January 12th, 2024, Janice Fernandes
The internet is saturated with adblocker recommendations and step-by-step guides. Major platforms like YouTube have recently intensified their efforts to combat adblocker usage. A pertinent question arises: how prevalent is the use of adblockers when it comes to streaming content?
Results from a recent YouGov survey, conducted across 17 international markets, reveals that almost one in five consumers (18%) always use ad blockers when streaming content, with a further third (31%) sometimes doing so.
Exploring the preferences in different parts of the world shows that there is a notable affinity for adblockers in the APAC region. Hong Kong and Australia stand out, reporting the highest figures for habitual adblocker usage at 28% and 23%, respectively. A similar share of respondents in both these markets say they occasionally turn to adblockers (29% and 23%). Singapore shows a similar trend with 21% always using an adblocker, 33% sometimes, and 45% never.
Turning to India and the UAE, the usage of adblockers aligns relatively closely with the global average. In both countries, 18% always use adblockers, while 35% and 39% use them occasionally, and 47% and 43% never use them, respectively.
Moving to North America, 20% of US consumers consistently use adblockers, 30% do so occasionally, and the majority (51%) never use them. In the United Kingdom (GB), 16% always use adblockers, 23% use them occasionally, and 61% never use them. In Sweden 21% of respondents say they always use an adblocker, 35% sometimes, and 44% never using one. However, data reveals a slightly different trend in Denmark with 20% always using an adblocker, 19% sometimes, and a significant 61% never using one.
Looking at demographic difference reveals that individuals aged 18-24 and 25-34 exhibit the highest percentages (20% and 21% respectively) who pick ‘always’ and sometimes (32% and 35%), suggesting a comparable inclination among these younger cohorts to consistently employ adblockers. Consumers between the ages of 35 to 44 also follow the same usage pattern as the youngest two groups. On the other hand, those between 45-54 years and more than 55 have the lowest percentage (15%; 14% respectively) who always use an adblocker, with more than half saying they never use (55% and 58%).
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Methodology: YouGov Surveys: Serviced provide quick survey results from nationally representative or targeted audiences in multiple markets. The data is based on surveys of adults aged 18+ years in 17 markets with sample sizes varying between 500 and 2,001 for each market. All surveys were conducted online in November 2023. Data from each market uses a nationally representative sample apart from Mexico and India, which use urban representative samples, and Indonesia and Hong Kong, which use online representative samples. Learn more about YouGov Surveys: Serviced.
Image: Getty Images