Over the last decade, ad blocking has become a major issue for publishers. Though various ad-block recovery solutions have entered the market, many are riddled with functional issues and ineffective in the long term. However, two proven, user-first solutions have emerged: Acceptable Ads and Ad-Shield Recovery. Let’s examine these solutions individually, plus learn how to use them together for optimal results.

‍

What is Acceptable Ads?

For a more detailed analysis of Acceptable Ads, check out our blog post.

The Acceptable Ads Standard, otherwise known as Acceptable Ads, is a criteria determining what kinds of ads are acceptable for users. Acceptable Ads was created by Eyeo, which also owns the ad blockers AdBlock and Adblock Plus. Publishers, ad networks, and ad tech providers can join the Acceptable Ads program by formatting their ads to the Standard and paying a fee (license, service, or revenue share) to Eyeo. In return, program members’ ads are whitelisted and displayed to AdBlock and Adblock Plus users. While Eyeo’s contradictory business model isn’t without controversy, most major US publishers incorporate Acceptable Ads in their ad-block recovery strategy. However, Acceptable Ads’ recovery rate is dropping year on year, and publishers are unable to recover sufficient revenue with Acceptable Ads alone.

‍

What is Ad-Shield Recovery?

For more details on Ad-Shield Recovery, check out our blog post.

To increase overall revenue recovery, publishers employ Ad-Shield Recovery as an alternative or complementary solution to Acceptable Ads. Ad-Shield Recovery is the only solution on the market that yields higher recovery rates than Acceptable Ads without compromising UX. Like Acceptable Ads, Ad-Shield only displays non-intrusive, user-friendly ads to ensure a respectful advertising experience for users. But unlike Acceptable Ads, Ad-Shield recovers ads for all ad block users, not just AdBlock and Adblock Plus. Because Acceptable Ads is based on whitelisting, ads can only be recovered via ad blockers owned by Eyeo.

‍

On the flip side, Ad-Shield utilizes Ad-Shield Runtime, a powerful integrity-guaranteed layer that runs over browsers. This advanced technology allows Ad-Shield to recover ads from not only AdBlock and Adblock Plus but also AdGuard, uBlock Origin, Brave Brothers, and every ad blocker available. Ad-Shield’s higher recovery rate is simple math: Ad-Shield recovers ads from the entire ad blocker market, while Acceptable Ads is limited to AdBlock and Adblock Plus.

‍

‍

Acceptable Ads' core dependency on AdBlock and Adblock Plus has lead to declining recovery rates as the two ad blockers steadily lose market share. The resulting recovery rate falls between 15-25%. However, because Ad-Shield Runtime is compatible with all ad blockers, Ad-Shield Recovery has consistently recovered over 90% of ad block impressions throughout the past several years.

‍

Acceptable Ads vs. Ad-Shield Recovery

‍

Can I use both Acceptable Ads and Ad-Shield Recovery?

Absolutely. If you’re already using Acceptable Ads but need to increase your ad block revenue recovery, Ad-Shield can be used in tandem with Acceptable Ads.

To explore other alternative ad block recovery strategies, check out our blog post.

‍

One of Ad-Shield’s customers, a top global gaming publisher, has used Acceptable Ads and Ad-Shield since 2021. Their Acceptable Ads recovery rate was 24.4%; now, it’s down to 20.8%. Effectively, they recovered roughly 15% less in 2023 via Acceptable Ads than in 2021. Meanwhile, Ad-Shield exponentially supplemented Acceptable Ads with a 71% recovery rate in 2021 to an increased current recovery rate of 77%, for a total recovery rate of 97%.

‍