Ben Davis says, “You may have seen the news that Google plans to provide web search results and search ads for an unspecified number of Yahoo user queries. See the SEC filing here. So, what does that mean for marketers? Reach more potential customers with AdWords 12.7% of US search queries go through Yahoo, according to ComScore. That means AdWords could reach a significantly larger audience. Yahoo sites will be automatically included in the Google search network, so there’s nothing extra AdWords customers will have to do to target this audience. Bing Advertisers should keep their... [...]

Carly Stec says, “What’s the most viewable ad size? How does page position influence viewability? Is viewability affected by ad blocking applications? And what’s an average viewability rate, anyways? These are the questions many were left with when the Media Rating Council lifted its Viewable Impression Advisory back in 2014. As a result of this change, marketers and advertisers switched their focus from served impressions to viewable impressions. What’s the difference? Quite simply, served impressions are counted when the ad is displayed. As for viewable impressions, take... [...]

Patricio Robles says, “Ad blocking isn’t new, but thanks to grim statistics that make it clear consumers are only getting more aggressive in trying to thwart online ads, some in the industry are starting to worry. Really worry. Yesterday, Scott Cunningham, SVP of Technology and Ad Operations at the Interactive Advertising Bureau, arguably the most prominent trade association for the online ad industry, made a stunning statement… We messed up. Faced with consumers now equipped to block ads on their iOS devices, Cunningham explained how publishers and advertisers shot themselves... [...]

Ginny Marvin says, “The second quarter of 2015 generated a record-setting $14.3 billion in online ad revenues in the US, up 22.5 percent year over year, according to the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB). For the first half of the year, internet ad revenues in the US totaled $27.5 billion, a 19-percent increase year over year. This marks the sixth consecutive year of double-digit first half of year growth. The IAB released the Internet Advertising Revenue report for the first half and second quarter of 2015 on Wednesday. The report finds that revenue growth continues to be driven... [...]

Greg Sterling says, “According to Nielsen’s “Global Trust in Advertising” report, Millennials (21–34) showed “the highest levels of trust in online and mobile formats.” Below is a comparison of ad types (digital and traditional media) and generational trust levels that reflect this finding. What’s very interesting about this data is that it seems to be contradicted by ad blocking surveys that have been done by multiple parties. For example, a study from Sourcepoint and comScore found that usage of ad blocking is more common among the young (Millennials in particular) and among... [...]

Lindsay Kolowich says, “Gearing up to create your next piece of marketing content? If you want it to stand out from the rest of the noise on the internet, you have to be focused on producing something both delightful and engaging. That said, there’s some planning to be done before you jump right in. What’s the purpose of this piece? Where can you fit in credible data and examples? Who’s gonna edit it once you’ve written — and rewritten — your draft? How do you plan to spread the word about it so, you know, people actually read it? You need a strategy. To... [...]

Carly Stec says, “What’s the most viewable ad size? How does page position influence viewability? Is viewability affected by ad blocking applications? And what’s an average viewability rate, anyways? These are the questions many were left with when the Media Rating Council lifted its Viewable Impression Advisory back in 2014. As a result of this change, marketers and advertisers switched their focus from served impressions to viewable impressions. What’s the difference? Quite simply, served impressions are counted when the ad is displayed. As for viewable impressions, take... [...]

Chad Pollitt says, “It’s no secret that many consumers are fed up with banner advertising. That’s one reason why ad blocking software adoption is gaining in popularity worldwide. It’s not just consumers, either. Many marketers complain about their effectiveness, too. Publishers are stuck in between both party’s complaints and many of them are reacting to this pressure. It may sound cliché, but according to Solve Media, you’re more likely to. . . . . . survive a plane crash than click on a banner ad. . . . get into MIT than click on a banner ad. . . . complete Navy SEAL training... [...]

Adam Phillips says, “Following the recent launch of Apple’s newest iOS 9 software, many publishers and digital marketers are left wondering how their content will reach consumers. The new ad blocking Safari extensions allow consumers to effectively avoid unsolicited content (advertisements, scripts, trackers) on all ad platforms. Downloads of the ad blocking apps continue and it has already been estimated that ad blocking will lead to $22 billion in lost advertising revenue this year. Instead of panicking, marketers should focus on what they do best – providing good content. Marketers... [...]

Ginny Marvin says, ““We messed up. As technologists, tasked with delivering content and services to users, we lost track of the user experience.” That’s the IAB’s admission of industry complicity in the swell of discontent about digital advertising and use of ad blockers. In reaction to this screwup and in the face of rising awareness and availability of ad blocking tools, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) announced it is launching a new approach to ad standards. The new L.E.A.N. Ads program — an acronym for light, encrypted, ad choice supported, non-invasive ads —... [...]