Chrome will cease showing ads on websites that display non-compliant ad experiences, beginning February 15th. The initial warning was issued in June, but did not specify a time frame aside from “early 2018.” With over half the market share in the browser market, this has a potentially sizable impact for non-compliant websites whose ads do not meet the standards of the Coalition for Better Ads. Experiences such as full-page interstitials, automatic sound, and flashing ads are all on the list of banned ad types.
Ad Experiences Report
Site owners can access a review of their site’s ad experiences in the Ad Experience Report, which will chronicle any ads that qualify as annoying or misleading. Ads will be marked as “Warning” or “Failing.” Failing assessments will not be made off one ad experience, but rather will be comprised of a the percentage of total page views that contain these experiences. The Coalition outlines these as:
- 7.5% in the first two months of the program
- 5% in the four months following
- 2.5% thereafter
If violations remain unfixed and persistent, Chrome will block all ads on the site in question. When violations are fixed, site owners can submit their site for review in the Ad Experience Report. Google is also offering content and guidance to help site owners proactively avoid any issues, and have stated previously they will show no favoritism towards sites running Google Ads.
The ad blocker alternative
Chrome’s entry into policing ad experiences offers an alternative to the third-party ad blocking tools that already exist. By proactively blocking the ads and working with site owners to improve the experience for users, it keeps ad impressions available, and the ad dollar ecosystem moving in the right direction. The growth of ad blockers has given users the ability to police it themselves in the past, but Chrome’s involvement looks to try and make the system work both for users and advertisers at the same time.
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About The Author
Susan Wenograd has spent 14 years in the digital marketing industry. While the last 10 primarily focused on paid media, she’s also had extensive experience in email marketing and content creation. She has worked both agency and in-house, managing multiple millions of dollars in the span of her career. She is currently managing paid search and paid social accounts for Five Mill, Inc and blogs regularly about paid media tactics on her website.