Ads on your mobile device are not only annoying, they reduce productivity, waste battery life and data, and may represent a threat. Mobile ad-blockers help by eliminating them from your device automatically. Some devices, such as the iPhone (and hopefully other mobile devices soon) come loaded with mobile ad blockers, while other devices require the user to upload an app designed to block ads before they reach your device. For users, this is a very good thing for the reasons stated above but for marketers blocking ads may represent a lost opportunity to market to users.
Imagine sitting at your study table and collecting content from the internet for your assignment. Or, you’re pushing the deadline on a project your boss needs right away. Yet, as you quickly scan the internet looking for the right sources and insights on your tablet, you’re faced with pop-ups that interfere with your ability to view the content you desperately need. You are so stressed by closing the ads frequently that you end up giving up the assignment and missing the points since your professor doesn’t accept late work or getting called on the carpet by your boss because your report isn’t finished on time. Horrible but relatable, right?
This age is the age of technology. With the advancements in smartphones and tablets, everyone is more addicted to their use. But the most annoying part of using mobile devices is the overwhelming number of ads you get. These irritating ads make the internet suffering worst for mobile users with their limited screen sizes. You will find them everywhere on social media sites, the web, and the gaming apps on our mobile devices.
As an Android user, you might think there’s no way you can get rid of these ads since the devices don’t come pre-loaded with ad blockers. But luckily, we have the solution. In this article, you’ll learn everything from the reason for seeing ads and ways of blocking ads on android.
Digital advertising
This may come as a huge shock to those of you who know I’m not only a digital marketer but a marketing professor but I HATE ADVERTISING. I come from a branch of marketing that focuses on building relationships with consumers rather than spamming them with ads so the two elements aren’t incompatible. I believe businesses should work on providing valuable information to consumers as a way to reach new ones and build sales rather than using advertising. But, that’s just me.
According to Forbes, the average person is exposed to between 4000 and 10,000 ads per day. Even for those who favor advertising as an effective tool, it’s easy to see how the sheer number of ads makes them highly ineffective in reaching new customers as we all simply dismiss them or scroll quickly past them without them entering our conscious thought. Plus, the average consumer must see an ad 7 times before a prospect makes a purchase. Add to this the notion that, in order to become a prospect, a consumer must have:
- need (a problem the product will solve)
- money to make the purchase, which also means the money they’re willing to dedicate to this purchase over other needs
- authority to make the purchase. Kids, for instance, often don’t have the authority to buy products
- desire for the product
Without all 4 elements that make an individual a prospect, no amount of advertising makes any difference in your bottom line. Thus, almost by definition, most of your advertising hits non-prospects and is wasteful.
How mobile ad blockers work
Mobile ad blockers work by creating filters that define which content shouldn’t load on the mobile device using the URL of that content. You can even stop ads on social media and web pages with mobile ad blockers, although some websites won’t load properly when using a mobile ad blocker, so most allow you to whitelist sites so they load properly. Creating these filtering rules manually is an overwhelming task so most mobile ad blockers come with categories and the user chooses which categories they want to eliminate.
Some mobile ad blockers also eliminate the ability of websites to track you as you move around the internet. Many feel such tracking invades their privacy and slows down their device, although such tracking does provide value by prioritizing ads related to the type of content you view, your location, and your device.
Mobile ad blockers are helpful through the following [source]:
- Remove distracting ads, making pages easier to read
- Make web pages load faster
- Keep advertisers from tracking you across websites
- Reduce bandwidth (especially important with mobile devices)
- Reduce battery usage (again, important for mobile devices)
- Block fake news; there are several companies that “advertise” fake news to attract readers
- Protect you from malware
How to Identify Scammy Ads?
While our topic is related to advertisements, it’s essential to mention that ads are not just annoying. These pop-ups can be extremely dangerous too. Some disadvantages they can cause include multiple errors, slowing the mobile’s performance, and exposing data to hackers.
An essential step before blocking ads on android is to know about the scammy/fishy advertisements. Here are some tips to help you:
- It can be a catchy line related to money. For example, “Click on this link to become a billionaire.” Remember, there’s nothing known as becoming a billionaire in the nanoseconds scheme.
- It can be very professional, like coming from a governmental organization or a well-known company. Why would such authorized repute bother you on the song downloading website?
- You can also get malicious ads containing spelling mistakes, unprofessional imagery, and weird question marks. If you’re seeing this on your screen, installing an antivirus program is your call.
- If the size of the popping ad is too big that it’s covering your whole screen, it’s definitely a scammy advertisement. When you click the close or minimize button, it will lead you to another website.
- The pop-up may contain a link or a number. Google will never take you to another window after clicking on an advertisement. Yes, the link you clicked was a scam!
Now that you know everything about scammy advertisements, let’s get straight to the ways of blocking them!
How to block ads on your mobile phones
Blocking advertisements is just a matter of some seconds. But different methods are used to block pop-ups for other websites. Each one of them is listed below.
Blocking ads on the Android browser
On your Android devices, there are several techniques to stop annoying ads. On your preferred online browsers or the phone itself, you may block them. This is how to disable pop-ups on the Android browser that came with your phone.
- Get straight to the browser to open it. If unsure about your native android browser, search “Internet” in the applications search bar.
- You will see three dots representing the application’s setting. The symbol might be different depending on the manufacturer.
- Among many options, click “Advanced.”
- Enable the “Block pop-ups” or “Ad blocker” toggle button.
With these simple steps, your native Android browser is now free from ads.
Blocking ads on the Samsung browser
Specific web browsers require an extra effort to block pop-ups. For instance, Samsung Internet offers customers a range of reliable choices. Add-ons are not supported by all Android browsers, though. If it does, adhere to the directions listed below for Samsung Internet on the Google page.
- Open the Samsung browser.
- Find the three horizontal lines, which will most probably be available in the lower right corner.
- Tap the symbol labeled “Add-ons.”
- You will find a list of add blockers you can download for blocking ads. Or you can simply enable Adblock for Samsung Internet.
After installation, the pop-up blocker is activated, so you shouldn’t experience any more problems with intrusive advertisements.
Blocking ads on Mozilla
Mobile users also use Mozilla as a search engine. But that too is filled by pop-ups sometimes. Here are the steps you can perform to block ads on Mozilla.
- Open the Firefox application.
- You will see the three vertical lines in the lower left-hand corner.
- Click “Settings.”
- Tap “Strict” under the “Enhanced Tracking Protection” from the menu.
You can choose the standard option too, but “Strict” provides more security from the ads as it implies some changes within the browser.
Blocking ads on the Android phone
Google’s Chrome is most likely the most popular web browser for Android users. Of course, there are a fair number of pop-up advertisements. Follow the procedures below for blocking ads if you use the Chrome browser on an Android device:
- Open the Chrome application.
- In the upper right corner, press the three dots.
- Select “Settings.”
- You will see the option site settings by scrolling down.
- Tap “Pop-ups and Redirects.”
- Turn them off if they are enabled.
- Return to the menu for “Site Settings.”
- Turn off Ads by tapping them.
Now you’re done blocking ads on android.
Why do ads continue to show up on my phone?
Advertisements most likely cause pop-ups. However, it is not always the riskiest factor. Here is a thorough breakdown of the causes and solutions to eliminate them.
Adware
Adware is malicious software that floods your mobile with unlimited pop-ups. The worst part is that these continuous pop-ups are not just limited to the usage of the browser. You will see them in the notification panel on your mobile screen.
To get rid of these irritating pop-ups, block the cookies and click on the option of “Don’t show it again.” For more robust security, install an antivirus application on your mobile phone and keep running it from time to time.
Advertisement
In the past, advertising was done by third-party organizations. To catch the public’s attention, it showed titles congratulating people as if they won the lottery. But people ignored these advertisements when they started becoming aware.
Now, the marketers are clever enough to discover the lead generation technique. Although it’s an annoying marketing tactic, it still works as many users end up signing for a promotion or taking a survey to get a discounted deal.
It’s important to mention that these advertisements are not harmful to your device. They will not pop up again if you close them once after opening a particular webpage. However, if it keeps popping up or takes you to another page, it’s most probably adware.
Tech support scam
Some scammy advertisements assure you to be your technical friend. They claim that they have detected multiple viruses on your laptop and can solve it without charging any fee. All they want you to do is fill out a form or click on a link. You will give them all your private information if you listen to them.
Remember! No reputable organization will ever disrupt your scrolling and ask you for a quick survey or virus detection. You can eliminate these tech support scams by running an antivirus program on your mobile phone.
Viruses
Android viruses are most commonly installed with shady applications. We have already told you that the advertisements which take you to another browser or webpage are nothing other than scams, and you are most likely to be hacked. Similarly, there are chances of installing unknown software on your android phone by clicking on pop-ups, even if it happened accidentally.
Install antivirus software to ensure the security of your Android device. This option currently offers the best security for your phone and your data.
Final words!
In this article, we discussed everything related to mobile ad blockers. Besides all the ad blocking methods we told you about, there’s another one you can consider. Alternatively, you may use the AdBlocker app as a substitute on your smartphone. It prevents you from seeing ads when browsing the internet, using applications, and playing games. It works like an additional layer of security from advertisements.
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