[Done] Adblock Plus user survey

Various discussions related to Adblock Plus development
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Wladimir Palant

[Done] Adblock Plus user survey

Post by Wladimir Palant »

p2u brought up an old topic in forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=7551 namely creating a survey for Adblock Plus users to figure out where they stand. This is something that has been pushed out for a long time but maybe the time is finally right now. I think that the interesting questions are (very rough, won't be used like that of course):

* How do you use Adblock Plus?
[ ] I just let it do its job
[ ] I only create filters when I see something that isn't blocked
[ ] I only use my own filters
[ ] Don't know

* Why are you using Adblock Plus?
[ ] Save traffic
[ ] Ads are too distracting
[ ] Privacy protection
[ ] Security
[ ] Ideological reasons
[ ] Other (please specify)

* Please indicate your level of agreement to the following statements
"Adblock Plus kills the free web content"
"All web content should be free of ads"
"I would be willing to pay for web content if it were free of ads"

* Approximately how many websites do you visit regularly?
[ ] less than 5
[ ] 6-10
[ ] 11-20
[ ] more than 20

* Did you disable Adblock Plus on any of these websites to support them? If yes, on how many?
[ ] I do not disable Adblock Plus anywhere
[ ] 1-5
[ ] 6-10
[ ] 11-20
[ ] more than 20

* What are the main reasons you don't disable Adblock Plus?
[ ] Ads are too annoying
[ ] Traffic limit
[ ] Too much hassle
[ ] Don't see why I should
[ ] Didn't know it was possible
[ ] Other (please specify)

* Please indicate the extent to which you would be willing to accept the following kinds of advertising:
Static text
Static images
Full-page ads before the actual content
Animations without sound
Animations with sound
Pop-up windows
Interactive ads (e.g. opening when a word in the text is moused over)
In-video ad breaks
In-video ad layers

The question texts need some work of course. Some more questions will be required to categorize users (experienced/unexperienced, age, gender etc). Still, what do you think? What else should we ask to get a picture?
IceDogg
Posts: 909
Joined: Fri Jun 09, 2006 11:22 pm

Re: Adblock Plus user survey

Post by IceDogg »

Wladimir Palant wrote: * Why are you using Adblock Plus?
[ ] Save traffic
[ ] Ads are too distracting
[ ] Privacy protection
[ ] Security
[ ] Ideological reasons
[ ] Other (please specify)
I don't know how you plan to do this one, but I would recommend you allow more than one reason here. I use it for all of these reasons myself so maybe even add all of these as an option too.. I'm sure you planned more then one, but I just thought I would post this anyway just in case.
Wladimir Palant

Re: Adblock Plus user survey

Post by Wladimir Palant »

Yes, some of these are clearly multiple choice :)
vasa1
Posts: 76
Joined: Wed Apr 14, 2010 8:59 am

Re: Adblock Plus user survey

Post by vasa1 »

Wladimir Palant wrote:...

* Why are you using Adblock Plus?
[ ] Save traffic
...
...

* What are the main reasons you don't disable Adblock Plus?
...
[ ] Traffic limit
...
...
"Bandwidth" maybe more suitable than "traffic"? Or something that implies capped internet usage. Is "traffic" meant to cover slower net connections?

I block images, whether they are ads or not. If I feel I want to view an image, I open the specific image link in a new tab.
Wladimir Palant

Re: Adblock Plus user survey

Post by Wladimir Palant »

vasa1 wrote:I block images, whether they are ads or not. If I feel I want to view an image, I open the specific image link in a new tab.
I would consider this rare usage, even though ImgLikeOpera certainly has its users. Better to leave that under "Other".

Traffic => Bandwidth is definitely a valid point. I didn't really put much thought into formulations, just wrote up something quickly to have a starting point.
Ares2
Posts: 1275
Joined: Fri Feb 15, 2008 12:47 pm

Re: Adblock Plus user survey

Post by Ares2 »

Right after the question about the acceptable types of ads, I would also take the opportunity to ask the question:

* Should Adblock Plus have an option to display such acceptable ads?
[ ] Yes, I would use it
[ ] Yes, but I wouldn't use it
[ ] No
Wladimir Palant

Re: Adblock Plus user survey

Post by Wladimir Palant »

@Ares2: Agree.

This doesn't have to be focused on acceptable ads however - this is our chance to ask our community, we can try to answer other questions as well. So maybe:

* In which areas do you see the need to improve Adblock Plus?

[ ] Make it easier to use
[ ] Make it faster
[ ] Improve blocking accuracy
[ ] Make it more customizable
[ ] Other (please specify)
[ ] None, it is perfect
Ares2
Posts: 1275
Joined: Fri Feb 15, 2008 12:47 pm

Re: Adblock Plus user survey

Post by Ares2 »

Of course that can be asked as well, but I was thinking of some form of user legitimation for the current plans (one that could be used as a reference with reservation), and that doesn't really work with too general questions. It was just an idea anyway.
Wladimir Palant

Re: Adblock Plus user survey

Post by Wladimir Palant »

@Ares2: Looking at my post again, that was probably a little ambiguous. I actually agreed to your suggestion and suggested an additional question, entirely unrelated. Point of my question was to understand what users perceive as problematic and what we might want to focus development efforts on.
Ares2
Posts: 1275
Joined: Fri Feb 15, 2008 12:47 pm

Re: Adblock Plus user survey

Post by Ares2 »

Oh, OK, sorry for the misunderstanding.
maybee
Posts: 130
Joined: Sun Jan 17, 2010 7:48 pm
Contact:

Re: Adblock Plus user survey

Post by maybee »

I think the suvey would be better to be edited a little.
  1. how do you block ads?
    - manually writting filter for oneself
    - filter subscription from adblockplus.org
    - another source from other users
  2. If you subscribe filter subscriptions from adblockplus.org, do you think proper the level of blocking ads in them?
    - 1 (too bad) or over blocking or excessibe blocking
    - 2
    - 3 (average)
    - 4
    - 5 (very good)
  3. If you subscribe filter subscriptions from adblockplus.org Did you disable Adblock Plus on any of these websites to support them? If yes, on how many?
    [ ] I do not disable Adblock Plus anywhere
    [ ] 1-5
    [ ] 6-10
    [ ] 11-20
    [ ] more than 20
  4. what kind of user do you are contained?
    - a general user of Adblock Plus
    - filter maintainers
    - programmers as a contributor
    - etc
  5. How many can you allow the number of ads on a page?
    - no
    - 1
    - 2
    - 3
    - 4
    - 5 more than
plus you would be better to use google's document tool for the survey like link1, result.


I don't think the following entry is not proper due to the goal of the survey doesn't meet.
strictly speaking the survery is Criteria for "acceptable" advertising . the question doesn't tell us something related to the criteria.
* Why are you using Adblock Plus?
[ ] Save traffic
[ ] Ads are too distracting
[ ] Privacy protection
[ ] Security
[ ] Ideological reasons
[ ] Other (please specify)

* How do you use Adblock Plus?
[ ] I just let it do its job
[ ] I only create filters when I see something that isn't blocked
[ ] I only use my own filters
[ ] Don't know
Last edited by maybee on Wed May 18, 2011 7:21 am, edited 1 time in total.
p2u
Posts: 39
Joined: Fri Feb 20, 2009 10:43 am

Re: Adblock Plus user survey

Post by p2u »

maybee wrote:I don't think the following entry is not proper due to the goal of the survey doesn't meet.
strictly speaking the survery is Criteria for "acceptable" advertising . the question doesn't tell us something related to the criteria.
* Why are you using Adblock Plus?
[...]

* How do you use Adblock Plus?
[...]
I have to disagree with you here. If you want to change the user's mindset and break his/her (often irrational*) blocking habits, you will want to know who they are and what their purpose with the product is. If we want sincere answers and useful data from this survey, I'd rather NOT call the survey "acceptable advertising" because I'm 100% sure we will NOT get the results we need to change the status quo.
* About irrational behavior: I know people who will not only block social sites in their hosts file, but will also block ANY static image reminding the user about them, even if the image itself is located on other servers. They hate them for what they represent: the "you-share-we-sell" business.

Paul
Ares2
Posts: 1275
Joined: Fri Feb 15, 2008 12:47 pm

Re: Adblock Plus user survey

Post by Ares2 »

maybee wrote:strictly speaking the survery is Criteria for "acceptable" advertising .
What I get from Wladimir's post is that this is meant to be a general survey and not exclusively to ask users about their opinion on acceptable ads.
yiNXs
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Jun 04, 2011 10:02 am

Re: Adblock Plus user survey

Post by yiNXs »

* How do you use Adblock Plus?
[x] I only use my own filters


* Why are you using Adblock Plus?
[x] Ideological reasons
[x] Other (please specify)

Only to prevent: popups, pop-unders (especally the screen filling ones), adds that use sound and absurd long video adds (more than 10 seconds) before short internet video's. Basically everything that's too much in-your-face (anti-social marketing). All simple banners and adds are fine.


* Please indicate your level of agreement to the following statements

"Adblock Plus kills the free web content" - To some extend it is, because way too many people block all adds for bad reasons, not caring about, or realizing the effect it has.
"All web content should be free of ads" - Disagree, but adds should remain within boundaries of decency
"I would be willing to pay for web content if it were free of ads" - Probably never


* Approximately how many websites do you visit regularly?
[x] 6-10

* Did you disable Adblock Plus on any of these websites to support them? If yes, on how many?

Generally I keep adblock disabled and only turn it on when I need to.
Therefor I would really like a blacklist function when adblock is disabled, so I could only block sites that use obnoxious adds, instead of having to whitelist everything that's ok.


* Please indicate the extent to which you would be willing to accept the following kinds of advertising:

Static text - Ok
Static images - Ok
Full-page ads before the actual content - Depends, usually it's ok
Animations without sound - Ok
Animations with sound - The main reason I installed adblock. I really hate these.
Pop-up windows - The secondary reason I installed adblock.
Interactive ads (e.g. opening when a word in the text is moused over) - Annoying, but usually ok. Most sites worth looking at don't use these anyway.
In-video ad breaks - Depends on length (esp. compared to the actual video length, or quality of content), reoccurrence and audio volume (often too loud and sometimes not adjustable/mutable), so usually I want these blocked.
In-video ad layers - Very annoying and also just a very bad idea, because they block the actual running content. These should be blocked.
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