In today’s chart, we look at how ad-blocker users say they are finding news online. With almost half of these individuals saying they consume stories/videos on news websites (where they may not be exposed to advertising unless they have whitelisted the site), the challenge facing publishers is clear.
Like the average internet user, ad-blocker users are more likely to say they consume news through social media than via publishers’ websites (even if the figures are quite close). Significantly, though, ad-blocker users over-index for consuming news across all the channels tracked in our chart.
Potentially, specialized news apps are a key opportunity here. They offer a more difficult space in which to block ads, and introduce possibilities for micropayments. While audience figures for news apps are currently lower than websites or social, it’s encouraging that ad-blocker users are 25% more likely to consume news through them.
Educating users about the value-exchange of free news content is of course crucial, but perhaps the most effective strategy here may be for publishers to take advantage of app interfaces (whether through social or a publisher’s own), rather than simply blocking access to these users.
Chart of the Day will now take a break for Christmas and return in January.
