Imagine a world where television shows had no commercial breaks. You could enjoy your football games, HBO shows, and news updates with few interruptions. This might sound impossible, but it’s the world a growing number of internet users are living in with ad blockers. Ad blockers are software apps that block advertisements on websites. These tools can halt banners and remarketing ads from loading alongside pages like news articles, videos, and social media posts.
What started as a niche method to avoid commercials exploded in 2015 as Apple launched iOS 9. The software included an ad blocker in the Safari web browsing app. The steady rise of these tools has made many advertisers sweat. What is an entrepreneur to do when the computer stops their campaigns? Luckily for your marketing efforts, there are many workarounds to help you respond to ad blocking without negatively affecting user experience.
Whitelisting
Some ad blockers allow businesses to pay for a whitelist entry. Whitelisting is the software adding the company to a filtered list, enabling campaigns to show up if they meet a set of guidelines. The guidelines vary by company, but their primary goals are to keep website visitors happy. While this option is viable for big players like Amazon and Microsoft, the large bill means smaller companies most likely won’t have the funds to participate.
Branding Content
With ad-blocking software, marketers are forced to think more creatively about how they can distribute their ads without intruding on user experience. This is not necessarily a bad change; your digital marketing campaigns should be focused on targeting potential leads who would have a need for your services. Branding means creating content that can entertain, engage, or educate a user with content on your own website or through a third-party website. Effective branding means identifying what triggers your audience, why they would want your content, and addressing their needs to create a loyal customer base. If you or your marketing team meet your branding goals, then you have a clear message that keeps your business lingering in the minds of potential leads.
Content Marketing
A firm content marketing plan is the rock that grounds most digital marketing. Even businesses that invest in thousands of dollars in monthly Google Adwords campaigns periodically review their content strategy. A lead is more than someone clicking on your advertising; it is someone staying on your website and contacting you. As ad blockers rise in popularity, the importance of strong content marketing will also increase over the next several years. Building a long-term relationship with readers means looking outside of your website and utilizing other channels like email and social media.
It is important to note that online advertising campaigns are far from over. The majority of internet users who use ad blockers are under 35 years old. If you know your client base skews more towards older age groups, then you are more likely to have an audience receptive to online ads. You can also track how your campaigns perform through data gathered in marketing reports.
A skilled marketing team can help you assess the value of which campaigns are working well, which need to be re-evaluated, and which should be added to your digital marketing arsenal. Market My Market has helped many small businesses with their marketing efforts through an ever-changing digital landscape. Contact us today for a free consultation and evaluation!