If you run a website, blog, or online platform, you know ads help pay the bills. But when ads are too annoying – popups, auto-play videos, or flashing banners – users often install ad blockers. That means you lose revenue.
Acceptable Ads are a middle path. They let you earn from ads that are non-intrusive, fair, and clearly labeled, while keeping users happy. In this article, you’ll learn what Acceptable Ads are, how they work, why they matter, how to follow their rules, and whether they could help you monetize without annoying your audience.
What Are Acceptable Ads?
Acceptable Ads are ad formats that won’t annoy people. They don’t interrupt content, they are clearly marked (like “advertisement” or “sponsored”), and they meet rules made to protect user experience.
Who Created Acceptable Ads & Why?
The Acceptable Ads concept was created by eyeo GmbH, the company behind Adblock Plus, one of the world’s most-used ad blockers.
As ad blocking grew (used by over 31% of internet users worldwide), eyeo asked thousands of users which ad formats they’d actually tolerate. Based on that feedback, they launched the first Acceptable Ads standards in 2011.
Today, these standards are managed by the independent Acceptable Ads Committee, which updates the rules regularly to keep them fair for both users and publishers.
Ads that meet the standards go on an “allowlist”, so ad blockers that support Acceptable Ads still show them even when other ads are blocked.
Most ad blockers have Acceptable Ads turned on by default, which means millions of people already see lighter, non-intrusive ads without doing anything — though anyone can opt out in their settings.
This creates a clear middle ground. Users get a less disruptive experience, while publishers recover part of the revenue lost to ad blocking — without breaking trust.
How Acceptable Ads Actually Show Up on a Page?
For beginners, here’s the simplest way to picture it:
- A user with an ad blocker visits your site.
- Your site has been whitelisted or uses a partner that supports Acceptable Ads.
- The ad blocker automatically allows only the non-intrusive ad formats that meet the criteria.
- The user sees fewer, lighter ads instead of no ads at all.
- You still earn revenue from these non-intrusive ads without annoying your audience.
This simple flow helps you understand what’s happening behind the scenes every time someone with an ad blocker visits.
Now that you know how the system works, let’s look at why it’s important for publishers.
Why Acceptable Ads Matter for Publishers?
Ad blocking has become a huge challenge for websites. Today, roughly 31.5% of internet users worldwide use an ad blocker. As a result, publishers are projected to lose about US$54 billion in 2024 alone because of blocked ads.
This is where Acceptable Ads makes a difference. By showing only non-intrusive, clearly labeled ads, the program helps publishers recover part of that lost revenue. In fact, the number of people who allow Acceptable Ads is growing fast — more than 300 million users opted in by mid-2023, a 42% increase from the year before.
Using Acceptable Ads can help in several important ways:
1. Recover Lost Ad Revenue
Ad blocking causes big losses. In 2024, publishers are expected to lose about US$54 billion globally because of ad blocking. Acceptable Ads helps reduce that loss.
2. Reduce User Annoyance & Ad Fatigue
Ads that are less intrusive keep users from getting fed up. Happier users are more likely to stay, return, or browse more pages.
3. Improve Trust & Brand Perception
Showing you care about user experience builds goodwill. Users appreciate transparency (labels, smooth ad behavior).
4. Stand Out In Compliance & Ethics
As privacy laws increase and tracking becomes more regulated, Acceptable Ads align well with ethical practices. This can protect you from complaints or penalties.
The Acceptable Ads Standard: Rules You Must Follow
If you want your ads to qualify as Acceptable Ads, you have to follow a clear set of standards. These standards spell out where you can place ads on a page, how big they can be, and how they should look so that users aren’t interrupted or tricked. Below is a plain-English guide to help you understand what these rules actually mean.
Placement (Desktop and General)
Your ads should sit above the content, beside it, or below it—never right in the middle of someone’s reading flow. For example, a banner across the top of an article is fine, but a big pop-up that appears while the person is reading is not. The goal is to keep ads visible but not disruptive.
Distinction and Labeling
Every ad must be clearly labeled as an “Advertisement,” “Sponsored,” or something similar, and it should be visually different from the page’s main content. This prevents people from accidentally clicking on ads thinking they’re part of the article. Think of it as good manners—letting the user know what’s content and what’s an ad.
Size Limits on Desktop
Acceptable Ads also limits how large your ad units can be:
- Above the primary content (at the top of a page): maximum height of 200 pixels.
- Beside the content (sidebar): maximum width of 350 pixels.
- Below the content (footer area): maximum height of 400 pixels.
- Within the content (inline): maximum height of 250 pixels.
These numbers might look technical, but the idea is simple: keep ads smaller than the main content so they don’t dominate the page.
How Much Space Ads Can Take Up
Even if you place multiple ads, they can’t take over the whole screen. All the ads shown above the fold – the part of the page you see before you scroll—must together use no more than 15% of the visible space. Once users scroll down below the fold, ads can take up to 25% of the visible area. This prevents pages from feeling like a wall of ads.
Mobile Rules
On mobile devices, the rules are even stricter because screens are smaller:
- Static ads (simple banners) can appear anywhere on a mobile page.
- Small sticky ads—like a thin banner at the bottom—are allowed, but they’re limited in size so they don’t block content.
- Large ads (over 300 pixels high) can only appear below the primary content.
- No ad should take up more than 50% of the visible mobile screen at one time.
Sticky ads at the bottom have an extra limit of 75 pixels or 15% of the screen height.
In simple terms, your mobile ads should feel like a small addition to the page, not the main event.
Animation and Behavior
Animations are allowed, but they must follow the “LEAN” standards set by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB). This means they should be lightweight, non-intrusive, offer a close button, and avoid heavy tracking.
Things that are not allowed include auto-play videos with sound, forced overlay ads, or ads that suddenly play or shift while someone is reading. The whole point of Acceptable Ads is to show advertising without surprising or annoying your visitors.
Pros & Cons of Acceptable Ads: What You Gain and What to Watch Out For
Good Things (Pros):
- You get some ad revenue even from visitors using ad blockers.
- Improved user experience → lower bounce rates, better site retention.
- Less risk of users leaving your site or installing stronger blockers.
- Aligns with privacy & regulatory expectations (GDPR, etc.).
- Helps build trust; ethical ad behavior is seen as a positive signal.
Drawbacks (Cons):
- You may not fully recover all revenue lost to ad blockers. It gives partial mitigation.
- Strict compliance means redesigning ad layouts, resizing banners, or removing some ad formats you like. That costs time or money.
- Potentially lower CPMs for allowed ads if advertisers pay more for big, attention-grabbing formats that are often disallowed.
- Some users will still block even Acceptable Ads. It doesn’t solve all ad blocking.
- Need ongoing monitoring and updates. Standards can change; what works now may not satisfy future rules.
Revenue Expectations: A Simple Example
A common question from beginners is: “How much money can I actually make?” Here’s a realistic example:
If your site normally earns $1,000 per month with standard ads, and you enable Acceptable Ads, you might recover 20–50% of the revenue you lose to ad blockers.
The exact percentage depends on factors like your traffic volume, the regions your audience comes from, and which ad formats you use. While Acceptable Ads won’t replace 100% of blocked ad revenue, it can provide a steady, user-friendly income stream that wasn’t there before.
How Publishers Can Implement Acceptable Ads Without Losing Money
Here’s a step-by-step plan to follow (with examples) so you can introduce Acceptable Ads smoothly:
1. Audit Your Current Ad Inventory
- Look at every ad format and placement on your site.
- Identify which ones violate Acceptable Ads rules (oversized banners, auto-play videos, etc.).
Use tools or manual checks to record bounce rate and user complaint feedback related to ads.
2. Choose the Right Ad Formats
- Pick formats that comply: static images, small banners, in-feed ads, search ads if relevant.
- Remove or replace auto-popups, full-screen overlays, and large video ads that auto-play.
3. Work with Ad Networks or Partners that Support Acceptable Ads / Already Whitelisted
- Choose ad-networks or ad-tech platforms that adhere to these standards.
- Consider getting your site whitelisted—this means ad blockers will allow compliant ads automatically.
4. Design with Compliance in Mind
- Label ads clearly (“advertisement,” “sponsored”).
- Use sizes within the set limits (e.g., 200px height above content, etc.).
- For mobile, avoid sticky ads that take up too much screen, and limit animation.
5. Test & Optimize Regularly
- A/B test placements (top vs bottom vs side), formats (static vs minimal animation).
- Monitor user metrics: page load speed, bounce rate, scroll depth.
- Get feedback (survey users) about ad experience.
6. Stay Updated & Follow Privacy & Legal Guidelines
- Compliance might intersect with privacy laws (GDPR, CCPA).
- Ensure your ads do not use questionable tracking or misleading labeling.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
Q1: Do I Have To Use Acceptable Ads To Get Ad Revenue?
A: No. It’s voluntary. But if you don’t follow the standards, your ads might be blocked by users who use ad blockers—and that’s revenue you lose.
Q2: What Happens If An Ad Doesn’t Meet Acceptable Ad Rules?
A: If it fails compliance, ad blockers that respect Acceptable Ads will block that ad. So, you get less impressions for those non-compliant units.
Q3: Will Following Acceptable Ads Reduce How Much I Can Charge Advertisers (CPM)?
A: It could, for certain formats. Big flashy/video ads often pay more. But users trust your site more, stay longer, which can offset lower CPMs with more ad views and better retention.
Q4: Is There A Cost To Being Part Of Acceptable Ads / Getting Whitelisted?
A: For many publishers, no cost if you have modest traffic. But big sites (> a certain threshold of “acceptable ad impressions” per month) may pay a small percentage of revenue. Also, there might be fees with some ad-tech platforms or whitelisting services.
Q5: What Are Some Acceptable Ad Networks That Support Acceptable Ads?
A: Some ad networks or ad partners already follow the standards or allow Acceptable Ads via their platforms. When choosing a network, check their policies and whether they mention Acceptable Ads standards or allowlist access.
Q6: Can These Ads Be Shown Even If A User Has Enabled An Ad Blocker?
A: Yes, that’s the point of Acceptable Ads. If the ad is on the allowlist and meets the criteria, ad blockers that support the program will show it. But only for users who have enabled Acceptable Ads (some users disable it).
Q7: What Are “Lean” Ads And Why Are They Important Here?
A: LEAN stands for Light, Encrypted, AdChoices-supported, and Non-invasive. It’s a set of ad standards focused on fast loading, non-disruptive ads. Acceptable Ads and many good modern standards follow LEAN principles.
Conclusion
Acceptable Ads offer a smart way for publishers to earn from ads without annoying their audience. If you follow the standards—size limits, labeling, placement, respectful behavior—you can show ads even to many users who block intrusive ads.
Yes, you might lose some potential from big flashy formats, and compliance takes effort. But many of the biggest losses from ad blocking can be softened. By keeping user experience front and center, you build trust—users stay longer, engage more, and are more likely to return. That means more pageviews, more ad exposure, and over time, more stable income.
If you want to try this, start by auditing your current ads, remove anything clearly non-compliant, pick partners who follow these standards, test carefully, and monitor both revenue and user satisfaction. That way, you monetize without annoying your audience—a win-win.
