Reference no: EM132295045

The Future of Digital Advertising 1. Should content providers and advertisers panic because of ad blocking technology, or will consumers figure out that the internet will collapse without advertising revenue? Content providers and advertisers do have some room to be concerned about ad blocking technology. After all, in 2015 it was reported that the number of people actively blocking advertisements in the US increased by 48% to 45 million. However, some of the concern around the trend has originated from players with a vested interested, like PageFair. With the rise of social media, and companies realizing the strength of influencer marketing, I believe there are ways around traditional advertising that can assuage the ad blocking problem.

2. What should advertisers do to create advertising that consumers want to view? Can creativity or new types of promotion (e.g., mobile apps) circumvent ad blocking technology? In order to create advertising that consumers want to view, companies should follow the model of YouTube, which allows viewers to complete quick and simple surveys about the type of ads they’d like to see from the brands they are interested in. In addition to this, engaging in paid promotional partnership with social media influencers is a highly effective form of advertising. It allows viewers, who already have a strong loyalty to a person and their preferences, to observe the brands that the influencer chooses to engage with.

3. Should content providers play “hard ball” with consumers who use ad blocking technology (e.g., not allow them to access websites if they are using ad blocking technology)? Is there a “legal” solution to this problem for content providers and advertisers? Personally, I use ad blocking technology to avoid malvertising and dangerous pop ups from damaging my electronic devices. It rarely bothers me when I am asked by a credible source, such as the New York Times, to allow ads on their site. Because I trust the Times as a brand and know it is imperative for them to continue producing quality journalism, allowing ads on their site has not been an issue for me. I think that ad blocking technology, if it explains to consumers that it is necessary for them to continue consuming the content they do, is a viable solution.

4. What is your prediction about ad blocking technology and its success or failure in the marketplace? What will digital advertisers’ fate be five years from now with respect to being able to reach consumers with digital advertising messages? I think that digital advertisers will begin to find more clandestine ways to advertise to consumers beyond the existing ads on websites. Social media will be a big player in this change, and in the next five years we could see more personalized ads coming from more personal avenues (such as directly from an influencer’s mouth.)

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