Though most users only recognize ads from the disruptive nature that they hold for the browsing experience, they are important for allowing many independent sites to run. Ads often allow for revenue to be generated in different ways. Many of these publications are dependent on ads as an important source of income, but users’ discouragement from utilizing them have pushed many publications to diversify how they are keeping their publications alive, while also engaging with their fans in innovative ways. However, Google may be giving users the option to customize what ads they want to see on all Google-owned and third-party sites they visit. While the topics of these ads are derived from the user’s own activity, they are also using the information gathered to give users more relevant ads to see. Personalized ads can change users’ thoughts on the experience, but they are also just one step in the direction of reshaping how users perceive ads in the online experience. Reshaping their relevance to users can be one way of doing so, but understanding how ads can have a valued place in and help to make the web experience a better one is a valuable lesson, especially as the web continues to evolve and reshape.
