How consumers feel about advertising has changed drastically in the past few years. Now, the majority of consumers start their product search online and they are not receptive to ads that interrupt their experience. While a barrage of display ads can be a welcome spectacle in places like Times Square, consumers are not open to the same tactics online.
Review these 10 new stats from the State of Inbound 2016 Report and learn how consumers feel about advertising today:
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1. 91% of people say ads are more intrusive today than two years ago
Engaging is good. Intrusive is bad. In just two years, consumers overwhelmingly feel that ads are getting in their way and that's bad news for advertisers. Not only is the message not landing, but consumers feel put off by the delivery.
2. 87% of people say there are more ads than two years ago
Are there actually more ads? Hard to say. What is clear, though, is ads are now seen as more pervasive. They follow consumers from webpage to webpage, track them, interrupt their content consumption. Ads are overwhelming consumers.
3. 73% of people dislike pop-up ads
No surprise here. From the advertiser's perspective, pop-up ads are great: they ambush the consumer and get the message across loud and clear. From the consumer perspective, pop-ups are an annoyance: they intrude on an experience.
4. 70% of people dislike mobile ads
Most mobile devices don't boast the biggest screens. While that isn't a problem for well-designed mobile-optimized sites, mobile ads can quickly ruin the experience. Instead of consuming content, users are bombarded by unwelcome ad messages.
5. Mobile ad blocking has increased 90% year-over-year
Ad blockers are costing advertisers millions upon millions of dollars. That trend is going to continue. Incredibly, some companies are choosing to block ad blockers from accessing their sites, instead of reimagining their marketing strategy to better fit consumer desires.
6. 70% of people have a lower opinion of brands that use pop-up ads
What's the real cost of ignoring consumer advertising preferences? A loss of reputation. A majority of people have a lower opinion of brands that use pop-up ads. Yikes. Instead of selling products, pop-up ads are hurting brands.
7. 51% of people have a lower opinion of brands that use autoplaying video ads
No one likes autoplaying videos. They are unwelcome enough, that 51% of people think less of the company behind them. That's a big roll of the dice for advertisers who choose that route.
8. 4 out of 5 of people have left a webpage because of a pop-up or autoplaying video ad
The goal is attract and engage. But, advertisers who use pop-up ads or autoplaying videos are actually chasing consumers away from their websites.
9. Only 29% of people want to talk to a salesperson to learn more about a product, while 62% will consult a search engine
This is a clear sign that things have changed. Search is a driving force behind success. SEO still matters and what the consumer finds when they find your business, matters too. Pairing visibility with valuable content is a surefire way to get ahead.
10. Consumers want to see more social media posts, news articles, and videos from marketers in the future
Quick, to-the-point, and engaging is what consumers want from marketers and advertisers. Great content is great content in any format and consumers have made clear that they won't settle for anything less. Instead of interrupting, create content your consumers want.
Inbound Marketing works with consumer attitudes, marketing to them in ways that inform and delight. Instead of fruitlessly going against the grain, listen to what consumers are saying and mold your marketing strategy accordingly. Work with consumers and your business will see more of them.
