GUIDELINES FORBETTER ADS

ADBLOCKING. WHAT IS IT? WHY DO

PEOPLE USE IT?

Online advertising is one of the most important means of funding the creation and publication of online con-tent, articles, photos, videos, and audio podcasts. As publishers put more and more annoying ads on websites (because someti-mes being annoying leads to being noticed and inte-racted with), users seek to avoid these unpleasant ad experiences.

One of the easiest methods of escape is an adblock - a web browser plugin or separate app that removes advertisements from a web page.

Users block ads for more than just making their online visits more pleasant.

They speed up the loading of the page and put less burden on mobile data plans, the device’s memory, and even CPU usage (as ads are not rendered).

In practice, adblocking requires as little as a web browser plugin. Some require the creation of a filtering list that allows the plugin to recognize parts of websites that should or should not be blocked, but there are free filtering lists available online to make it even easier.

In the near future, the Google Chrome browser will block unpleasant ads by itself, without the need of any manual actions from the use.

2. WHY DID CHROME DECIDE TO

IMPLEMENT IT?

Nowadays, users are get-ting more and more frustra-ted with ads disrupting their experience and slowing down page loading times. In most cases, ads interfere with the consumption of content, which is one of the most substantial reasons for leaving a website or de-creasing time spent on it.

These frustrating ads often lead to blocking a page. Undoubtedly, the growing percentage of adblock users and their motivation for installing this piece of ad-blocking software speaks for itself.

We cannot deny that the problem exists and it’s spre-ading at an alarming rate.

That is why Chrome, in cooperation with the Co-alition for Better Ads and other industry groups, de-cided to assure users of the best possible experience while browsing the web.

Starting in early 2018, Chrome will stop showing ads which are not compliant with requirements included in the Better Ads Standards.

3. COALITION FOR BETTER ADS.

WHAT DO THEY DO?

Coalition for Better Ads is a group of leading internatio-nal trade associations and companies involved in online media formed to im-prove consumer experience with online advertising.

Its goal is to use deep insi-ghts and expertise to create and implement new stan-dards for user-friendly online advertising.

The group aims to define standards for acceptable advertising, develop tech-nology to measure com-pliance with those stan-dards, and eventually to build consumer awareness.

Some of the key players are IAB, Facebook, AppNexus, World Federation of Adver-

tisers (WFA) and global media groups like GroupM, Omnicom Media Group and Publicis Groupe.

According to members of the group, they are working on a system called “LEAN.” It’s going to score ads based on load time, size, and will only allow ads which meet certain requirements to be shown on websites.

4. BETTER ADS STANDARDS.

What are the least preferred ad experiences for desktop and mobile web?

The Coalition for Better Ads has developed the Initial Better Ads Standards based on research on more than 25 000 consumers in North America and Europe.

Users were asked about their preferences for parti-cular ad experiences from 55 ad formats on desktop and 49 mobile ad formats.

The results of this research defined these standards, including ad experiences that are correlated with an increased probability for installing adblock systems.

The Better Ads Standards’ methodology can be adap-ted to different global regions.

Moreover, the Coalition for Better Ads is planning to continue its research in other regions and environ-ments in order to provide a holistic and comprehensive understanding of user pre-ferences for particular ad experiences.

5. EXAMPLES OF CREATIVES THAT ARE GOING TO

BE BLOCKED.

The Initial Better Ads stan-dards include both Desktop and Mobile creative formats which are defined as least preferred and connected with disrupting the user experience.

For now, these standards consist of twelve types of ads, 4 on desktop and 8 on mobile.

The desktop ads include: Pop-up ads. Auto-play video ads with sound. Large sticky ads. Prestitial ads with countdown timers.

The mobile standards inclu-de all of the ad experiences defined on desktop web as well as: Ads similar to postitial ads with countdown timers. Ads that take up more than 30% of the screen. Flashing animated ads. Full-screen, scroll-over ads. To see the visuals of the De-sktop and Mobile ad expe-riences included in the Better Ads Standards, visit this website:

betterads.org/standard

https://www.betterads.org/standardhttps://www.betterads.org/standard

https://www.betterads.org/standardhttps://www.betterads.org/standard

https://www.betterads.org/standardhttps://www.betterads.org/standard

https://www.betterads.org/standardhttps://www.betterads.org/standard

https://www.betterads.org/standardhttps://www.betterads.org/standard

https://www.betterads.org/standardhttps://www.betterads.org/standard Click!

https://www.betterads.org/standard

6. AD EXPERIENCE REPORT - HOW DOES

IT WORK?

The Ad Experience Report is a free tool provided by Google to help publishers understand which ads will be blocked in the future.

The report combines infor-mation regarding both ad behavior and site layouts, as well as the factors that con-tribute to a pleasant or an unpleasant ad experience. For example, a muted au-toplayer video ad will be significantly less intrusive than a non-muted one.

In some cases it’s not the ad itself, but rather the whole site setup that makes users want to leave. For example, when a page accessed on a mobile device is so jam-packed with ads that it’s difficult to see the actual content.

For each site that was alre-ady processed (reviewed), the report states one of the following statuses:

Passing, if the site doesn’t have a “signi-ficant number of annoying ad experien-ces” on their pages.

Warning, if the site has annoying ad experien-ces that should be fixed.

Failing, if numerous ad experiences violate the Better Ads Standards and the site should be fixed as soon as possible (or else Chrome will start filtering the ads).

7. THE PROCESS IN CASE OF

A FAILED REVIEW

When a website is marked as warning or failing, the webmaster should fix the errors and resubmit it for a second review. If the site is marked as failing, Google will send an e-mail to the site owner at least 30 calendar days before the ad filtering is to begin.

It’s important to remember that even when a site is not qualified as failing, it’s always best to avoid unple-asant ad experiences.

They still are one of the major reasons why people leave a site and never come back, or install adblocking plugins.

It’s easier to encourage a visitor to come back again than to find a new visitor entirely.

8. WHAT MUST PUBLISHERS DO?

Working with more than 250 publishers all over the globe, the Yieldbird Team has seen all possible reactions to Google's ad-blocking plans - from denial to anger, and even some bargaining. But it's the middle of November now, so it's the highest pos-sible time to take the fast--track route through all the mixed feelings you've got. Welcome to the stage of acceptance. Time to prepare for the inevitable.

The first step every pu-blisher should undertake is to learn about enriching the user experience. Look at your website from a visi-tor's perspective and answer the following qu-estions (be honest!):

Are the ads relevant to the content of the site?

Do the ads suit user's general interests?

Is the general impression pleasant and does it enco-urage users to stay longer on the site?

If it seems cluttered, make sure visitors aren’t having a less than stellar time when on your website. "Less is more" is the golden rule to follow.

What about ad formats?

Revise (and probably get rid of) the flickering ones, enor-mous ones, and unskippable or non-mutable video ones. There is a massive differen-

ce between attracting attention and being attrac-tive.

Now that you’re sure you offer a high quality ad expe-rience to users, let's make it last. Motivate users to turn their own adblocks off. There are plenty of anti ad-block plugins that will display a message to users, asking them to enable parti-cular software.

Most of them allow you to customize the message, so use it wisely and give a good first impression. Explain that thanks to ads, you can share your content for free and promise that the ads displayed won't be annoying.

Emphasise what might not be obvious to users - that you both benefit from the ads. Make it a win-win situ-ation. This works best with newcomers.

What can you offer the regulars?

A subscription plan or a donation request is a great way to go. You can also try cross-promotion by displaying content only to users who choose to follow your social media channels.These methods are effi-cient, but remember to double-check if you are actually targeting frequent visitors. Begging for likes, shares, or money from the very beginning isn’t a call to action; it's a cry of despair.

Finally, some publishers might think about blocking the blockers strategy. "An eye for an eye", as the good old Hammurabi said.

Our recommendation here is rather simple - even though your content is amazing and unique, users won't break their back to find out. Always be there for the visitors, never against them.

Working with more than 250 publishers all over the globe, the Yieldbird Team has seen all possible reactions to Google's ad-blocking plans - from denial to anger, and even some bargaining. But it's the middle of November now, so it's the highest pos-sible time to take the fast--track route through all the mixed feelings you've got. Welcome to the stage of acceptance. Time to prepare for the inevitable.

The first step every pu-blisher should undertake is to learn about enriching the user experience. Look at your website from a visi-tor's perspective and answer the following qu-estions (be honest!):

Are the ads relevant to the content of the site?

Do the ads suit user's general interests?

Is the general impression pleasant and does it enco-urage users to stay longer on the site?

If it seems cluttered, make sure visitors aren’t having a less than stellar time when on your website. "Less is more" is the golden rule to follow.

What about ad formats?

Revise (and probably get rid of) the flickering ones, enor-mous ones, and unskippable or non-mutable video ones. There is a massive differen-

ce between attracting attention and being attrac-tive.

Now that you’re sure you offer a high quality ad expe-rience to users, let's make it last. Motivate users to turn their own adblocks off. There are plenty of anti ad-block plugins that will display a message to users, asking them to enable parti-cular software.

Most of them allow you to customize the message, so use it wisely and give a good first impression. Explain that thanks to ads, you can share your content for free and promise that the ads displayed won't be annoying.

Emphasise what might not be obvious to users - that you both benefit from the ads. Make it a win-win situ-ation. This works best with newcomers.

What can you offer the regulars?

A subscription plan or a donation request is a great way to go. You can also try cross-promotion by displaying content only to users who choose to follow your social media channels.These methods are effi-cient, but remember to double-check if you are actually targeting frequent visitors. Begging for likes, shares, or money from the very beginning isn’t a call to action; it's a cry of despair.

Finally, some publishers might think about blocking the blockers strategy. "An eye for an eye", as the good old Hammurabi said.

Our recommendation here is rather simple - even though your content is amazing and unique, users won't break their back to find out. Always be there for the visitors, never against them.

MAIL US AT: deals@yieldbird.com

9. FORUM. THE BEST SOURCE

OF KNOWLEDGE.

Last but not least, remem-ber that you aren’t the only one affected by changes in the ad-filtering soon to be implemented in Google Chrome.

It's challenging for every publisher, all over the globe. That’s why whenever you feel lost or unsure, we highly recommend you visit Ad Experience Report Help Forum.

The Google team is there, ready to share their know--how and experience. Discuss ad experience on the demo site, explore fur-ther Better Ads Standards, and clarify all of your con-cerns.

Prefer a one-to-one chat rather than the forum?You can always drop us a line. Let’s talk!

https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!forum/ad-experience-report

https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!forum/ad-experience-report

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