According to reports, 25 percent of internet users have blocked ads on their devices. They have decided they no longer want to be interrupted while trying to enjoy their favorite content. Based on this information, it means that 75 percent haven’t bothered to install ad blockers. As such, publishers and brands that rely on advertising for revenue are wondering if the future will be as golden as it is today, or if it’s moving towards a permanent dark shadow.
YouTube starts charging viewers who skip ads
YouTube is reportedly testing a new feature that will charge viewers who skip ads. The feature, which YouTube is calling “Skip Ad”, would automatically charge users to watch certain videos if they choose to skip ahead.
The feature has been spotted on several channels and appears to be limited to select content creators at this point. It’s not clear if it will ever become a standard feature for all YouTube users, but it’s another example of the platform slowly becoming more like traditional TV in some ways.
Skip Ad is currently only being tested with a handful of channels and is reportedly being used as a way to monetize videos that are longer than 10 minutes in length. In order for viewers to skip ahead, they must pay $0.22 per skipped ad or watch an entire video without skipping any ads at all.
Viewers don’t skip ads
According to a study by Pew Research Center, only 2% of viewers have ever skipped an ad.
This is because ads are already a part of their daily lives. They may have seen hundreds or even thousands of ads before they ever sat down to watch TV or a video on YouTube.
So when they’re watching TV or YouTube, they aren’t as bothered by the ads because they don’t feel like they’re missing anything important. In fact, some viewers might actually like the fact that their favorite shows are interrupted by commercials because it gives them something to look forward to when watching television.
It’s impossible to skip ads
As long as the viewer’s attention is focused on the ad, it’s likely to be effective. In fact, the research has shown that viewers are more likely to remember an ad if they have control over when it plays and when it doesn’t.
The problem is that most people don’t skip ads they just fast-forward through them. And fast-forwarding through an ad doesn’t mean you’ve forgotten about it; you still get exposed to the same number of ads as someone who sits through them.
3 ways to minimize the impact of ad skipping on your bottom line
The ad industry is in a state of panic. According to a study by the Video Advertising Bureau (VAB), over half of all adults in the US have skipped an ad in the past month. What’s even worse:
There are three things you can do right now to minimize the impact of ad skipping on your bottom line:
- Make sure your ads are relevant to the content users are watching
- Invest in quality user experience
- Consider alternative forms of advertising
If I skip ads, do the brands make less money?
Short answer: Yes, brands make less money on skipped ads.
Long answer: Yes and no. The brands that pay for ads have to pay based on the number of views they get. Skipping an ad can mean that they get fewer views, therefore they have to pay less. However, if you skip too many ads, then they may stop showing them to you altogether.
Does the length of an ad matter?
The length of an ad can affect its performance. There are some studies that suggest that longer ads perform better in terms of click-through rates and other metrics. But others say that there isn’t enough data to support this claim.
So how long should your ads be? That’s for you to decide based on your goals and the audience you’re targeting. If you’re just trying to get traffic, then maybe a shorter ad will do the job better. If you’re trying to convert users, then a longer ad could be more effective.
Conclusion
Although ad blocking hurts the media industry larger, the opt in system still has its flaws. Just like with any product, putting a price tag on ad-free content can make it less appealing for those who cannot afford it. On the other hand, it means that those who do support creators financially will receive additional benefits like exclusivity and premium features. Overall, I believe that the pros outweigh the cons, and the solution presented above is much better than simply banishing content which can be viewed elsewhere. At the end of the day, viewers should not have to suffer through an entire video or website just because they refuse to view ads.