How Chrome 64's Ad Blocking Affects Pop Ads and Media Buyers

Since last year, Google has been sending out unfavorable signals: blocking pop-up ads that are bad for users and putting user experience front and center again. In early February, Google officially released Chrome 64. Although it’s still in a testing phase and its other features are unknown for now, some people are paying very close attention to this news. As media buyers, especially those running pop ads, we’re uneasy about this Google update.

Google has cut into its own revenue before

As everyone knows, advertising makes up the overwhelming majority of Google’s revenue. Cutting into its own flesh isn’t something Google is doing for the first time.

During 2016, Google blocked at least 700 million pop-up ads. For a while, most junk ads disappeared from the Chrome browser. On the profit side, Google relies heavily on the considerable revenue ads bring in, so it has eased up on enforcement; on the user experience side, all kinds of vulgar pop-up ads have seriously affected users around the world, forcing Google to build a team to block these harmful ads. In truth, the whole thing is still far from balanced.

In early 2017, with the Chrome 56 update, Google introduced a “Not secure” label for every http site. That update was negligible for pop ads; if anyone had trouble to count, it was probably the SEO folks who felt it more deeply.

What Chrome 64 blocks

Now, in early February this year, the new Google browser version 64 is out, with coverage of 45%-58%. My own data shows that among the Chrome traffic I buy, out of 10,000 visits, more than 4,000 come from the new version of Chrome. Of course, that depends on how up to date the traffic source is. And this update may well seal off pop ads completely. Why do I say that?

Looking at what Google published for version 64, it mentions: removing junk ads, pop-up ads and malware

1. Pop-up ads and new tabs keep appearing.

2. Your Chrome homepage or search engine keeps changing without your permission.

3. Unwanted Chrome extensions or toolbars keep coming back.

4. Your browsing is hijacked and redirected to unfamiliar pages or ads.

5. Alerts about viruses or infected devices are displayed.

What it means for media buyers

What media buyers can take from this is that malicious pop ads no longer work in the Chrome browser. So-called pop ads come in two kinds: pop up and pop under. Both are forms of pop advertising: the former pops the ad straight over the user’s page regardless, the latter pops it behind the user’s page, which is a much better experience for the user.

One last point. Anyone who has run pop ads knows that Android conversions basically come from the Chrome browser, just as iOS volume basically comes from Safari, so plan your setup ahead of time. Google will go on refining its pop-blocking features; the penalties for pop ads are still on the way.