How to Detect Ad Blockers on Your Website (and What to Do Next)

The Hidden Impact of Ad Blockers

As a publisher, you know that ad blockers directly impact your revenue. But the problem is bigger than just lost ad impressions. Ad blockers often prevent analytics scripts from running, creating a blind spot in your audience data. You can't get a full picture of your traffic, understand user engagement, or make informed decisions about your content strategy.

Detecting the presence of ad blockers is the first step toward reclaiming control. This guide will walk you through how to identify ad blocker usage on your site and what you can do about it.

How to Detect Ad Blockers: Common Techniques

There are several ways to determine if a visitor is using an ad blocker. A popular DIY method is known as the "bait and switch."

1. Create a "Bait" File: Create a simple JavaScript file with a name that ad blockers are known to target, like ads.js or prebid-ads.js.
2. Set the Trap: Include this script on your page and add a "bait" HTML element, such as a <div> with a class name like ad-banner.
3. Check the Results: Write a script that checks if the bait file was blocked or if the bait element has been hidden (e.g., its height is 0). If either is true, you've detected an ad blocker.

While this approach works, it requires constant maintenance. Ad blockers are continuously updated to recognize and circumvent these detection scripts, turning it into a frustrating game of cat and mouse.

You've Detected Ad Blockers. What's Next?

Once you know ad blockers are in use, you have a few options:

• Ask Users to Disable Them: You can display a message asking users to whitelist your website. However, this can be intrusive and is often ignored.
• Restrict Content Access: Some publishers block content entirely for users with ad blockers. This is a risky strategy that can alienate your audience and drive traffic away.
• Use an Ad Recovery Solution: Instead of punishing your visitors, you can work around the blockers to display ads respectfully. This is the most effective long-term strategy.

The AdUnblock Solution: From Detection to Recovery

It’s time to move beyond simple detection and start recovering your lost revenue. AdUnblock provides a comprehensive solution that starts with insights and ends with profit.

Start for Free with Adblock Detection Metrics

Before you commit to anything, you need to understand the scale of the problem. AdUnblock is the only platform that provides free ad blocker detection and analytics. Our easy-to-install script gives you access to a powerful analytics dashboard with key metrics, including:

• Ad Block Rate: See the percentage of your users who have ad blockers active.
• Blocked Impressions: Understand exactly how many ad views you're losing.
• Device Breakdown: Analyze ad block usage across desktop and mobile devices.

These insights are completely free, with no obligation.

Why Publishers Choose AdUnblock for Full Recovery

When you're ready to turn those insights into income, AdUnblock offers a powerful, publisher-first platform.

• Universal Ad Blocker Compatibility: Our technology is designed to bypass all major ad blockers, ensuring your ads are displayed to your entire audience.
• Seamless 2-Minute Integration: Our streamlined process and tech stack selector provide clear, framework-specific instructions to get you up and running in minutes.
• Actionable Analytics Dashboard: Go beyond detection with our full analytics suite, which includes recovered impressions, recovered clicks, and estimated revenue recovery.
• Transparent Usage-Based Pricing: Our fair pricing model is based on your usage, ensuring a high return on investment with no surprise fees.

Ready to Understand Your Audience and Recover Your Revenue?

Stop guessing and start measuring. Don't let ad blockers keep you in the dark. Use our free tools to see what you've been missing and partner with us to build a more profitable future.

Start for Free or Contact Us to learn how AdUnblock can help you grow.