Around the world, more than 40% of internet users use ad blocker software. However, for specific demographics (16-34-year-olds), ad-block use is almost 50%. Moreover, ad-block use is growing all the time, and not just on desktop computers but on mobile devices too.
All of that is bad news for websites that monetize through online ad revenues. But there is another set of website owners that ad blockers can hurt too.
If you use a digital adoption platform (DAP) for user onboarding or product tours on your website, some ad blockers will stop it from working because of the ways they use Javascript.
While Javascript is a fantastic way to improve your website content, there are some downsides for users. In particular, it is used to serve ads and can facilitate ad tracking.
Ad-blocking plugins or extensions allow users to block Javascript with tracking functionality.
This problem affects Intercom Product Tours, Appcues, and Userguiding in specific situations, according to their respective web pages.
Usetiful, on the other hand, is not affected by ad block issues. It’s already a credible Intercom, Userguiding, or Appcues alternative, thanks to the following:
Amazing value money
Custom CSS Capabilities
Intuitive, user-friendly design
Unlimited user segmentations
And more.
Why does ad block software interfere with some digital adoption platforms?
If you want to understand why ad-block software is the target of ad-blocking plugins and extensions, we need to explore how they work.
How does ad blocker software work?
The primary function of an ad blocker is to stop apps or web browsers from downloading ads. Ad blockers can achieve this objective in several different ways.
One way is to block the connection between your browser and the ad server. Another way is to block the website itself with a blocklist. Of course, the software needs to use filters so that it only blocks the information you don’t want, not the good content you came to the website to consume.
The process itself works like this.
1. You install an ad block plugin or extension.
2. You visit a website, and it scans the page for scripts.
3. The adblocker software compares these scripts to a database of known ad scripts.
4. If any of these scripts match, the ad is blocked.
Where do ad block filters come from?
As you can see, ad block filters do most of the heavy lifting when removing unwanted advertisements from apps and browsers.
Most ad blockers rely on volunteer-maintained filter lists. Perhaps the most well-known example is EasyList.
The interesting thing about Intercom Product Tour and other DAPs is that while they don’t show ads, their product tours and onboarding overlays can still get blocked on your user’s browser because they communicate certain tracking information.
The user information that DAPs such as Intercom Product Tour gathers can be simple, like whether an event occurred or the user completed a product tour. Or it could be specific attributes that are used for personalizing the tour. Whichever way, these features mean that it’s on the EasyList, and, therefore, prone to being blocked.
Conclusion
If you add a digital adoption platform to your website, you want it to be accessible to 100% of your users. However, certain DAPs won’t work if your users have an ad blocker installed. Resolving these issues involves several technical workarounds or messaging asking your users to safelist your site or turn off their ad blockers.
The best solution is to use an Appcues or Intercom alternative, like Usetiful. We’re not blocked by popular ad block software, meaning that you can always onboard your users without complications.
Ad block use is going up all the time. If your app or website targets people under 35, there’s almost a 50/50 chance they have installed ad block software. When your onboarding tools are impeded, you lower the odds of adoption, conversion, sales, time to value, etc.
If you’re currently using Intercom Product tours, Userguiding, or Appcues, it might be time to switch to a more effective alternative. Try Usetiful for free today.