## How to best deal with adblockers and improve the viewer experience
Over the last two months, a discussion has been sparked in the media about an increase in adblockers and the negative impact on revenues for advertising-supported media. All advertisers, agencies and publishers are participating in the discourse on the topic. And that is not surprising, because adblockers are a **HUGE** problem for the publishing industry.
Most media companies are aware of the results of the August 2015 study, according to which almost 200 million people use ad blockers and the growth rate is 41 percent compared to the previous year (active users of ad blockers per month). In the same report, the loss of advertising revenue that publishers can expect from ad blockers in 2015 is estimated at almost 22 billion US dollars. While the report refers to online advertising of all types, the significantly higher CPMs of video ads suggest that publishers of ad-supported video are likely to feel the effects of ad blockers most acutely. The introduction of ad blockers on mobile devices, which is particularly evident from Apple’s release of content blockers with iOS 9, is likely to exacerbate the problem for companies using video content because mobile devices are increasingly replacing desktop devices as the platform of choice for media consumption.
Both sides have good arguments against each other: Ad blocker advocates have declared war on the ubiquitous presence of advertising technology and see ad blocking software as an effective way to protect consumers from aggressive ads and advertising practices – intrusive, unwanted, poorly made ads. Only in this way can the consumer experience be preserved.
Media companies, on the other hand, complain that ad blockers follow an “all or nothing” approach. This often threatens advertising efforts associated with premium content, as well as the economic model of numerous ad-supported publishers. Indeed, many media companies point out that blocking ads will ultimately harm consumers. In a recent [AdWeek article about ad blockers](https://www.adweek.com/performance-marketing/heres-what-happens-when-ad-blockers-publishers-and-agencies-get-together-talk-about-you-know-what-1677/), Lisa Valentino, Chief Revenue Officer at Condé Nast Digital, summarizes the problem as follows:
If we block every ad out there, there will be no content. While this viewpoint is an extreme one, there is some truth to it.
At Brightcove, we have always strived to help our customers deliver the most engaging video experiences possible to their audiences – experiences that entertain and engage viewers, allowing media companies to monetize their content without annoying the individual viewer. With this in mind, we have developed our market-leading player technology, with a focus on performance (high loading speed, rapid publishing) and flexibility (amazing, engaging experiences via HTML, CSS and JavaScript). In addition, our server-side ad insertion technology is at the forefront of ensuring that video and ad delivery is seamless across devices and platforms, providing a TV-like experience.
Recognizing the need to support both content companies and their audiences, we have introduced **Brightcove Lift**, a solution for our customers that supports optimized advertising experiences. Combining server-side ad insertion and player technology, Brightcove Lift enables media companies to bypass ad blockers while delivering compelling ad-supported video experiences on desktop and mobile platforms.
Mobile devices, on the other hand, pose a challenge for publishers and consumers alike because of the poor ad experiences they face due to latency, buffering, timeout, and other rendering issues. Fortunately, Brightcove Lift also supports media companies by consistently delivering video ads across all mobile devices, regardless of manufacturer or operating system.
The early results speak for themselves: the first users of Brightcove Lift are reporting very good results. Not only have they successfully stemmed further losses due to ad blockers and display problems, but they have also seen a significant increase in revenue. At Brightcove, we firmly believe that this will help media companies continue to develop great content and great video experiences for their customers.
