Google updated its tools to provide users more control over the ads that they don't want to see on the company's websites and apps for a better online experience.
Google' latest moves focus on getting rid of reminder ads, which stalk users all over the internet, and on its Mute This Ad initiative that was launched in 2012.
No More Reminder Ads, Thanks To Google
Through an official blog post, Google announced a new addition to its Ads Settings interface that will allow users to deal with annoying reminder ads.
When a user checks out a product or service online, ads regarding that product or service will keep popping up afterward, regardless if the user already made the purchase or showed slight interest. These reminder ads become very annoying after a while, a sentiment that apparently Google shares. It has now given users the option to mute reminder ads through Ads Settings for control on which advertisers can show users reminder ads.
The reminder ads that will be muted under the tool are only those that are served through Google's advertising network, which covers 2 million websites. Users may still see reminder ads from time to time even if they are completely muted through Google's tool but at a significantly lower rate than before.
Mute This Ad Updated
The second part of Google's advertisement tools update relates to Mute This Ad, which gives users the option to tag which ads are not relevant or interesting to them.
According to Google, millions of people use Mute This Ad daily, with over 5 billion pieces of feedback received in 2017. The feedback resulted in Google removing 1 million ads from its network.
Mute This Ad has now been updated to recognize feedback across all devices where users have their Google Account signed in. This means that if an ad was muted on a user's computer, the ad will also be muted on that user's smartphone if a single Google Account is logged in to both devices.
Google also said that it will expand the reach of Mute This Ad to more apps and websites.
Google vs Ads
"This is a natural part of the vacillation of control between advertisers and consumers," said digital agency The Shipyard president and cofounder Ben Clarke. "Over time, I expect consumers to get more and more control over the ads they see."
Google might have a massive ad network, but it is also at the forefront of making sure that the user experience is not bogged down by ads.
One of Google's biggest initiatives against annoying ads is its plans to roll out a Chrome ad blocker. The feature, which will be built in to the company's internet browser, will target the ads considered as bad by the Coalition for Better Ads.
The ad blocker is now being rolled out with Chrome 64.
