Encouraging ad blockers to allow advertising

Ad blockers have long been a point of contention between internet users and advertisers. For many people, they are a blessing, a way to improve the online experience by blocking annoying ads. But what if we could consider a different approach: getting ad blockers to allow certain ads? As the operator of a website, it is of course important for you that the ads are displayed and that you can interact with them. After all, as the operator of a website with content, you ensure that you generate revenue for your company. It is therefore not only important that ads are displayed, but also that these ads match the interests of users as closely as possible. And that they are not blocked by some of your visitors. In this blog post, we look at the action points you can use to maximize your impact in this area.

Transparency in the world of advertising

One of the biggest concerns around advertising is data privacy. Many advertising networks collect data without the explicit consent of users. They are also perceived by users as annoying, disruptive and, above all, a distraction from the content of the website. However, some platforms offer more transparency and give users control over what data is collected and how it is used for targeted advertising. By encouraging ad blockers to allow these "friendly" ads, users can remain in control and still have a personalized online experience.

Supporting content creators

Free content on the internet is made possible by advertising, donations or affiliate marketing. There is little or no truly "free" content. Behind everything is a way to make money from it in some way, and even social media website profiles are not spared. Journalism, blogs, videos and more are funded by advertising revenue. When ads are blocked, these revenue streams are affected, which can lead to a decline in content quality. By allowing ad blockers to display certain ads, users are indirectly and directly helping the content creators they value.

Quality over quantity

Some advertising platforms strive to serve non-intrusive ads that are relevant and useful to users. By supporting these platforms, we encourage a shift to high-quality advertising rather than excessive and intrusive advertising. This can improve the user experience while encouraging advertisers to create more creative and less intrusive ads. You can even easily influence this within ad providers like Google AdSense by using a simple slider to control how many ads are displayed. And with ad inspections, you can easily specify which ads you want to allow and which not. The choice of ad provider also makes a big difference here. If you choose providers other than Google AdSense, you run the risk of displaying irrelevant and, with some providers, downright inappropriate ads. You should therefore regularly check your website in an incognito browser or on another device to see which ads are being displayed. And whether you think they are appropriate.

Finding the right balance

Of course, it's important to find the right balance. Users should still be in control of what ads they want to see and what data they are willing to share. Ad blockers can be encouraged to only show ads from trusted sources and networks and allow users to customize their preferences. This can be done with certain plugins and in other ways within WordPress, for example, a pop-up here often indicates that content can only be displayed with ads. However, this is often so distracting that these users immediately click away and move on to the competition or another provider. So it's always a trade-off that you need to consider carefully and, above all, measure what impact it has. Google Analytics or Microsoft Clarity can be very helpful in finding out and measuring what exactly is happening.

Encouraging ad blockers to allow certain ads can be a step towards a more balanced online experience. It creates transparency, supports content creators and encourages a move towards higher quality advertising. By giving users more control over what they see and how their data is used, we can create a win-win situation for everyone involved.

What do you think? Would it have a positive effect if ad blockers allowed advertising? Or do you see advertising on the Internet as completely uninteresting? Let us know what you think!