Ad-blockers are most popular among millennials
A recent study by Moz and Fractl, found that ad-blocking is most popular among millennials, with 63% of 18 to 34 year-olds employing ad-blockers. Results from the study found ad retargeting to be the most popular ad format amongst millennials, 18.9% of millennials viewed it as "very relevant" while 34.3% said it was "somewhat relevant". Mobile in app advertising is the least effective form of advertising to millennials. T﻿his kind of research should help advertisers think about how best to target their content across devices.   

Mobile in app advertising and sponsored story links are the two most irrelevant forms of advertising among millennials, according to a recent study.

The growing popularity of ad blocking software is proving a huge problem for publishers and advertisers, especially following the release of Apple’s latest version of its operating system, iOS 9 which now allows ad blocking apps onto its app store.

A recent study by marketing firms, Moz and Fractl, found that the take-up of ad blocking software is most popular among millennials with a solid majority- 63 per cent- of 18 to 34 year-olds now using it when viewing digital content.

The joint study looked into how different forms of advertising were received by millennials. The results found that mobile/in app advertising was perceived as the least effective form with 29.5 per cent summing it up as “very irrelevant” and 25.3 regarding it as “somewhat irrelevant”.

The second most ineffective form of advertising among millennials according to the study was sponsored story links which 23.4 per cent of those asked said was as “very irrelevant” and 25.4 per cent considered “somewhat irrelevant”.

Of the other forms of advertising looked at in the study- display ads, paid search ads, social media ads and ad retargeting- ,ad retargeting was considered the most relevant with 18.9 per cent of millennials viewing it as “very relevant” while 34.3 per cent said it was “somewhat relevant”.

The results of the study could help advertisers’ better target their content across platforms and age demographics while also slowing the uptake of ad blocking software by targeting users who are more likely to be interested in the goods.

Other than direct advertising, respondents also gave an insight into how they would be attracted to a brand with free content being named as the most effective way. This was followed by discounts or free trial offers by mail, and appearing high in search results.