Sorry advertisers, but there’s no blocking this trend.
Recent data from research provider eMarketer shows that 69.8 million Americans will use an ad blocker this year—a 34.4% increase over 2015. This figure is expected to increase to 86.6 million in 2017.
So, what exactly is an ad blocker, anyway? Ad blockers, according to eMarketer, are “software utilities installed on an internet-connected device (including a mobile device) specifically for the purpose of removing the advertising content of a webpage or app, thereby restricting certain ads from being served or viewed.”
The population of ad block users is growing, too. eMarketer estimates that 26.3% of U.S. internet users will leverage an ad blocker this year.
Consumers can block ads across their devices. For instance, 63.2 million people will use an ad blocker on their desktop or laptop this year, eMarketer reports, and 20.7 million will use their smartphone. Or, put another way: 90.5% of ad blocking users block ads on their desktops and laptops, versus 29.7% who block ads on their smartphones. These figures include ad blockers who block ads on both devices.
But mobile is gaining traction. According to eMarketer, the number of people using ad blockers on their smartphone will increase 62.3% this year, versus a 30.1% increase in people using ad blockers on their PCs.
