According to the latest Google updates on Better Ads Initiative, the launch of the Chrome ad blocker is set for February 15, 2018, which, as the experts admit, will affect the majority of publishers worldwide.

Now that a little over a month is left until the announced date, and in the light of vague forecasts in terms of their future ad revenue, many publishers are losing grip on the upcoming digital ad realities.

Manage Risk Wisely

Go through a brief Checklist for Publishers by AdPlayer.Pro to efficiently manage ad filtering risks and improve your monetization strategy, accordingly.

I. Review

Check whether your website ad stack matches the Better Ads Standards:

  1. Sign in the Google Search Console.
  2. Go to the “Ad Experience Report” tab.
  3. Go to “Desktop” and “Mobile” tabs to identify whether you’re website is violating any of the advertising standards or not.

II. Transform & Improve

“Fix, optimize and improve” your ad strategy based on the site results:

Case A. “Things aren’t alright”

If the Ad Experience Report shows poor results, we strongly recommend that you follow Google’s instructions and fix all issues: e.g. abort the use of any “violating” ads on your website, as soon as possible.

At the moment Google promises to not take action against website properties, submitted for “repeated” review within 30 days since their “failing” ad experience report, in case of its positive outcome, of course.

What’s next?

There’s no better time to transform your website monetization strategy than now. Not only this means opting for less ads and sticking to the less intrusive ad formats, but also expanding the scope of formats you’re working with.

Namely, consider implementing native ads, or even entering the video niche, integrating the non-disruptive outstream video ad formats.

The latter may be especially rewarding for publishers of editorial content who wish to expand their incremental revenue sources with video ads.

Case B. “Pending ad experience report results”

At the moment this is a frequent case for many websites, not reviewed by Google yet.

However, since the results are in sooner or later, the mere waiting isn’t a best option for any publisher.
On the contrary, the best strategy is to act forward and minimize the risk of seeing the “failing” status in the Google Search Console.

What’s next?

First, peruse your ad stack, identify and consider removing all potentially “violating” ad formats you’re currently working with, for good.

These include:

  • Desktop web: pop-ups, large sticky ads, prestitials with countdown, video autoplay ads with sound on.
  • Mobile web: pop-ups, large sticky ads, prestitials and postitials with countdown, full-screen scroll-overs, flashing animated ads, video autoplay ads with sound on, >30% ad density.

Secondly, ensure you’re in full control of what ad content each of your ad partners runs on your website placements across all screens, and whether this content matches the common ad quality and adjacency guidelines.

Third, in case you haven’t worked with native video ads before, consider integrating these on website in the nearest future.

Last but not least, check whether your website /ads.txt file is up-to-date, or create and add the /ads.txt now.

Case C. “You’re all good…for now”

What’s next?

Whereas the Better Ads Standards primarily covers a scope of intrusive, thus “unacceptable” ad formats for publishers wishing excellent ad experience report results, the key goal, as stated “lies in improving user experience with ads on the web”.

Therefore, it’s always crucial to:

  • keep the mobile ad density medium to low
  • ensure the seamless integration and ad display across all screens
  • adjust targeting to make sure the highest relevance of ad creatives to your website content
  • continue creating new, compelling content, appealing to your audience interests.