We understand that there are times when you need control over what ads appear on your site. Whether you have a direct-sold advertiser relationship to protect or simply want to keep certain types of ads off your pages, we have two ways to help: blocking by advertiser URL or blocking by IAB content category.
| Default Protections: By default, we already block all inappropriate content, mature and sexual categories, and tobacco advertising across our entire network. The options below are for additional, publisher-specific controls. |
Option 1: Blocking by Advertiser URL
The most precise way to block an advertiser is by their URL. This targets a specific brand or website, rather than an entire category, giving you surgical control over what appears on your pages.
Proactive URL Blocking
If you already know which advertisers you want to keep off your site, send us a list upfront and we’ll block them before any ads ever run. This is common in situations like:
- You have a direct-sold deal and want to prevent their ads from appearing in your programmatic units.
- You have a direct-sold deal with a local advertiser and don’t want that same advertiser’s ads also running programmatically through your EmpowerLocal ad units, keeping your inventory clean and your direct relationship protected.
- You represent a niche publication and want to proactively avoid advertisers that conflict with your editorial positioning.
To set up proactive URL blocking, simply email your EmpowerLocal account contact with:
- The advertiser name(s)
- The URL(s) you want blocked (e.g., https://advertiserdomain.com)
| Important: URLs are the critical piece of information for blocking. An advertiser’s website URL is what our ad server uses to identify and filter ads, without it, we have no reliable way to block a specific advertiser. See below for why this matters. |
Reactive URL Blocking
If an ad appears on your site that you want removed, you can report it to us and we’ll block it going forward. Here’s how:
- When you see an ad you want blocked, right-click on the ad. You do not need to actually click the ad, just right-click anywhere on the ad creative.
- From the right-click menu, select “Copy Link Address” (or similar, depending on your browser). This copies the ad’s click-through URL.
- Email your EmpowerLocal account contact with the copied URL and, ideally, a screenshot of the ad on your page.
- We’ll identify the advertiser URL and add it to your block list.
| Why a screenshot alone isn’t enough: Screenshots are helpful for context, but they don’t give us the information we need to block an advertiser. For example, you might see an ad featuring an automobile and assume it’s coming from the manufacturer's website, but in reality, it may be running from the local dealership on a completely different domain. Without the actual click-through URL, we can’t reliably identify and block the right advertiser. That’s why the right-click URL copy step is the most important part of the process. |
Option 2: Blocking by IAB Content Category
If you want to block an entire type of advertiser rather than a specific brand, we can do that using IAB (Interactive Advertising Bureau) content categories. This is a proactive, broad-stroke option is useful when you have editorial, community, or sponsor-related reasons to keep certain ad categories off your site entirely.
Common examples might include publishers who want to block all political advertising during election season, or faith-based publications that want to exclude alcohol and gambling ads.
Available IAB Categories for Blocking
Below is a list of the IAB categories available for blocking. To request a block, email your EmpowerLocal account contact with the category name(s) you’d like excluded from your site.
| IAB Category | Description / Examples |
|---|---|
| Alcohol | Beer, wine, spirits, and alcoholic beverage brands and retailers |
| Gambling | Online casinos, sports betting, lottery, poker, and fantasy sports with real-money wagering |
| Political | Political campaigns, candidates, PACs, ballot initiatives, and political advocacy |
| Religion | Religious organizations, faith-based content, and religious products or services |
| Firearms & Weapons | Guns, ammunition, tactical gear, and related accessories and retailers |
| Cannabis / Marijuana | Cannabis dispensaries, CBD products, and marijuana-related brands |
| Pharmaceuticals & Supplements | Prescription drug advertising, dietary supplements, and health product claims |
| Weight Loss & Diet | Diet programs, weight loss products, appetite suppressants, and body image content |
| Get Rich Quick / MLM | Work-from-home schemes, multi-level marketing, and unrealistic financial opportunity claims |
| Personal Finance / Loans | Payday loans, high-interest lending, debt consolidation, and credit repair services |
| Legal Services | Personal injury attorneys, class action lawsuits, and legal claim solicitation |
| Dating & Adult | Dating apps, matchmaking services, and adult-oriented relationship content |
| Online Gambling & Games | Real-money gaming apps, sweepstakes, and prize-based competition platforms |
| Sensitive News & Social Issues | Content related to crime, tragedy, controversial social topics, and divisive political issues |
| Competitor Brands | Direct competitors or advertisers that conflict with the publisher’s existing direct-sold relationships |
| Automotive | Vehicle brands, dealerships, and automotive products and services |
| Healthcare / Medical | Hospitals, insurance plans, medical devices, and healthcare provider advertising |
| Financial Services | Banks, investment platforms, insurance, and financial product advertising |
| Food & Beverage | Restaurants, packaged foods, beverages, and grocery brands |
| Real Estate | Real estate agencies, home buying/selling platforms, mortgage lenders, and property listings |
How to Submit a Blocking Request
For either option, reach out to your EmpowerLocal account contact via email with the following:
- Your publication name
- Whether you want to block by URL or by IAB category
- The specific URLs or category names to block
- For reactive URL blocks: the copied click-through URL and an optional screenshot
We’ll confirm once the block has been applied. For urgent requests, please note that in your message and we’ll prioritize accordingly.
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