61% Of Consumers Approve Of Digital Ads

Digital
AUK Advertising

According to a new survey, the majority of UK consumers are supportive of online ads and acknowledge how important they are for the digital industry.

The poll, carried out by the Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) and research firm Kantar Media, shows that more than three in five consumers (61%) realise that without ads it would be impossible to have many free websites and content. Moreover, 52% say they are “happy” with the presence of ads on the web, as they enable more people to see digital content for free or at a very low cost. In fact, just around 10% of those surveyed claim they are ready to pay for the same content, provided they will not be exposed to commercial messages.

Technology that enables well-targeted advertising also seems to appeal to consumers, with nearly 60% preferring to see fewer ads with more relevant content rather than a wide variety of offers for a more general audience. A further 55% say they would like to be engaged in more personalised interaction with brands.

Elsewhere, 45% would like to have the chance to decide what type of digital ads they are exposed to, while 40% want to know all about the data brands store about them. On the other hand, more than one in three consumers say they would like to have more information on brands that advertise on the Internet.

Quite predictably, Internet security is a key issue for consumers, with 62% saying they are concerned about their privacy online. However, two in three are certain they know exactly what to do in order to protect their data.