Today we showcase part of GWI’s new ad-blocking segmentation, profiling some of the main reasons why people are hitting the “block” button.
One common argument to date has been that ad-blocker users are worried about their privacy or over-personalization of ads. This is confirmed by our data, where close to a fifth of internet users can be classified as “Privacy Ad-Blockers” – those blocking ads because they don’t like personalized ads or because they worry about them compromising their online privacy.
But the key story here is that internet users are considerably more likely to be “Frustrated Ad-Blockers” – those who block ads because they feel that they take up too much screen space, are annoying, intrusive or that there’s simply too many of them. Some 28% fall into this “frustrated” category, and it’s a figure which remains stubbornly high even among older age groups.
So, while concerns about personalization and privacy are not insignificant, it’s the poor user experience created by online ads that needs to be addressed by the industry the most urgently.
To download an explanation of GWI’s new ad-blocking segmentation, click here.
