Coalition for Better Ads Reveals Positive Impact of Better Ads Certification on Adblock Allowlisting

Testing in Collaboration with VRM Company Admiral Finds Displaying “Better Ads Certified” Badge in Adblock Recovery Messages Increases Conversion Rates by 16% and Recovery Rates by 28% on Average

 

NEW YORK — June 18, 2024The Coalition for Better Ads (CBA) has announced promising results of a recent test conducted in collaboration with AI-powered Visitor Relationship Management (VRM) company and leading adblock revenue recovery solution Admiral, that found actively promoting a publisher’s “Better Ads Certified” status increases allowlisting among adblock users. The findings demonstrate significant potential for improving adblock recovery rates and enhancing visitor trust.

The research conducted with CBA Member Admiral demonstrated that adding the CBA seal and mentioning the publisher’s commitment to the Better Ads Experience Program increased trust among visitors, making them more likely to add the domain to their ad blocker inclusion list.

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Simply sharing the “Better Ads Certified” badge within adblock recovery messages helped lead to substantial improvements, achieving an average 16% increase in conversion rates and a 28% increase in recovery rates. Actively promoting the certification helped build consumer trust, demonstrating a commitment to high-quality, non-intrusive advertising experiences.

“Our mission at CBA is to create a better online experience for consumers by setting and promoting high standards for digital advertising,” said Neal Thurman, Director of the Coalition for Better Ads. “This collaborative test with Admiral has provided valuable insights into how our Better Ads Certification can be leveraged to positively influence adblock user behavior. By integrating our certification into adblock recovery messages, publishers can build greater trust with their audiences and recover more revenue.”

The test was conducted over a six-month period with publishers such as Advance Local across nine markets, and PGATour.com, chosen for their diverse audience demographics. Publishers integrated the “Better Ads Certified” badge prominently within their adblock recovery messages. Metrics including conversion rates, recovery rates, and visitor trust levels were monitored and recorded. Comparative analysis was then conducted to evaluate the impact of promoting Better Ads Certification on adblock user behavior. More detail on the test and methodology can be found on the CBA blog.

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“We are thrilled to share the effectiveness of our allowlist-based adblock recovery approach combined with the credibility of the Better Ads Certification,” said Michael Yeon, VP of Marketing and Strategic Partnerships at Admiral. “Our joint effort with the CBA demonstrates that promoting high standards in advertising not only benefits consumers but also significantly boosts publishers’ ability to recover ad revenue. This partnership underscores Admiral’s commitment to helping publishers and visitors build win-win relationships.”

Addressing the Rise in Ad Blocking

This test underscores the importance of addressing ad blocking, which threatens publisher revenue. The CBA was formed seven years ago to address consumer dissatisfaction with disruptive ad experiences, which had driven rapid growth in ad blocking usage. Following the introduction of the Better Ads Standards, adoption of the Standards and efforts to enhance consumer experiences led to a 15% decline in ad blocker usage for desktop and mobile web. However, as the industry shifted focus to other issues, some publishers pushed the envelope on ad types and volumes, leading to a resurgence in ad blocking.

To combat the increase in ad blocking, the CBA recommends a two-pronged approach focusing on prevention and communication.

  1. Prevention: Ensure ad experiences meet consumer expectations to prevent the adoption of ad blockers. The CBA will conduct additional research in 2024 to update its Desktop and Mobile Web Standards, addressing aspects like pop-up ads, sticky ads, feed ads, animated ads, and ad density.
  2. Communication: Engage adblock users directly to adjust their settings. Research shows that adblock users rarely adjust settings unless prompted. Publishers can use “soft walls” to request visitors add their domain to the ad blocker inclusion list, or “hard walls” that require disabling the ad blocker to view content. Highlighting adherence to CBA standards in these messages can significantly boost trust and compliance.

“We are thrilled to share the effectiveness of our allowlist-based adblock recovery approach combined with the credibility of the Better Ads Certification,” said Michael Yeon, VP of Marketing and Strategic Partnerships at Admiral. “Our joint effort with the CBA demonstrates that promoting high standards in advertising not only benefits consumers but also significantly boosts publishers’ ability to recover ad revenue. This partnership underscores Admiral’s commitment to improving the digital advertising ecosystem.”

About the Coalition for Better Ads (CBA)

Leading international trade associations and companies involved in online media formed the Coalition for Better Ads to improve consumers' experience with online advertising. The Coalition has conducted extensive consumer research to develop Better Ads Standards to help the online ad industry address consumer preferences. The Coalition's members include leading global advertisers, advertising agencies, publishers, and technology companies. An additional 80 trade associations from around the world are affiliates of the Coalition for Better Ads. Companies and trade associations that wish to join the Coalition can learn more at www.betterads.org.

About Admiral

Admiral is The Visitor Relationship Management (VRM) Company. Admiral VRM helps thousands of digital publishers worldwide grow visitor relationships and revenue via AI driven Visitor Journeys that solve for a number of monetization challenges digital publishers face. Admiral’s SaaS platform includes registration walls, paywalls and paid subscriptions, donation management, advanced adblock analytics and revenue recovery, GDPR/CCPA privacy consent, email acquisition, 1P data collection, social growth and more. For more information, visit us at www.GetAdmiral.com. #relationshipsmatter

 

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