Reading an article on a news site or blog should be a simple and enjoyable experience.
However, users are often greeted by a barrage of banners, pop-ups, and autoplay videos that obscure the content they’re looking for.
These formats have become so intrusive that they hinder the site’s readability and the browsing experience itself.
A medium perceived as intrusive
Display ads are the prime example of advertising that interrupts rather than complements.
They often appear full-screen, interrupt the user’s reading, and force them to look for the “close” button.
It’s no wonder that 41% of North American internet users now use an ad blocker.
Poor performance
This frustration is reflected in the numbers: the average click-through rate for display ads hovers around 0.46%, or less than one click per 200 impressions.
The conversion rate is even lower.
In short, these campaigns consume enormous volumes of impressions to generate very few concrete actions.
Ad fraud: the Achilles’ heel of display advertising
Beyond ad intrusion, another major issue is undermining the display: fraud.
According to IAS’s 2024 Media Quality Report, unprotected campaigns have fraud rates up to 14 times higher than optimized campaigns.
Global losses from ad fraud could reach $170 billion by 2028.
These types of fraud take many forms:
- Bots and fake clicks billed as real impressions.
- Low-quality websites where ads are placed, diluting brand value.
- Artificially inflated inventory, turning marketing budgets into wasted money.
The Gap with Trusted Media
In contrast, mediums such as podcasts offer a deliberate listening experience, rare attention, and a relationship of trust between the listener and the host.
The result: significantly higher retention and action rates.
Conclusion
Display advertising has become dominant due to its scale and automation, but it suffers from a fundamental flaw: it puts the user on the defensive.
Podcast advertising, on the other hand, is built on a relationship of trust and truly transforms attention into action.
SOURCES:
DoubleVerify – Global Insights 2025 North America Report
