Online gaming companies have to walk a fine line when it comes to advertising. It’s important to keep the number of active gamers high. Games that have a huge following can chill a bit, safe in the knowledge that when a new game comes along, the majority of their fanbase will remain loyal. To keep active player numbers high, you don’t want to irritate fans of the game by laying on too much advertising.
“So, in other words, when Google decides that an ad has gone against these guidelines it will block it… but it’s surprising to read statistics that show the Chrome native blocker only blocks slightly less than 1% of all ads. Google, after all, is in the business of advertising.”
It can be tempting for companies as it’s been shown that online gaming pop-up ads have a high conversion rate, which means they get clicked on more often than other such ads. But again, companies advertising in games must keep the desires of players first and foremost. Players have to be inspired by a game to keep coming back and it’s all too easy to let ads become irritating. However, on the flip side, ads in general – and that includes ones found in online games – are getting ‘better’ as they become more personalized and offer more incentives to click on them. But for now, pop-up ads while gaming is still a problem for many.
What To Do When You Have Pop Up Ads in Games
There is a solution to pop up ads in games. A simple extension can be added to your browser and after a few tweaks to the settings, you should see a significant drop in the number of pop-ups you see (significant as in close to zero). Learning how to remove pop-ups is really as easy as learning how to enable any other browser extension. Every browser has a native ad blocker, but it should be fortified with a second non-native extension. And there is a difference between an ad blocker and a pop-up blocker.
A good pop-up blocker is your first line of defense for overlays – you know, those massive notifications asking if you’re okay with cookies that cover half your screen? –You don’t have to put up with those. A good pop-up blocker helps keep your computer’s CPU humming as it stops them in their tracks – before they load. And a lot of people forget about pop-unders.
That’s what those ads that open below the window you’re on are called. Pop-unders are also blocked by a proper poper blocker, and this is especially important for gamers as a popunder frequently comes with a sound notification. If you’re in the middle of playing a game and unwanted sounds start popping up, it could seriously disrupt concentration and affect your gaming experience. What’s more, some pop-unders stay open for a long time and drain the performance of your PC or mobile device.
To recap, there are several forms of intrusive advertisements and notifications. Most are familiar with pop-ups, and we just discussed pop-unders. Earlier in this article, we talked about overlays and these are becoming more of a problem of late. Sometimes a privacy request will take up most of your screen asking if you’re okay with cookies, for example. Other times it’s just a straight-up ad that – as the name suggests – overlays on top of your screen and is simply irritating and disruptive.
The Most Popular Ad Blockers
All of these can be prevented with the right poper blocker. Most of the popular browsers today do a pretty good job of identifying adverts and blocking them. Chrome, Safari, Edge, Opera, and Firefox all have what are called native ad blockers. Considering that Chrome has close to a 70% market share and is still the top dog despite strong competition from Brave and Firefox, in particular, let’s use Chrome as our ‘default browser’ to understand why the native pop-up blocker may not be enough. Google has indeed installed a native blocker, and it bans the most annoying browser ads – but this does not mean it blocks all ads. In fact, the standard is to only block the ones that do not adhere to the Coalition for Better Ads guidelines.
So, in other words, when Google decides that an ad has gone against these guidelines it will block it… but it’s surprising to read statistics that show the Chrome native blocker only blocks slightly less than 1% of all ads. Google, after all, is in the business of advertising.
It is possible to tweak the settings in the ad blocker offered by a Google chrome but it’s still a good idea to consider having a secondary popper blocker. It provides an extra layer of security, helps maintain your computer’s speed by not slowing it down with overlays popunders, or pop-ups, and helps you stay focused on your gaming.
All of these can be prevented with the right poper blocker. Most of the popular browsers today do a pretty good job of identifying adverts and blocking them. Chrome, Safari, Edge, Opera, and Firefox all have what are called native ad blockers.
Conclusion
And don’t forget that you can choose to configure the settings and allow some sites to offer pop-ups. Perhaps there is a site you want to support or you enjoy the relevant ads the site offers. It’s very easy to green-light certain sites. How do you choose the right pop-up blocker for you? Well, definitely check if it works with the browser you use but other than that it’s all about what you’re hoping to get from a pop-up blocker.
Managing and running (mostly) successfully multiple eCommerce lines of Business. Writing enthusiastically for the past 7 years. In between loves to travel and explore worldwide culture.
