This document discusses Google's approach to improving ad experiences for users. It notes that users find many ad experiences annoying and are increasingly using ad blockers. Google is taking a multi-pronged approach, including developing better ad standards through the Coalition for Better Ads initiative, providing tools for publishers to identify problematic ad experiences, and filtering ads on sites that violate standards through Chrome. It also describes Funding Choices, which allows publishers to offer users an ad-viewing choice or paid ad-removal pass to support sites. The goal is to make ads less annoying and provide alternative monetization options to reduce the demand for ad blocking.

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Improving Ad Experiences for
Users

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Agenda
● Background:
○ Users are demanding better ad experiences
○ We need to do better as an industry
● Google’s Approach: How Google helps to build a more
sustainable web for everyone

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Annoying.
Source: Giphy

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54% “Not likely at all”
to revisit a mobile page if a pop-up
was present.
56% “Not at all worthwhile”
to share a mobile page if a pop-up
was present
44.5% “Extremely worthwhile”
to install an ad blocker based on a mobile page that had a pop-up present
Source: Coalition For Better Ads - Standard Paper

5. Ad blocking continues to grow - up 30% in the last year
million devices
with ad blockers615 Mobile growth driven by browsers
with ad blockers built in (UC Browser)
Desktop growth driven by
browser extensions

6. Rapid mobile growth in APAC, warning to EMEA and NA

7. Ad blockers block indiscriminately.
Even those sites with good ad experiences
are punished

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We need to do better as an industry

9. Coalition for Better Ads: global, ecosystem wide initiative
9

10. Developing a data driven, user centric ad standard
User based Context-based Empirical Impactful
Using real user
feedback
Developed based
on a natural content
consumption
experience
Based on data, and
reflects national and
regional preferences
Should help the
marketplace improve
the consumer
experience

11. Pop-up ads
Auto-play video ads with sound
(Outstream)
Prestitial ads with countdown
Large sticky ads
Better Ads Standards: Least Preferred Ads on Desktop

12. Better Ads Standards: Least Preferred Ads on Mobile
Pop-up ads
Density >30%
Prestitial ads
Flashing animated ads
Auto-play video ads
with sound
Full-screen
scroll over ads
Poststitial ads
with countdown
Large sticky ads

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How Google helps to build a more
sustainable web for everyone

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Google’s suite of initiatives to improve ad experiences
Chrome Filtering & Ad Experience Report Funding Choices & Contributor
Addressing existing ad blocker
usage and giving users alternative
choices to fund content
Reducing demand for ad blocking by
improving ad experiences by helping
remove the most annoying
experiences from ecosystem

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Google’s suite of initiatives to improve ad experiences
Chrome Filtering Ad Experience Report Funding Choices
Chrome will filter ads on sites that we
identify as repeatedly showing the
annoying ads identified in the Better
Ads Standard or that harm or take
advantage of users
A solution that enables publishers
to message ad blocker users,
offering them a choice to enable
ads or buy an ad removal pass.
Publishers can also offer the ad
removal pass to users in supported
countries*.
*available in US, UK, DE, AU, NZ. Other
markets coming soon
A new tool in Google Search
Console that lists when we have
identified experiences that violate
the standard.

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Google’s suite of initiatives to improve ad experiences
Chrome Filtering Ad Experience Report Funding Choices
Chrome will filter ads on sites that we
identify as repeatedly showing the
annoying ads identified in the Better
Ads Standards or that harm or take
advantage of users

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Chrome filtering is an extension of existing protections
Chrome has a long history of protecting users -- blocking
pop-ups in new tabs, warnings before malware pages.
In early 2018, Chrome will be extending this protection to
protect user from annoying ads

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Sites have time, Chrome filtering won’t begin until 2018
Banner AD
3 sec.
Websites identified as
repeatedly showing
annoying ads
identified in the
Better Ads Standard
Once filtering begins,
Chrome will stop
showing ads on sites
identified as
repeatedly showing
the restricted ad
experiences
Sites will have 30 days
to fix and submit for
review.

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Google’s suite of initiatives to improve ad experiences
Chrome Filtering Ad Experience Report
A new tool in Google Search
Console that lists when we have
identified experiences that violate
the standard.
Funding Choices
Icon made by Freepik from www.flaticon.com

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Accessing the Ad Experience Report
The Ad Experience Report identifies a set of ad
experiences that violate the Better Ads Standards
Unreviewed sites will have a “Pending” status
Sites with a majority of users in regions without a
standard will not be reviewed until standard is defined
Who can access: Administrators of Google Search
Console can access the Ad Experience Report and
will be notified with status updates via email.
Where to access: The Ad Experience Report is
located in the Google Search Console

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Inside the ad experience report
List of identified issues with video showing some
of the actual experience observed
The Standard that applies to sites based on majority
audience location
Status. Sites that have status “Failed Review” will
also have a start date for Chrome filtering
Ability to download report to be shared
with internal teams

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Requesting re-review for an incorrectly identified issue
If the video does not actually show an
example of the cited ad experience that
violates the standard (e.g. the pop-up is for a
site newsletter and not an ad), there is an
option notify for re-review (review limited to
this example only)

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Requesting re-review when you’ve fixed the issue
Once an experience is fixed, explain how
you’ve fixed the issue and click “I fixed this”
The site and the associated subdomains
will be re-reviewed. Notification of status
change will be sent to verified webmasters
and users in Search Console.

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Be prepared for better ads
● Review the Better Ads Standards
● Consult the Ad Experience Report
● Review our recommended best practices
● Create a plan for ongoing monitoring

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Google’s suite of initiatives to improve ad experiences
Funding Choices (Beta)
A solution that enables publishers
to dialog with ad blocker users,
offering them a choice to enable
ads or buy an ad removal pass.
Publishers can also offer the ad
removal pass to all users.
Chrome Filtering Ad Experience Report

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Not all users of ad
blockers have the
same motivations.
A respectful dialog is an honest
way to address the value exchange
of ads while respecting user’s
choice - without stirring up heat.

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A message respects user
preferences
Showing cost/page educates users
about the value exchange of ads
Introducing alternatives may drive
an increase in action
Why offer a message with options?

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Funding Choices
makes enabling ads
easy for users
A simple guide increases whitelisting
while minimizing bounce rates.
Enable ads

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Contributor makes it
easy for users to fund
sites directly
A single account for multiple sites and
a pay per page model lowers the
barrier to entry for users
Buy ad-removal pass

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Sign Agreement
Style Message Wall
Deploy the entire JS Script across the site
Set pricing and upload logo for Contributor UI
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How you can join the Funding Choices Beta
Tell your account manager or submit the
interest form at goo.gl/praAGh1.

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Useful Links / Resources

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● The Initial Better Ads Standard
https://www.betterads.org/standards/
● Web Tools Help
https://support.google.com/webtools/answer/7072528?hl=en
https://support.google.com/webtools/answer/7409933?hl=en&ref_topic=7073503
https://support.google.com/webtools/answer/7307871?hl=en&ref_topic=7073503
https://support.google.com/webtools/answer/7072706?hl=en&ref_topic=7073503
#the_review_cycle
https://support.google.com/webtools/answer/7129127
https://support.google.com/webtools/answer/7073774

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Feedback/Questions