The number one metric in digital marketing? Eyeballs.
The problem? Consumers are doing everything they can to protect their peepers from brands online.
The latest news – a new survey showing ad blocking on laptops is now at 40 percent of all users. On mobile, the number is 15 percent and rising. After years of flashing, spinning and stalking banner ads, consumers have gotten sick of being sold to in certain ways.
What they still want though, are stories.
In a world where consumers are building walls, great online content can be a ninja for brands, sneaking over the wall and through the cracks to stand right next to their audience. Content wins the ad blocker game because social media users have already opted into a relationship with brands. That audience wants to be part of the give-and-take of attention and solid storytelling. But they will shut their eyeballs if that content is boring, trite, too salesy, predictable or not valuable to them. The challenge for content creators then is not a piece of code that could make your brand disappear, but an emphasis on quality which will keep it alive, well and visible.

— Mike Koehler