A Report from the Frontline of Ad Blocking

A Report from the Frontline of Ad Blocking

Ad blocking is the use of software that strips advertisements from webpages, allowing users to browse the internet without encountering pop-up ads or banners. Ad blocking improves browsing efficiency, reduces visual clutter, and increases privacy by preventing ads from tracking users across the web. The scale of ad blocking has grown from 21 million users globally in 2010 to a predicted 236 million users.

Ad blocking is not a niche concern — it is a mainstream behaviour that is fundamentally reshaping how publishers and advertisers generate revenue online.

Ad blocking isn’t slowing down — it is accelerating, and businesses that rely on display advertising cannot afford to ignore its impact.

How Is Ad Blocking Affecting Publishers and Advertisers?

Ad blocking is causing significant financial damage to major publishers. According to publishers including Conde Nast, The Guardian, and Dennis, top media companies are losing approximately £2 million per year each in ad revenue as a direct result of ad blocking software being used by their audiences.

The financial impact of ad blocking extends beyond lost impressions. When ads are blocked, publishers lose both the direct revenue from those ad placements and the data that would otherwise inform their advertising strategies. As the number of people using ad blockers continues to grow, the pressure on publishers to find alternative monetisation methods is intensifying.

Key ways ad blocking is affecting the industry include:

• Lost ad revenue — major publishers are losing millions per year in blocked display ad income
• Reduced audience data — ad blocking software limits the tracking data available to advertisers
• Declining platform reliance — publishers can no longer depend solely on advertising for exposure and revenue
• Shift in mobile behaviour — sixty percent of ad blocking now occurs on mobile devices
• Pressure to innovate — publishers and advertisers must find new ways to generate revenue together

How Are Publishers Fighting Back Against Ad Blocking?

Ad blocking has prompted some publishers to adopt a data-driven approach to win back revenue. According to Dennis, the media company tested a variety of messages across many of its brands aimed at persuading ad blocker users to view ads.

The findings from Dennis’s testing revealed two critical factors that drive success:

1. Placement matters — messages placed in the middle of an article achieved a 70% engagement rate from ad blocker users.
2. Choice increases response — ad blocker users responded even more positively when presented with a range of options within the message, rather than a single call to action.

Other publishers have taken a transparency-first approach, including messages on their sites that explain directly how advertising revenue funds the content their readers consume. This approach builds goodwill while encouraging users to reconsider their ad blocking settings.

Ad Blocking Impact: Publishers vs Advertisers at a Glance

Ad blocking creates distinct challenges for publishers and advertisers, though both groups are affected by the same underlying trend.

What Should Publishers and Marketers Do About Ad Blocking?

Ad blocking requires both publishers and marketers to rethink how they approach digital revenue. With sixty percent of ad blocking now occurring on mobile, forming new relationships between publishers and advertisers is essential to finding sustainable revenue models.

Steps that publishers and marketers should take in response to ad blocking include:

1. Reduce intrusive ad formats — move away from pop-up and banner ads that are most likely to trigger ad blocking software in the first place.
2. Add extra value to products and services — publishers should go beyond advertising and offer premium content or features that provide a reason for users to engage directly.
3. Test audience messaging — following the Dennis model, test in-article messages that offer users a range of options, targeting a placement that achieves high engagement.
4. Communicate the content funding relationship — explain to readers how advertising supports the free content they rely on, as other sites have done to encourage users to whitelist publishers.
5. Collaborate across the industry — publishers and advertisers need to work together to develop new revenue frameworks that are less dependent on traditional display advertising.

Digital media is moving at an ever-increasing pace, and ad blocking will affect every business in the space. Companies that adapt now by diversifying revenue and reducing reliance on interruptive advertising formats will be best positioned to run successful marketing campaigns as ad blocking continues to grow.

Frequently Asked Questions About Ad Blocking

What is ad blocking software?

Ad blocking software is a tool that strips advertisements from webpages, removing pop-up ads, banners, and other ad formats so users can browse the internet without encountering them. Ad blocking also improves privacy by preventing ads from tracking users across different websites.

How many people use ad blocking software?

Ad blocking software usage has grown from 21 million users globally in 2010 to a predicted 236 million users. The rate of growth shows that ad blocking is not a temporary trend but a sustained shift in how people choose to browse the internet.

How much revenue are publishers losing to ad blocking?

According to figures from major publishers including Conde Nast, The Guardian, and Dennis, top publishers are losing approximately £2 million per year each in ad revenue as a result of ad blocking. This makes ad blocking one of the most significant financial threats facing digital media today.

Where does most ad blocking happen?

Sixty percent of ad blocking now occurs on mobile devices. This means publishers and advertisers must prioritise mobile-first strategies when developing responses to ad blocking, as the majority of the problem is concentrated in the mobile browsing environment.

What can publishers do to combat ad blocking?

Publishers can combat ad blocking by running less intrusive ad formats, communicating transparently with readers about how ads fund their content, and testing in-article messaging that gives users options. According to Dennis, messages placed in the middle of articles achieved a 70% engagement rate with ad blocker users, particularly when those messages offered a range of choices.