back to article Ad viewability worsens

Ad viewability worsened in the UK according to the adtech industry's own trade body, the IAB. Viewability of display ads fell to 47 per cent in Q2 2016, the lowest for six quarters, and lower than the international average of 56 per cent, and European rivals. An ad must be viewable for a full second, according to IAB metrics …

  1. William 3 Bronze badge

    What you sow.

    You reap.

    If the ad industry doesn't like the crop that's sprouted perhaps they should consider changing the shit they use in the fields.

    In other words, I couldn't give a toss about an industry that puts my data at risk from malware because they couldn't be bothered getting their house in order. Not my issue. I will continue to block at the network level everything that comes into my properties without shedding a tear until such time the ad industry stops putting users data at risk.

    As going down that route will impact their bottom line, then I guess that will be never. Welcome to 0.0.0.0 ad industry. Enjoy your stay.

  2. Dan 55 Silver badge

    Next

    Even those without an adblock scroll right past them.

    Not helped by genius web page designers putting a banner ad followed by a huge hero image followed by the content. The page immediately gets scrolled down to get to the content. I wonder which site I could be thinking of?

  3. myhandler

    Adblock Plus seems to be letting a lot through recently - still won't take long to fix and I'll be back to seeing no ads.

    I used to work for a top 5 ad agency (only quality ads of course) - but I never look at ads - the ad business has trained me perfectly to 100% ignore.

    I channel switch to avoid even hearing TV ads - they are universally crap.

    1. MrXavia

      The problem is intrusive ads

      slow ads (i.e. javascript)

      Auto-play ads

      big ads

      ads for things you've already looked at...

      If I see an advert for a site I've already looked at the ads don't get clicked on since I know I don't want something from there... now if you suggest somewhere new to me for a similar product I might click!

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Hey n00b

      Ublock origin is the new Adblock plus.

      Plus "seems to be letting a lot though recently" because they took a bung to do exactly that.

  4. Antron Argaiv Silver badge

    This is a crisis!

    For someone, but not for me. I don't give a rat's ass what the average viewability time for ads is.

    I'm old fashioned - build a better product and the world will beat a path to your door.

    Stuff advertised online? I either have it (heard about it on a forum and already bought it) or don't need it (lower interest on my credit cards or Russian ladies looking for fun).

    AdBlock and NoScript are my favorite tools.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: This is a crisis!

      UBlock Origin + NoScript now. More efficient and better blocking than the old AdBlock variants, especially ABP, who joined the dark side.

      I also made a separate browser profile for Google, since they've made it impossible to use their useful services while NoScript-blocking their other crap, which pollutes ~90% of the internet. In my regular profile, all google-related properties are now blacklisted. Yes, it's a slight pain in the ass to use Google stuff this way - so I generally don't.

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Up

    Ad viewability worsened in the UK according to the adtech industry's own trade body

    Good.

  6. Sporkinum

    TVs

    I'd be interested to know what ad watching data gets back to the advertisers from smart TV tracking. Like how many people switch channels, or hit the mute button when the ads are showing.

    1. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

      Re: TVs

      "Like how many people switch channels, or hit the mute button when the ads are showing."

      I don't watch much live now. Everything goes through Myth TV & fast-forward just runs through the ads.

  7. Chris Evans

    Ad blocking success or other metric?

    Are they effectively reporting the installation and success rate of ad blockers or is there something else that reduces 'viewabilty' as well?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Ad blocking success or other metric?

      Scrolling down within the first second, closing pages that take several seconds to load, hitting 'back' the moment ads appear, finding what they need before ads even appear, ads not visible on a phone, etc, etc.

  8. nijam Silver badge

    > ... lost advertisers around £700m

    If only that were true. But actually, they've lost nothing of course.

    1. Richard 12 Silver badge

      Depends

      If that's the money they spent on the adverts that are being totally ignored, then yes, they didn't get the service they purchased.

      Wouldn't it be great if the ad brokers realised that people would look at unobtrusive adverts, and if they rejected the malware and flashy, noisy crap instantly, the remainder would be viewed.

      Eventually. Because it's too late for most consumers, we've already installed an adblocker and we're unlikely to turn it off.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Depends

        People weren't looking at unobtrusive ads though. See "ad blindness".

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    My heart bleeds

    and I feel sorry for ad-men. I really do, no, honest, I've always loved nothing more than ads shoved up my orfices, vocal, aural, anal, you name it, so now, as the tide's turning, well, I share your sorrow. Respect to all the admen, adwomen, adwemen, and the rest of you lot. You shall overcome, etc!

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