Ad blocking penetration in the U.S. 2014-2021

In 2019, roughly 25.8 percent of internet users were blocking advertising on their connected devices. This figure is expected to keep growing (albeit slowly) which loosely translated means that a quarter of paid advertising messages will never reach their audiences.

Why does adblocking exist?

Internet advertising spending is constantly increasing, leading to an increasing a growing number of internet ads. This has led to overwhelmed internet users turning to adblockers in an effort to browse webpages without display ads slowing them down. The most commonly cited reason for adblocking is that websites are more manageable without banners, but consumers also want to avoid irrelevant or offensive messages as well as prevent tracking of their online behavior.
What is more, there is a high correlation between negative attitudes to advertising and using adblockers in general. However, many consumers express willingness to disable adblockers in return for the ability to view relevant content. Which creates a window of opportunity for marketers, who can conquer ad blocking by offering personalized advertising and increasing the chances it will reach their target audiences.