Weeks ago, whilst I browsed the two most popular online stores in Nigeria, I ran some searches but got discouraged by the amounts at the proceed-to-check-out sections of those items I intended to purchase. I quit but seconds later, stylus pens start showing at every twitch of my nerves to visit different sites, including the famous Facebook.
These are Google and Facebook trying to make ads relevant, waiting to hear their users sing “I’m feeling lucky” when they click ads and waiting to watch their stocks go up. After all, 90 percent of Google’s online revenue comes from selling ads. But Google and other online advertisement firms understand this business better than spam websites which work ceaselessly on the most accurate and likely position where ads placed on their sites can get clicked on by the most likely chance.
A breakdown of what advertisement is will bring to limelight the implication of concepts like “PAY ON CLICK”. If nobody clicks an advert in six months, Google and website owners under its advertisement program earn little or no amount. This is of greater implication when users can’t see these ads at all, courtesy of ad blockers. Ad blockers these days are very much around and they threaten millions of internet businesses which generate money from online advertisement. It is, therefore, no surprise that Facebook is blocking ad blockers.
According to a report by The New York Times, Facebook will make it much more difficult for ad-blocking tools to identify ads and that re-blocking them after they’ve been re-served would require a resource-intensive analysis of the ads themselves. Facebook has a strong incentive to end ad blocking; it makes money on ad revenue. In a recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the company noted that ad blockers posed a significant threat to its business. Neutering the blockers would mean protecting its top line.
How about making ads less annoying?
Ads are meant to be compelling, things users find interesting and click to get off their curiosity. OnClick ads are terrible distractions, showing up as the first prompt before anyone beckons on a search for ad blockers. It is frustrating when uninteresting pop-ups at the slightest move to scroll down a page keep coming up. Ads like the stylus pens all over my browser are repetitive, annoying and monotonous as a result, reduce the website owners’ chances of making money.
Make ads more relevant to users.
I have no business with WIX, the whole drag and drop website builder advert before any video on YouTube loads, and I don’t want to buy a new phone or an android wear. So why they appear countless times on my screen is a puzzle I am still working on. I believe if users can find ads that are relevant to them they will be compelled to find out more about those items. When placing ads, it is imperative to consider something users need and find a way to advertise them according to individual interests.
Cut down on online advertisements rates to encourage new ads and therefore increase their relevance to users. Nigerians begin to think they are only about 7 Nigerian companies that embark on online advertisement programs. The logic behind this is that with fewer ads, advertisement companies tend to charge higher.
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