We’ve all been bombarded with ads and pop ups that disrupt our search and workflow at one time or another. Some of you probably click out of them or ignore them, others might close the webpage all together and some of you may actually see something you like and click the ads.

Whatever your cup of tea, more and more outlets are giving their users the option to block ads. We don’t know exactly what’s to come of ad blocking, but what we do know, is that it’s currently the topic of conversation in a lot of agencies and corporations around the country.

Ad blocking gives Internet users the ability to remove all ads shown on any web page. This fact is sure to make publishers and marketers everywhere hit the panic button. The main players providing this service are AdBlock and AdblockPlus, who have no intention of going away anytime soon. PageFair recently reported that an estimated 200 million people across the globe use an ad blocker when surfing online.

While blocking ads might be a buzzword right now in the U.S., Europe has had the technology for a while now. Ad blocking was originally slated for desktop use only, but Apple shook things up years back when it allowed ad blocking in the Safari browser with the release of iOS9.

However, rumor has it that mobile advertising in browsers is only a tiny portion of total mobile advertising dollars anyways. You’ll also be interested to know that mobile Safari “only” commands a 24% market share, which as you can see, isn’t much. Given the amount of revenue that’s brought in by online ads, you can certainty understand why creator’s everywhere might be a bit concerned.

Ads are a publisher’s main source of revenue. As users, we all rely on ads generating income so we can enjoy most of the web for free these days. You can see how this might create a conflict between advertisers and consumers.

The enhanced experience while using an ad blocker isn’t going unnoticed by consumers. Smartphone users are enjoying faster load times on their favorite websites, less flashing banners and more space for the content they were after in the first place. We’re all aware of what’s currently being discussed in the media, but the real question is, what does the future hold?

The discussion continues today and there haven’t been any groundbreaking changes in content or online advertising, as of now. However, there is a bigger issue being brought to the forefront with the ad blocking phenomenon.

End-users are sick and tired of the bothersome, flashy ads and pop ups they’re faced with each and every day. Consumers are also making it clear that they’re uncomfortable and angry about their privacy continuously being invaded online.

Since it seems ad blocking is only going to increase more with every passing day, you should look for alternative methods to grow your business other than digital advertising. One method I’ve found very compelling is social influencer marketing. Brands can use the power of word of mouth marketing to spread their message in a more organic manner. Getting authentic influencers to create social proof is proven to be more trusted than advertisements anyways.

The magic ball reads that there’s going to be some talk around paid content and guaranteed privacy for consumers. Another option may be paying to have ads removed from the user experience. Brands and consumers should remain open-minded, and remember that at the end of the day, the message will be spread in one way or another.