Google’s Ad Filter in Chrome Will Be Positive For The Advertising Industry
February 06, 2018
What is Google’s Native Ad-Blocking Solution for Chrome Browser?
Google has developed a native ad-blocking solution for its Chrome browser, which will go live February 15. This solution will stop showing ads (including those owned and served by Google) that are deemed non-compliant by a set of new standards developed by the Coalition for Better Ads. The purpose is to eliminate annoying ads and improve the digital user experience.
Some advertisers and publishers feared the worst when the news broke last April, however many are now embracing the new standards as they will force everyone to clean up their act. Google claims issues related to problematic and annoying ads are preventing the digital ad industry from growing by creating friction between advertisers and the average user.
Selective ad blockers are a natural evolution
Google hopes that Chrome’s built-in ad blocker (or “ad-filter,” as the search giant calls it) will hamper the use of third-party ad blockers that block all ads outright, including Google’s. We believe the selective ad blocker is a natural evolution that will help meet the needs of both advertisers and audiences by emphasizing user experience.
Who is the Coalition for Better Ads and where do they come in?
The Coalition for Better Ads, aims to improve consumers’ experience with online advertising by leveraging consumer insights and industry expertise to develop and implement a new global standard for online advertising. The coalition’s Better Ads Experience Program outlines guidelines for companies using the Better Ads Standards to improve a user’s experience with online ads.
The Coalition For Better Ads’ research shows that web users aren’t against ads, per se, but that a number of digital experiences (including full-page ad interstitials and flashing ads) are unwelcome. The Better Ads Standards identifies the following ad types as negatively impacting web user experiences:
Desktop
- Pop-up ads
- Autoplay video ads with sound
- Prestitial ads with countdown
- Large sticky ads
Mobile
- Pop-up ads, prestitial ads
- Web pages with ad density greater than 30%
- Flashing animated ads
- Autoplay video ads with sound
- Poststitial ads with countdown
- Full-screen scroll over ads
- Large sticky ads
To help publishers adjust to this transition something called the Ad Experience Report is in development, which will allow developers to gather a list of sites that have experiences that violate the new standards. The Ad Experience Report tool provides screenshots and videos of annoying ad experiences to help sites find and fix issues.
What do we think about it?
We had a chat with our Director of Product, Chad Lavallee to see what he thinks about this development and the impacts it might have on our technology. Here’s what he had to say:
“The list of ad units mentioned by the Coalition for Better Ads can all be considered intrusive in-your-face type ads. While these units may be effective at driving impressions or clicks, they generally drive the overall quality and perception of advertising down. People hate seeing these, thus they hate seeing advertising.
With this type of ad-blocking and with the advances in DMP technology specifically around audience solutions and interest-based targeting – blocking intrusive units, and presenting more friendly user targeted ad units will drive up the overall effectiveness of advertising. This will mean more effective ad performance, and higher CPMs across the board.
While I always hate seeing types of ad units disappear, in this case, this looks to be a positive change for the overall industry.”
A positive change for the ad industry
Google’s ad filter will disrupt the ad industry in the short term, but because of the initiative’s focus on improving user experience, advertisers and publishers will both benefit in the long-term as the tool will motivate ad exchanges to tighten up ad compliance guidelines. For Chrome users, that means improved internet speed and readability, which is something to be excited about.
With this type of ad-blocking and advances in DMP technology, specifically around one-to-one advertising, blocking intrusive units and presenting more friendly and relevant ad units will improve the overall effectiveness of advertising. This will mean more efficient ad performance and higher CPMs across the board, which is a positive change for the whole industry.
