Pilot Program Increased Conversion Rates by 16% and Recovery Rates by 28% On Average By Displaying "Better Ads Certified" Badge in Adblock Recovery Messages

NEW YORK, July 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Coalition for Better Ads (CBA) has announced a first-of-its-kind certification to grow publisher revenue and build consumer confidence in high-quality, non-intrusive advertising. A successful pilot program conducted by Admiral with multiple CBA publishers demonstrated that sharing the publisher's commitment to the CBA's Better Ads Experience Program by adding the "Better Ads Certified" badge within adblock recovery messages led to a 16% increase in conversion rates and a 28% increase in recovery rates.

Based on these results, AI-powered Visitor Relationship Management (VRM) company Admiral has integrated automatic Better Ads Certified configuration into its full-stack adblock recovery platform, empowering every certified publisher to gain immediate revenue lift as a reward for their investment in quality ad experiences.

"The mission at CBA is to create a better online experience for consumers by setting and promoting high standards for digital advertising," said Neal Thurman, Director of the Coalition for Better Ads. "Our work with Admiral has provided valuable insights into how our Better Ads Certification can be leveraged to positively influence adblock user behavior. By integrating our certification into adblock recovery messages, publishers can build greater trust with their audiences and recover more revenue."

The test was conducted over a six-month period with publishers chosen for their diverse audience demographics, such as Advance Local across nine markets, and PGATour.com. Publishers integrated the "Better Ads Certified" badge prominently within their adblock recovery messages increased trust among visitors, making them more likely to support the site by allowing ads. Metrics including conversion rates, recovery rates, and revenue lift were monitored and recorded. Comparative analysis was then conducted to evaluate the impact of promoting Better Ads Certification on adblock user behavior. More detail on the test and methodology can be found on the CBA blog.

"We are thrilled to share the effectiveness of our allowlist-based adblock recovery approach combined with the credibility of the Better Ads Certification," said Michael Yeon, VP of Marketing and Strategic Partnerships at Admiral. "Our joint effort with the CBA demonstrates that promoting high standards in advertising not only benefits consumers but also significantly boosts publishers' ability to recover ad revenue. This partnership underscores Admiral's commitment to helping publishers and visitors build win-win relationships."

Addressing the Rise in Ad Blocking
This test underscores the importance of addressing the growing trend in ad blocking, which threatens publisher revenue. The CBA was formed seven years ago to address consumer dissatisfaction with disruptive ad experiences, which had driven rapid growth in ad blocking usage. From 2017 to 2020, improved ad standards and efforts to enhance consumer experiences led to a 15% decline in ad blocker usage. However, as the industry shifted focus to other issues, some publishers pushed the envelope on ad types and volumes, leading to a resurgence in ad blocking.

To combat the increase in ad blocking, the CBA recommends a two-pronged approach focusing on prevention and communication.

1. Prevention: Ensure ad experiences meet consumer expectations to prevent the adoption of ad blockers. The CBA will conduct additional research in 2024 to update its Desktop and Mobile Web Standards, addressing aspects like pop-up ads, sticky ads, feed ads, animated ads, and ad density.
2. Communication: Engage adblock users directly to support the content they love. Research shows that adblock users rarely allow ads unless prompted. Publishers can use "soft walls" to request visitors add their domain to the ad blocker inclusion list, or "hard walls" that require disabling the ad blocker to view content. Highlighting adherence to CBA standards in these messages can boost trust, compliance, and ultimately revenue for publishers.

About the Coalition for Better Ads (CBA)
Leading international trade associations and companies involved in online media formed the Coalition for Better Ads to improve consumers' experience with online advertising. The Coalition has conducted extensive consumer research to develop Better Ads Standards to help the online ad industry address consumer preferences. The Coalition's members include leading global advertisers, advertising agencies, publishers, and technology companies. An additional 80 trade associations from around the world are affiliates of the Coalition for Better Ads. Companies and trade associations that wish to join the Coalition can learn more at .

About Admiral
Admiral is The Visitor Relationship Management (VRM) Company. Admiral VRM helps thousands of digital publishers worldwide grow visitor relationships and revenue via AI driven Visitor Journeys that solve for a number of monetization challenges digital publishers face. Admiral's SaaS platform includes registration walls, paywalls and paid subscriptions, donation management, advanced adblock analytics and revenue recovery, GDPR/CCPA privacy consent, email acquisition, 1P data collection, social growth and more. For more information, visit us at . #relationshipsmatter

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SOURCE CBA; Admiral