; it is merely the bad practices within this industry that put them off and can therefore have a negative impact on business revenues.
This means that embracing “good” ads can be an excellent idea, prompting businesses to focus on only using promotions that are engaging, interesting and relevant rather than those that are obtrusive, invasive and unhelpful.
Pop-up ads are an obvious disadvantage and should be avoided at all costs. On the other hand, targeted ads that focus on the wants and needs of visitors will be far more effective and acceptable.
Taking a Different Route
On-site ads are no longer crucial parts of the digital landscape. The rise of social media has provided businesses with a new way to get in touch with their target audience without aggressively selling to them.
Posting interesting content to Twitter, uploading snaps to Instagram, and adding videos to Vine can be a more palatable way to earn clicks and conversions. Ad blockers do not target this content, enabling it to get through to people more consistently.
