Dive Brief:
- Ad blocking technology is a major challenge that hits publishers directly in a key online revenue stream, and according to Digiday, Wired is taking a fresh approach to fighting the software by switching its desktop website to the HTTPS protocol.
- HTTPS is the security-driven browser protocol used by secured websites, such as transactional pages where credit card information is entered into web forms. Wired is banking visitors will see that its website is “secure” and will turn off ad blocking software in response.
- The potential for malware-infected and fraudulent ads are one reason people use ad blocking software, but bad user experience and annoying ads, as well as tracking privacy concerns are other reasons that Wired’s move doesn’t address.
Dive Insight:
Give Wired points for looking for a different approach to battling ad block technology; publishers will certainly be tuning in to see how its gambit works. What the move does indicate is that online advertising players simply don’t have a clear and unified answer for the rising trend of ad block adoption. Industry groups have yet to settle on an approach, although the focus is geared toward making the user experience better overall.
According to PageFair, 16% of U.S. users had ad block tech installed in Q2 last year, although that number is likely higher now as almost all published research has ad block adoption trending upward. Wired said 20% of its website visitors use the software. It has already taken a number of approaches to fight ad block including asking people to whitelist the site in exchange for an ad-light user experience and a $1 a week fee for a completely ad-free experience.
“The ultimate goal is to alleviate one of the big three concerns people have expressed to us outright,” Wired’s vp publisher Kim Kelleher told Digiday.